冠詞
1.1 冠詞的定義
定冠詞the 相當于that 的代詞。它的含義是特指和類指。
The lion is roaring. 指確定的某一只獅子。
The lion is the kind of beasts. 指某一類動物。
不定冠詞a/an 來源于數詞one, 有單一的含義，也用于特指和類指。
A tiger has escaped. 指確定的某一只老虎。
A tiger can be dangerous. 指任何一只老虎。
零冠詞是名詞前一種無形的冠詞，即一般所謂不用冠詞的場合。許多專有名詞、抽象名詞和物質名詞都用零冠詞。
Beijing is the capital of China.
Knowledge is power.
Lead is heavier than iron.
1.2 冠詞的基本用法
1） 在單形可數名詞前可用定冠詞或不定冠詞。
2） 復形可數名詞前可用定冠詞或零冠詞
3） 不可數名詞前可用定冠詞或零冠詞。
4） 專有名詞前用零冠詞。
1.3 冠詞的位置
冠詞置于名詞之前，如遇形容詞修飾，冠詞則置于形容詞之前。但下列情況，冠詞位置有所變化:
1) 形容詞前有so, as, too, how 時，不定冠詞a須置于形容詞之后、名詞之前：
It was so warm a day.
They are as happy a couple as I’ve ever seen.
It was too good a chance to be missed.
I know how great a labor he had undertaken.
2) 指示代詞such 和感嘆詞what 總是置于不定代詞a 之前。
However did you make such a mistake?
I never saw such a beautiful color on my mother’s face before.
What a pity!
3) many 可置于不定冠詞之前，后跟單形名詞。
I have been there many a time.
4) 副詞quite和rather 可置于不定冠詞a 之前，也可置于其后。
You’re quite a woman, little Fran. 你真不一般，小Fran.
It’s rather a pity.
That’s a quite surprising result.
He’s a rather hard man.
5） 不定代詞all, both 和副詞double 須置于定冠詞the 之前。
All the birds were asleep.
both 后的定冠詞可以省略。
Both (the) men were talking in low voices.
all 后是否要用定冠詞，由定冠詞的一般規則決定。
All children have to go to school one day. 所有孩子有一天都得去上學（類指）
All the children of the boarding school were in bed. 寄宿學校的全體孩子都睡了。（特指）
6） half 和twice 均置于不定冠詞a 和定冠詞the 之前。
You’ve only heard half the story.
7) not a(n) + CN.
Not a student likes it. （不止一個）
定冠詞
2.1 定冠詞用于類名詞
定冠詞可以用于單形類名詞表單念。特指
Stares are sparkling out there over the river.
定冠詞也可以用于復形類名詞表復念。
This was July, and the fields were green.
定冠詞還用于一些常用復形的類名詞，卻表單念。
In two days I was again back on the outskirts of London.
2.2 定冠詞用于集體名詞
定冠詞可用于集體名詞，不論單形或復形，皆表復念。
Members of the press weren’t allowed into the meeting.
2.3 定冠詞用于物質名詞
定冠詞可用于單形物質名詞，一般無數念。 也可用于一些有復形的物質名詞，表復念或無數念。
Milk from which the cream has been taken is called skim-milk.
The air is very clear after the rains.
2.4 定冠詞用于抽象名詞
定冠詞可用于單形抽象名詞，無數念或表單念，也可用于復形抽象名詞，表各種數念。
The idea of the game is to hit the ball over the net
He laid the foundations of his success by hard work.
2.5 定冠詞用于名詞化的詞
定冠詞可以用于名詞化的動名詞、形容詞、過去分詞、序數詞、國籍的形容詞等
How about the living there?
The beautiful can never die.
She said she was just afraid of the unknown.
He was the second to be chosen.
the missing 失蹤的人 the injured 傷者 the wounded 傷員
The French are famous for their food.
