■ oats

这是一个复数的不可数名词。它作主语时，谓语动词通常要用复数。

• Oats are used especially for making porridge or for feeding animals燕麦专门用于煮粥或是喂牲口。
• These oats are good and we will cook them.这些燕麦很好，我们要把它煮熟。

但是也可以用单数。

• This oats is good and we will cook it.它前面既可以放 many，也可以放 much。

这大概是因为它本身虽然不可数但又必须以复数形式出现的自相矛盾所致。用了 much，相关的谓语动词就可以用单数。

• There is probably too much oats being grown again this year.今年的燕麦大概又种多了。

但是也有仍然用复数的。

• Too much oats are bad for horses.喂燕麦太多，对马匹是不好的。

如果不涉及谓语动词，这个矛盾就不显得尖锐。

• An example of this is the distemper of a horse when given too much oats and not enough grass or hay.这方面的一个例子，就是马匹如果燕麦喂得太多，青草干草喂得不够，就会出毛病。

但是也可以用 many。

• In fact, horses are known to become overly excited if fed too many oats.其实，马匹如果燕麦喂得太多，会过分兴奋。
• If too many oats are fed, for example, calcium levels may drop as phosphorus levels rise.如果喂得燕麦太多了，钙的含量就可能下降，而磷的含量就可能升高。
• If too many oats are added to a bread, it becomes crumbly.面包里如果加进太多的燕麦，就会变脆。
• There were too many oats yet to be sown.还有大量的燕麦种不过来呢。

属于类似情况的，还有 ash, beans 等名词，参见 ash 及 beans 条。

oats 如果放在另一个表示食品的名词之前，作为定语，就要变为单数，去掉 -s。

• oat bread燕麦面包。