City University of Hong Kong CLASS CLASS
Making Sense of Grammar
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名詞的單複數如何決定:trouble 什麼時候要加 s?
asked Apr 17, 2018 in Questions about English Grammar by admin (25,520 points) | 4,113 views

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Trouble 放在片語裡,成為慣用的既定用法,表達其語意「概念」,就不必強調「個體性」,像是 have trouble、in trouble 或是 get into trouble 等。然而,如果要明確指出一項個別的「煩惱」,也就是強調其「個體性」的用法,就需要有單複數的標記:


(1) 片語用法,不強調個體性:
Don’t get yourself into trouble.
Every time he is with his older brother, he always gets into trouble.
She has trouble focusing on her work when she drinks too much coffee.
= She has difficulty focusing on her work. → 片語用法,不強調個體化


(2) 個體化的用法,強調個別的問題:
Please do not take the trouble to travel to Kaohsiung.
The most comforting thing about having close friends is being able to talk about our troubles. 

→ 指各人的種種煩惱,強調個體化的 troubles

answered Apr 17, 2018 by admin (25,520 points)

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