*** the French/ the English, etc. are plural in meaning. You cannot say ‘a French/ an English’. You have to say ‘a Frenchman/ an Englishman’ etc. You can also use the + nationality words ending in-ese( the Chinese/ the Sudanese etc.) These words can also be singular ( a Chinese, a Sudanese, etc)
an Italian
(the) Italians
a Mexican
(the) Mexicans
a Scot
(the) Scots
a Turk
(the) Tuks
2.6 定冠詞用于專有名詞
定冠詞用于單形或復形專有名詞
The Cairo lies on the east bank of the Nile.
The Baltic Sea is stormy in winter. 波羅的海
The United Nations Organization was founded in 1945.
Have you visited the exhibition of some masterpieces of the great painters of the Renaissance?
The Blacks lived in the next-door house.
定冠詞用于專有名詞可以：
1） 表人名：用在姓氏的復數形式前，表示全家人或這一姓的夫婦兩人
The Emperor Napoleon/ the Judge Harris/ the old Shakespeare/ the young Shakespeare/ the late Premier Zhou / the Browns/ the Misses Shaw 肖家姐妹/ the Germans
2) 表地名: 江河、山脈、海洋、湖泊、群島、海峽
the Hudson River/ the Thames= the river Thames/ the Mississippi Valley/ the Suez Canal運河/ the Mediterranean Sea/ the Pacific (Ocean) / the Atlantic Ocean/ the Indian Ocean/ the Arctic Ocean/ the Alps 阿爾卑斯山脈/ the Hawaiian Islands/ the Antarctic Circle/ the Equator/ the Hague/ the Sahara/ the Netherlands/ the United States/ the Channel (between France and Britain)/ the Rockies
3) 表機關、團體、國名：由普通名詞和另外一些詞共同構成的專有名詞
We use ‘the’ in names with ‘republic’, ‘Kingdom’ ‘States’etc. We use ‘the’ with plural names of people ad places
the Netherlands/ the Bahamas/ the British Isles/ the Philippins/ the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland/ the United States of America (the USA) / the National People’s Congress/ the Senate 參議院/ the House of Representatives 眾議院/ the House of Lords 上議院/ the House of Commons 下議院/ the Democratic Party 民主黨/ the Republican Party 共和黨/ the Conservative Party 保守黨/ the Labour Party/ the Federal Bureau of Investigation= FBI/ the Central Intelligence Agency= CIA/ the Associated Press 美聯社/ the University of London= London University/ the University of Chicago/ the British Museum/ the London Zoo/ the Louvre Palace 盧浮宮/ the White House/ the Royal palace/ English= the English language
the + adj./name+ noun
the Hilton (Hotel)
National (Theatre)
Sahara (Desert)
Atlantic (Ocean)
Names with … of …, usually have ‘the’
Shops, restraints, hotels, banks, etc. are named after the people who started them. These names end in-‘s or –s. We do not use ‘the’.
McDonalds
Names of Company, airline etc. are without ‘the’
Sony/ British Airways
4）表歷史時期、事件等
the Iron Age/ the Tudor Dynasty/ the Treaty of Versailles 凡爾賽條約
5）表報刊書籍及其他
the Times/ the Guardian / the New York Times/ the Washington Post/ the Economist/ the Atlantic/ the Odyssey 奧德賽/ the Paradise Lost/ the Yorktown 約克敦號（航空母艦）/ the Mercury 墨丘利號（宇宙飛船）/ the Bible/ the Lord/ the Devil 魔王/ the Koran 古蘭經
2.7 定冠詞用于固定短語
In the middle of the night, we finally reached that city.
