冠词
1.1 冠词的定义
定冠词the 相当于that 的代词。它的含义是特指和类指。
The lion is roaring. 指确定的某一只狮子。
The lion is the kind of beasts. 指某一类动物。
不定冠词a/an 来源于数词one, 有单一的含义，也用于特指和类指。
A tiger has escaped. 指确定的某一只老虎。
A tiger can be dangerous. 指任何一只老虎。
零冠词是名词前一种无形的冠词，即一般所谓不用冠词的场合。许多专有名词、抽象名词和物质名词都用零冠词。
Beijing is the capital of China.
Knowledge is power.
Lead is heavier than iron.
1.2 冠词的基本用法
1） 在单形可数名词前可用定冠词或不定冠词。
2） 复形可数名词前可用定冠词或零冠词
3） 不可数名词前可用定冠词或零冠词。
4） 专有名词前用零冠词。
1.3 冠词的位置
冠词置于名词之前，如遇形容词修饰，冠词则置于形容词之前。但下列情况，冠词位置有所变化:
1) 形容词前有so, as, too, how 时，不定冠词a须置于形容词之后、名词之前：
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) 指示代词such 和感叹词what 总是置于不定代词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 可置于不定冠词之前，后跟单形名词。
I have been there many a time.
4) 副词quite和rather 可置于不定冠词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） 不定代词all, both 和副词double 须置于定冠词the 之前。
All the birds were asleep.
both 后的定冠词可以省略。
Both (the) men were talking in low voices.
all 后是否要用定冠词，由定冠词的一般规则决定。
All children have to go to school one day. 所有孩子有一天都得去上学（类指）
All the children of the boarding school were in bed. 寄宿学校的全体孩子都睡了。（特指）
6） half 和twice 均置于不定冠词a 和定冠词the 之前。
You’ve only heard half the story.
7) not a(n) + CN.
Not a student likes it. （不止一个）
定冠词
2.1 定冠词用于类名词
定冠词可以用于单形类名词表单念。特指
Stares are sparkling out there over the river.
定冠词也可以用于复形类名词表复念。
This was July, and the fields were green.
定冠词还用于一些常用复形的类名词，却表单念。
In two days I was again back on the outskirts of London.
2.2 定冠词用于集体名词
定冠词可用于集体名词，不论单形或复形，皆表复念。
Members of the press weren’t allowed into the meeting.
2.3 定冠词用于物质名词
定冠词可用于单形物质名词，一般无数念。 也可用于一些有复形的物质名词，表复念或无数念。
Milk from which the cream has been taken is called skim-milk.
The air is very clear after the rains.
2.4 定冠词用于抽象名词
定冠词可用于单形抽象名词，无数念或表单念，也可用于复形抽象名词，表各种数念。
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 定冠词用于名词化的词
定冠词可以用于名词化的动名词、形容词、过去分词、序数词、国籍的形容词等
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 失踪的人 the injured 伤者 the wounded 伤员
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 定冠词用于专有名词
定冠词用于单形或复形专有名词
The Cairo lies on the east bank of the Nile.
The Baltic Sea is stormy in winter. 波罗的海
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.
定冠词用于专有名词可以：
1） 表人名：用在姓氏的复数形式前，表示全家人或这一姓的夫妇两人
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、山脉、海洋、湖泊、群岛、海峡
the Hudson River/ the Thames= the river Thames/ the Mississippi Valley/ the Suez Canal运河/ the Mediterranean Sea/ the Pacific (Ocean) / the Atlantic Ocean/ the Indian Ocean/ the Arctic Ocean/ the Alps 阿尔卑斯山脉/ 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) 表机关、团体、国名：由普通名词和另外一些词共同构成的专有名词
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 参议院/ the House of Representatives 众议院/ the House of Lords 上议院/ the House of Commons 下议院/ the Democratic Party 民主党/ the Republican Party 共和党/ the Conservative Party 保守党/ the Labour Party/ the Federal Bureau of Investigation= FBI/ the Central Intelligence Agency= CIA/ the Associated Press 美联社/ the University of London= London University/ the University of Chicago/ the British Museum/ the London Zoo/ the Louvre Palace 卢浮宫/ 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）表历史时期、事件等
the Iron Age/ the Tudor Dynasty/ the Treaty of Versailles 凡尔赛条约
5）表报刊书籍及其他
the Times/ the Guardian / the New York Times/ the Washington Post/ the Economist/ the Atlantic/ the Odyssey 奥德赛/ the Paradise Lost/ the Yorktown 约克敦号（航空母舰）/ the Mercury 墨丘利号（宇宙飞船）/ the Bible/ the Lord/ the Devil 魔王/ the Koran 古兰经
2.7 定冠词用于固定短语
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. 归咎于
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 维持治安/ to pick up the pieces 收拾残局/ to burn the midnight oil 开夜车/ to pass the buck 推卸责任/ 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 指谈话双方都知道的人和事物
What’s in the papers today?
2.9 用在世界上独一无二的事物的名词前面 (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 用在方位名词前面
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 （动态）
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 用于序数词和形容词最高级的前面
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 + 逢十的复数数词 表示某个世纪的某个年代
All of you were born in the 1980s/ 1980’s.
in the 21st century
in one’s thirties
2.13 当接触人体某个部位时，人作宾语时，不为前面加顶冠词及介词
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 用在乐器前面
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.
不定冠词
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 不定冠词用于类名词
不定冠词常用于单形类名词，表单念。也可以用于一些常用复形名词，表单念。类指
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. (表示一个)
3.2 不定冠词用于集体名词
不定冠词可用于单形集体名词。
I was put in a large class.
