success既是可数名词也是不可数名词。success的基本意思是“成功,成就,胜利”,是抽象名词,不可数,也不可加不定冠词a修饰。success还可作“成功的事或人”“一次成败”解,这时为可数名词,不能与冠词连用。
succeed的用法他的计划成功了。
误:His plan was succeeded.
正:His plan succeeded.
析:succeed 表示“成功”,是不及物动词,因此不能用于被动语态。
他终于把那个问题解决了。
误:At last he succeeded to solve the problem.
正:At last he succeeded in solving the problem.
析:表示做某事做成功了,succeed 后通常不接不定式,而接 in doing sth。
又如:He succeeded in getting the job.(他谋到了那份工作),She succeeded in (passing) the exam.(她考试及格了)
失败是成功之母。
误:Failure is the mother of successes.
正:Failure is the mother of success.
析:success 表示抽象意义的“成功”,是不可数的;表示具体意义的“成功的人或事”, 则是可数的。比较:Success does not usually occur early.(大器晚成),His new book was a great success.(他新出版的书获得了巨大成功)。再比较:He has had great success in business.(他事业上很成功),He was a great success in business.(他事业上很成功)。
你说服她改变主意了吗?
误:Did you have any success to persuade her to change her mind?
正:Did you have any success in persuading her to change her mind?
析:have success in doing sth=做某事有结果或效果。又如:What success did you have in finding a new job?(你想找份新工作结果如何?)