*** prep. + the + noun. + of +… ( noun: middle/ back/ beginning/ end/ top/ bottom/side)
If you behave so foolishly you must be ready to take the consequences.自食其果
It is certainly unreasonable that she should put the blame on you. 歸咎于
in the morning/ afternoon/ evening; the other day; in the daytime
to tell the truth/ with the exception of 除……之外/ to go to the theater/ to break the ice 打破寂寞/ to keep the peace 維持治安/ to pick up the pieces 收拾殘局/ to burn the midnight oil 開夜車/ to pass the buck 推卸責任/ to put the cart before the horse 本末倒置/ Strike while the iron is hot/ The fat is in the fire. 事情搞糟了/in the least根本/ in the distance/ in the way/ one the radio/ on the whole/ on the other hand/ at the same time/ at the moment/ for the time being/ on the phone
2.8 指談話雙方都知道的人和事物
What’s in the papers today?
2.9 用在世界上獨一無二的事物的名詞前面 (the sky/ the sea/ the ground/ the country/the wind/ the world/ the North Pole/ the international market/ the future/ the past/ the travel industry/ the weather/ the climate/ the atmosphere/ the human race/ the public. the environment; we say “space” without “the” when we mean “space in the universe”)
The earth goes around the sun; the moon goes around the earth.
There’s a cold wind blowing from the north.
She dreamt of a future where she could spend more time painting.
2.10 用在方位名詞前面
China is in the east of Asia.
the north of France= northern France
the south-east of Spain= south-eastern Spain
north/ south, etc + place name without ‘the’
North America/ West Africa
*** on the maps, ’the’ is not usually included in the name.
southern southwards （動態）
east/ west/ south/ north
prep./ vt. + the + n.
vi. + ad.
①The man said that he saw a UFO flying from / east to/ west. ( from… to… zero article)
②I live in the north, but I prefer to move / south.
③The window of our classroom faces /; the south.
The window of our classroom faces to the south.
④/ East of our city, lies a small town.
To the east of our city, lies a small town.
2.11 用于序數詞和形容詞最高級的前面
He is always the first to come and the last to go.
It is one of the most beautiful cities that I have visited these years.
2.12 in + the + 逢十的復數數詞 表示某個世紀的某個年代
All of you were born in the 1980s/ 1980’s.
in the 21st century
in one’s thirties
2.13 當接觸人體某個部位時，人作賓語時，不為前面加頂冠詞及介詞
hit/ beat/ strike/ wound/ pat/ take + sb. + prep. + the + part of body
in the eyes/ in the face/ in the stomach/ by the arm
be red in the face/ be lame in the leg/ be blind in the eye
The teacher patted me on the shoulder.
2.14 用在樂器前面
I like to play the piano.
John Denver used to sing to the/ a/ his guitar.
In the centre of the hall stands a white piano.
2.15用于位置清楚地物品前
in a room, we say: the light/ the door/ the floor/ the ceiling/ the carpet
Can you turn off the light, please. ( the light in this room)
I must go to the bank to get some money.
I hate going to the dentist/ doctor.
2.16 用于same, very, only 前
These two photographs are the same.
2.17 We usually say the radio, but television (without ‘the’ )
We heard the news on the radio.
We watched the news on television.
不定冠詞
an hour; a half; a European country; an 800-metre-long road
(1) We use ‘a’ before words that begin with a consonant sound. Some words start with a vowel letter but begin with a consonant sound, so we use ‘a’ before thee words.
a university; a one-parent family
(2) We use ‘an’ before words that begin with a vowel sound including words that begin with a silent letter ‘h’.
an orange; an Italian; an umbrella; an honest child; an hounor
(3) Abbreviations said as individual letters that begin with A, E, F, H, I, L, M, N, S, X, O, R.
an MP3; an FBI agent; an IOU; a NATO; a FIFA
3.1 不定冠詞用于類名詞
不定冠詞常用于單形類名詞，表單念。也可以用于一些常用復形名詞，表單念。類指
Give me a post-card.
A crossroads is a place where roads cross.
A person wants to meet you at the airport.
He’s coming back in a day or two. (表示一個)
3.2 不定冠詞用于集體名詞
不定冠詞可用于單形集體名詞。
I was put in a large class.