3.3 不定冠词用于物质名词
不定冠词可用于单形物质名词，表单念，用于复形物质名词也表单念。
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 不定冠词用于抽象名词
1) 不定冠词用于单形抽象名词
I’m quite at a loss.
2) 不定冠词用于由动词转化来的抽象名词
Can you give me a lift, please?
Let’s have a try at it.
3) 不定冠词用于已转化成类名词的抽象名词
She is quite a beauty.
As a youth, he was on the school team.
4) 不定冠词用于复形抽象名词, 表单念
We have just moved in, so we’re in a bit of a shambles.
抽象或物质名词具体化；表示数量一份；一场；一阵等等
I want a beer （一份）
a cold wind
3.5 不定冠词用于名词化的词
1) 名词化的动名词
A knocking at the door was heard.
2) 名词化的形容词
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. 他爱黑暗, 将自己包子其中. 黑暗正贴合他那膨胀起来的欲望, 这种欲望简直就像是一种财富. (a riches 表单念)
3) 用于名词化的过去分词
The onetime star became an outcast. 一时的明星已被社会所抛弃.
4)用于名词化的序数词
He got a first in mathematics.
Can you give me a second chance?
3.6 不定冠词用于专有名词
a Chinese 华人 a Van Gogh 一幅梵高的画 a Kodak 柯达 a Sunday 一个周日 a Jones 一个叫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 不定冠词用于固定习语
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 带劲儿
take a break
have a gallop 快马加鞭
make a fuss 大惊小怪
at a disadvantage处于不利地位
take a bow 谢幕
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 兼顾
take a walk
take an interest in
3.8 表示单位，相当于“每一个”的意思，此时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.
零冠词
4.1 用于类名词
用于单形类名词表示抽象概念
1) 强调无所指, 表一单纯概念.
He has great neatness of person.
2) 表示人所熟知的事物
There’s no place like home.
3) 泛指人和人类 man/ human beings/ the human race
Man is mortal.人必有死
4) 表身体部位
The dog ran away, with tail between his legs.
5) 表品质或职务
He became king
That man was more animal than man.
6) 置于介词后表示抽象概念
I don’t go to school-I’m at university.
7) 用于转化为物质名词或抽象名词的类名词
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) 独立结构
A girl came in, book in hand.
用于复形类名词，无数念或表示复念
Paul is friends with Bill.
Liars must have good memories.
11) 呼语，只有一个人担任的头衔、职务前不用冠词。这些名词作宾补、主补、表语和同位语
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 用于集体名词
用于单数集体名词，表复念
Machinery is oiled to keep it running smoothly.
用于复形集合名词，表复念
Statistics suggest that the population of this country will be double in ten years’ time.
4.3 用于物质名词
用于单数物质名词，无数念
Blood is thicker than water.
用于复形物质名词，表复念或无数念
There were little white clouds in the sky.
Are you short of fuels?
4.4 用于抽象名词
Wisdom is better than strength.
How time flies!
Facts are facts.
Sports is good for health.
What fine weather it is!
4.5 用于名词化的词
1) 动名词
Good beginnings make good endings.
2) 名词化的形容词
We are taking our finals next week
3) 名词化的过去分词
Do you listen to news broadcasts everyday?
4) 名词化的序数词
Fruit should be sorted into best and seconds and in some cases into thirds.
4.6 零冠词用于专有名词
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 开普敦/ Pearl Harbour/ Wall Street/ Madison Avenue/ Hyde Park/ Westminster Abbey/ Canterbury Cathedral/ Holy Mother Church/ Windsor Castle 温莎城堡/ Union Street/ Fifth Avenue/ Times Square/ Waterloo Bridge
3) 表机构、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、节日、季节
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) 表星体及其他
Mercury 水星/ Venus 金星/ Mars/ Polaris 北极星/ Scorpion 天蝎座/ Little Bear 小熊座/ God/ Heaven/ Holy Writ 圣经/ Genisis 创世纪
4.7 零冠词用于固定短语
give way 让路/ in time 及时/ take part in/ lose heart/ catch fire/ make way 前进/ change course 改变方向/ mount guard 上岗/ change gear 换档/ 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 因为/ in spite of / in place of /catch sight of/ make sure of/ do duty for 当……用/take hold of/ find fault with 挑剔/ take exception to 反对/ 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 名词前有物主代词、指示代词、不定代词、名词所有格时，使用零冠词
Our school is a famous middle school.
4.9 在三餐、球类、棋类运动中不用冠词
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 有些词组使用冠词与否与意义有关
in front of / in the front of
sit at table 吃饭/ 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 能看见/in the sight of 据……的见解
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/ 零冠词的区别
1. 类指和特指
1) 类指
类指式表示类别, 也就是泛指一类人或物. 不论是顶冠词还是不定冠词和零冠词都具有这种功能.
the + 单数可数名词 常用于正式语体中。
the + adj./ doing/ p.p. 表示类别或抽象概念
a/ an + 单数可数名词表类别
零冠词+ 复数可数名词/ 不可数名词，表示一类人或物
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（复活）.
An ox is a useful animal.
Doctors are badly needed at the front.
Electricity is a form of energy.
2）特指
特指不同于类指，它不是泛指一类人或物，而是特指一类人或物中的具体对象。这里有两种情况：一种是非常明确地指出何人或何物，这叫做确定特指。定冠词常用作这种用法。另一种情况是非确定特指，这也是特指具体对象，但不是很明确。不定冠词常作这种用法。
We own a dog and a cat. The dog is brown, and the cat is white. (特指上文提到过的猫和狗)
There is a letter for you.(指一封特定的信件，但不明确是谁写来的)
the meaning of new words
2. a/ an 放在某人的职业、工作前
Sandra is a nurse. √ Sandra is nurse. ×
I turned nurse.
I turned into a nurse.
I became a nurse.