effort & efforts

effort(s) 可譯作努力, 是名詞. 很多時都與動詞 make 配合一起用的.

此字有時是可數名詞 [c], 但有時是當不可數名詞 [u] 使用的. (很多名詞都是這情況, 如 glass作為一般材料當不可數, 但個別的玻璃杯 a glass, two glasses 則可以數!) 大致上, 如果你想表達一般的努力, 是不可數的, 但想具體指明作了那一件或幾件事, 則可以數. 留意以下的字典例句應可幫助你明白多一點:

[YAHOO]

1. 努力,盡力[U][C][+to-v]
I decided to make one more effort.
我決定再作一次努力。
His efforts had no smallest chance of success.
他的努力毫無成功的希望。
2. 努力的成果;成就[C]
His recent novel is a fine literary effort.
他新近的小說是一本文學佳作。

[CAMBRIDGE]

1 [C or U] physical or mental activity needed to achieve something:
If we could all make an effort to keep this office tidier it would help.
You can't expect to have any friends if you don't make any effort with people.
In their efforts to reduce crime the government expanded the police force.
He's jogging round the park every morning in an effort to get fit for the football season.

2 [C] the result of an attempt to produce something, especially when its quality is low or uncertain:
Do you want to have a look at his exam paper? It's a fairly poor effort.

I decided to make one more effort.
我決定再作一次努力。

His efforts had no smallest chance of success.
他的努力毫無成功的希望。