3.3 不定冠詞用于物質名詞
不定冠詞可用于單形物質名詞，表單念，用于復形物質名詞也表單念。
They are a light victuals.清淡的食物
He has a good knowledge of biology.
a study of…/ an understanding of …/ a collection of…
3.4 不定冠詞用于抽象名詞
1) 不定冠詞用于單形抽象名詞
I’m quite at a loss.
2) 不定冠詞用于由動詞轉化來的抽象名詞
Can you give me a lift, please?
Let’s have a try at it.
3) 不定冠詞用于已轉化成類名詞的抽象名詞
She is quite a beauty.
As a youth, he was on the school team.
4) 不定冠詞用于復形抽象名詞, 表單念
We have just moved in, so we’re in a bit of a shambles.
抽象或物質名詞具體化；表示數量一份；一場；一陣等等
I want a beer （一份）
a cold wind
3.5 不定冠詞用于名詞化的詞
1) 名詞化的動名詞
A knocking at the door was heard.
2) 名詞化的形容詞
He is such a dear.
He loved the darkness and folded himself into it It fitted the turgidity of his desire which, in spite of all was like a riches. 他愛黑暗, 將自己包子其中. 黑暗正貼合他那膨脹起來的欲望, 這種欲望簡直就像是一種財富. (a riches 表單念)
3) 用于名詞化的過去分詞
The onetime star became an outcast. 一時的明星已被社會所拋棄.
4)用于名詞化的序數詞
He got a first in mathematics.
Can you give me a second chance?
3.6 不定冠詞用于專有名詞
a Chinese 華人 a Van Gogh 一幅梵高的畫 a Kodak 柯達 a Sunday 一個周日 a Jones 一個叫Jones 的人
a/ an: to show similarity
Tom is a Lei Feng.
a(n): = some/ a certain
A Mr. Smith wants to meet you at the gate.
a(n): to show a member of nationality
Who is a Hui?
a(n): to show the change
a different Tom what he was
3.7 不定冠詞用于固定習語
have a rest
have a cold
keep a diary
once in a while
at a loss
for a while
once upon a time
tell a lie
do sb. a favour
at a mouthful
at a distance
make a fool of sb.
with a will 帶勁兒
take a break
have a gallop 快馬加鞭
make a fuss 大驚小怪
at a disadvantage處于不利地位
take a bow 謝幕
all of sudden
as a rule
as a matter of fact
have a chance
have a good time
have a hand in
in a hurry
go/ fly into a temper
have a try
lend a hand
keep an eye on 兼顧
take a walk
take an interest in
3.8 表示單位，相當于“每一個”的意思，此時a 不能用one 代替
Please take this medicine three times a/=per day.
3.9 When ‘most’ before an adj. means ‘very’ or ‘extremely’ we can use ‘a’ (with cn.) or ‘zero article’ (with cn.s / un.)
He is a most peculiar-looking man.
3.10 a/ an/ one
We’ll be in Australia for one/ a year. (one emphasizes the number)
We use ‘one’ rather than ‘ a(n)’ if we want to emphasise that we are talking about only one thing or person rather than two or more.
Do you want one sandwich or two?
We use ‘one’ in pattern: one… the other; one… another
Close one eye, and then the other.
Bees carry pollen from one plant to another.
We also use ‘one’ in phrases.
one day/ evening/ spring to mean a particular but unspecified day, evening, spring.
I really need a cup of coffee.√
I really need one cup of coffee.×
a day or so
half an hour
a week or two= one or two weeks
He’s a friend of mine.
He’s one of my friends.
零冠詞
4.1 用于類名詞
用于單形類名詞表示抽象概念
1) 強調無所指, 表一單純概念.
He has great neatness of person.
2) 表示人所熟知的事物
There’s no place like home.
3) 泛指人和人類 man/ human beings/ the human race
Man is mortal.人必有死
4) 表身體部位
The dog ran away, with tail between his legs.
5) 表品質或職務
He became king
That man was more animal than man.
6) 置于介詞后表示抽象概念
I don’t go to school-I’m at university.
