冠词是最常用最典型的限定词,分别是定冠词the和不定冠词a/an。
一、不定冠词的用法 不定冠词有a和an两种形式,a用在以辅音音素开头的名词前,an用在元音音素开头的名词前。其作用相当于数词one,表示“一个;一种;一本”等。它与one的区别在于:a/an不强调数量概念,不定冠词主要用于单数可数名词前,泛指某一些人或物中的“任何一个”。例如: I have a pear in my hand. 1. 用在单数普通名词前,泛指某人或某物及代表一类。a或an通常不必译出。例如: A horse is a useful animal. 2. 用于抽象名词前表一个具体特征;与物质名词连用表一个种类或数量。例如: I was caught in a heavy snow yesterday. 3. 一般来说,单数可数名词前有形容词修饰时,a/an置于形容词之前。但如果形容词前还有副词too,so,as,however,how等修饰时,不定冠词则要放在形容词之后。例如: I haven't read such a difficult English book before. She is so beautiful a girl. 4. 用于某些习语或固定搭配中。例如:as a result,in a word,have a cold,once upon a time,have a good time,make a living.
二、定冠词的用法 定冠词the用在各类名词前表特指。 1. 用在单数的普通名词前,表示一类人或事物。the不必译出。例如: The horse is a useful animal. 2. 指上文提到的人或物,或指说话双方彼此都熟知的人或物。例如: I have an English novel. The novel is very interesting. 有时名词后有一修饰语时,这一名词前也用定冠词the.例如: The boy in the picture is one of my cousins. 3. 指世界上独一无二的事物,或用在序数词、形容词最高级及对两个人或物进行比较时起特定作用的比较级前,或方位名词前须用the.例如: The sun rises in the east and sets in the west. 4. 由普通名词组成的专有名词前须用the.例如:the Great Hall of the People,the Great Wall,the United Nations,the People's Republic of China. 5. 在乐器前或在江湖、海、山脉、群岛、海峡、沙漠等名词前须用the.例如:the Atlantic Ocean,the piano,the Suez Canal,the English Channel,the Yangtze River. 6. 用于遭受到击、打、抓的人体某一部位的名词前,形成习惯用法。例如: The police grasp the thief by the arm. 7. 用于某些习语或固定搭配中。例如:by the way,in the dark,all the same,all the time,in the open air,by the time,on the other side(of),look the same.
三、不用冠词的场合 1. 专有名词、物质名词、复数名词、人名、国名、地名前不用冠词。例如: Mr Smith is hurrying to work. 2. 名词前有物主代词、指示代词、不定代词、名词所有格修饰时。例如: Some birds are very lively in their sports. 3. 季节、月份、星期几等名词前。例如: Spring is coming. 4. 含有day的节日名词前。例如:May Day,Army Day,Children's Day,Women's Day,New Year's Day,National Day,Christmas Day. 5. 一日三餐、学科名词、球类运动、棋类游戏等名词前。例如: English is an interesting subject. 6. 呼语或头衔等名词前。例如: What can I do for you,Doctor Wang? 7. 在“专有名词+普通名词”构成的表示街名、路名、公园名等名词前。例如:London Bridge,Zhongshan Road,Beihai Park. 8. 在某些固定词组中。例如:at school,in trouble,in fact等。