7) 用于轉化為物質名詞或抽象名詞的類名詞
She said she cared a lot about face (面子).
Bed was a place for sleeping.
8) 用于kind/ sort + of
What kind of flower is it?
9) 用于adj.+ of
Tom was a large man, red of face.
10) 獨立結構
A girl came in, book in hand.
用于復形類名詞，無數念或表示復念
Paul is friends with Bill.
Liars must have good memories.
11) 呼語，只有一個人擔任的頭銜、職務前不用冠詞。這些名詞作賓補、主補、表語和同位語
Grandma, what’s wrong with you?
We made him monitor/ chairman/ president/ head/ headmaster/ dirctor
the position/ role/ post/ part + of …+ zero + noun.
He has taken the post of head of our department.
4.2 用于集體名詞
用于單數集體名詞，表復念
Machinery is oiled to keep it running smoothly.
用于復形集合名詞，表復念
Statistics suggest that the population of this country will be double in ten years’ time.
4.3 用于物質名詞
用于單數物質名詞，無數念
Blood is thicker than water.
用于復形物質名詞，表復念或無數念
There were little white clouds in the sky.
Are you short of fuels?
4.4 用于抽象名詞
Wisdom is better than strength.
How time flies!
Facts are facts.
Sports is good for health.
What fine weather it is!
4.5 用于名詞化的詞
1) 動名詞
Good beginnings make good endings.
2) 名詞化的形容詞
We are taking our finals next week
3) 名詞化的過去分詞
Do you listen to news broadcasts everyday?
4) 名詞化的序數詞
Fruit should be sorted into best and seconds and in some cases into thirds.
4.6 零冠詞用于專有名詞
John Ford came in at last.
I asked him how he liked Paris.
July passed into August, August into September.
He works not only on weekdays but on Sundays as well.
Shakspeares are rarer than Napoleons.
1) 表人名: When we use Mr. / Mrs./ Captain/ Doctor etc, + a name, we do not use ‘the’
William Shakespeare/ Miss Smith/ Queen Elizabeth/ Mama/ Papa/ Cook/ Nurse/ Uncle Tom/ Princess Sue
2) 表地名: We use ‘mount’, ‘lake’ without ‘the’. We do not use ‘the’ with names of most streets/ roads/ squares/ parks, etc
continents: Africa/ Europe
countries: France
states, regions: Texas
islands: Hainan Island
cities, towns: New York City
mountains: Mount Qomolangma/ Lake Superior
Cape Town 開普敦/ Pearl Harbour/ Wall Street/ Madison Avenue/ Hyde Park/ Westminster Abbey/ Canterbury Cathedral/ Holy Mother Church/ Windsor Castle 溫莎城堡/ Union Street/ Fifth Avenue/ Times Square/ Waterloo Bridge
3) 表機構、院校: many names (especially names of important buildings and institutions) are two words:
Kennedy Airport/ Cambridge University
The first word is usually the name of a person or a place. We do not usually use the’ with names like these.
Congress/ Parliament/ Government/ Oxford University/ Harvard University/ Beijing University
4) 表月份、星期、節日、季節
New Year’s Eve/ Christmas Day (/ Eve) / Thanksgiving/ National Day/ New Year’s Day/ Women’s Day/ May Day/ Children’s Day/ Monday… Sunday/January…December/ spring/ summer/ autumn/ winter/ fall/ The Spring Festival/ the Mid-Autumn Festival/ midnight/ midday/ noon
He went to America in / August, 1998.
He went to America in the August of 1998.
I usually get up late on Sundays.
The story happened on a Sunday.
5) 表星體及其他
Mercury 水星/ Venus 金星/ Mars/ Polaris 北極星/ Scorpion 天蝎座/ Little Bear 小熊座/ God/ Heaven/ Holy Writ 圣經/ Genisis 創世紀
4.7 零冠詞用于固定短語
give way 讓路/ in time 及時/ take part in/ lose heart/ catch fire/ make way 前進/ change course 改變方向/ mount guard 上崗/ change gear 換檔/ send word 捎信/ delay sentence/ set sail/day and night/ mouth to mouth/by chance/ on hand/ by day/ out of date/ from beginning/ in charge/ in fear/ on foot/ in front of/ on account of 因為/ in spite of / in place of /catch sight of/ make sure of/ do duty for 當……用/take hold of/ find fault with 挑剔/ take exception to 反對/ go to bed/ be in bed/ go to work/ be at work/ start work/ finish work/ go home/ come home/ arrive home/ be at home/ go to sea= go on a voyage/ be at sea= be on a voyage/ at night/ pen and ink/ husband and wife/ host and guest/ master and servant/ father and son/ sun and moon/ face to face/ side by side/ shoulder to shoulder/ hand in hand/ heart and soul/ neck and neck不分上下/ step by step/ from top to bottom/ at noon/ at dawn/ at dusk/ at daybreak/ at night/ at midnight
4.8 名詞前有物主代詞、指示代詞、不定代詞、名詞所有格時，使用零冠詞
Our school is a famous middle school.
4.9 在三餐、球類、棋類運動中不用冠詞
What do you usually have for lunch?
Football is played all over the world.
Let’s play chess together.
*** a/ an + adj. + breakfast/ lunch/ dinner
We have a very nice lunch.
4.10 有些詞組使用冠詞與否與意義有關
in front of / in the front of
sit at table 吃飯/ sit at the table 坐在桌旁
out of question= without question/ out of the question= impossible
go to school (prison, university, hospital, church) / go to the school (prison, university, hospital, church)
take place/ take the place of
in open= in public / in the open= outside
by day= in the daytime/ by the day
in charge of/ in the charge of
in future/ in the future
in sight of 能看見/in the sight of 據……的見解
on watch值班/on the watch 留神
in secret= secretly/ in the secret= already known
in place of/ in the place of
be of age成年/ be of an age = be of the same age
take advice= ask for advice/ take the advice= follow one’s advice
4.11 noun+ number
Our train leaves from Platform 5.
Room 123/ page 128/ Section A
4.12 Most people like George.
The most boys of our school
Most of the students
4.13 many/ several/ some/ no/ one/ few + such + zero article + noun.
no such person= not such a person
4.14 by + noun/ in + a(n) + noun
by +air/ plane/ car/ telephone/ e-mail/ radio
in a +car/ plane/ train/ boat
on a bus
by the+ hour/ meter/ pound/ dozen
by weight/ length
a/ an/ the/ 零冠詞的區別
1. 類指和特指
1) 類指
類指式表示類別, 也就是泛指一類人或物. 不論是頂冠詞還是不定冠詞和零冠詞都具有這種功能.
the + 單數可數名詞 常用于正式語體中。
the + adj./ doing/ p.p. 表示類別或抽象概念
a/ an + 單數可數名詞表類別
零冠詞+ 復數可數名詞/ 不可數名詞，表示一類人或物
The horse has been replaced by the railroad, the windship by the steamship.
The sick have been cured, the lost have been found, and the dead have been revived（復活）.
An ox is a useful animal.
Doctors are badly needed at the front.
Electricity is a form of energy.
2）特指
特指不同于類指，它不是泛指一類人或物，而是特指一類人或物中的具體對象。這里有兩種情況：一種是非常明確地指出何人或何物，這叫做確定特指。定冠詞常用作這種用法。另一種情況是非確定特指，這也是特指具體對象，但不是很明確。不定冠詞常作這種用法。
We own a dog and a cat. The dog is brown, and the cat is white. (特指上文提到過的貓和狗)
There is a letter for you.(指一封特定的信件，但不明確是誰寫來的)
the meaning of new words
2. a/ an 放在某人的職業、工作前
Sandra is a nurse. √ Sandra is nurse. ×
I turned nurse.
I turned into a nurse.
I became a nurse.