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#冠词#
上一篇主要讲解了英语中限定词(determiners或称determinatives)以及作为限定词之一的冠词(Articles)的基本概念,并且着重讲解了不定冠词(indefinite articles) a/an 的基于语音学的基础搭配。那么本篇就正式进入对冠词的使用的介绍。
冠词的使用与其限定的名词息息相关,而冠词令非英语母语出身的我们头疼的原因,一定程度上和英语名词令我们头疼的原因是相同的——正如我们在讲解(1)(2)所了解到的,英语名词有可数或不可数(countable or uncountable)的区分,而不同语境下,同一名词可以在可数与不可数之间转化,有时甚至会发生词义的变化,eg:
我们看到,在名词随语境变化时,往往其特指/泛指、一般/特殊的属性也在发生变化。而前篇讲解中我们说:“冠词用以表明所修饰名词的一般或特殊、泛指或特指。”
这也就意味着:首先“根据上下文、语境判断该名词是否可数,泛指或特指”,再“根据冠词的一般使用规则及进行搭配”——理应成为我们在进行冠词选择时的习惯性步骤。当然,冠词仍然会有些特殊的使用情况,这些我们都将在之后的篇章进行说明。
关于冠词的使用,我们做一个大致的区分:
一、基本讲解
根据语境,区分所描述的人或事物是否为特定的。
1.首次提出的事物非特定,用不定冠词a/an,其后续再次提出为特定,用定冠词the。
直观起见,我们看这样两句话:
I had a hamburger and an apple for breakfast. The hamburger was unsavory, but the apple was nice.
显见,第一句话中hamburger与apple因为是首次被提到,故而用不定冠词a/an修饰;而第二句的hamburger与apple则是第一句所提出的特定的二者,故而用定冠词the修饰。
为了方便记忆,我们可以将其简约为:“新来a/an,再来the”。Eg:
We stayed at a hotel. Sometimes we ate at the hotel.
2.有定语修饰的为特定。
He sat down on a chair. (分析:他所在的地方可能有很多椅子,他坐着其中一把。)
He sat down on the chair nearest the door. (分析: nearest the door说明是特定的那把椅子。)
The books she was carrying tumbled out of her arms.
3.指代某一类人或事物时为非特定。
The hotel where we stayed was very cheap. (分析:根据上一条的讲解,where we stayed说明是特定)
We stayed at a very cheap hotel. (分析:非特定,指要价便宜的这类旅馆,“我们住在了一家旅馆,是要价便宜的旅馆。”)
4.表“总体上看”时并非特定,使用a/an或者the会有细微差别。
A camel (= any camel ) can go for days or even months without water.(分析:指总得来说“任一”骆驼都有贮藏水的能力。)
The panda (= all the pandas in the world ) is in danger of becoming extinct.(分析:指熊猫这一物种总体上濒临灭绝。)
二、a/an的一些额外用法
1.“每……中有若干……”这类用法中,用a/an不用the,如 once a week / three times a day / six times an hour。 Eg:
I go to the cinema about once a month.
Helen works eight hours a day, six days a week.
The trains run six times an hour.
2. 一些疾病前用a/an,在美式英语中-ache结尾尤其如此。
I"ve got a terrible cold.
Have you got a headache?
3.a/an与不可数名词
(1)与饮料连用,表示“一杯”
He ordered a beer.(“他点了一杯啤酒”。)
(2)a/an与不可数名词连用,表示“一种”
The fire service began to wonder whether a gas might have caused the fire.
4.a/an与one。
有些情况下,我们会用one替代a/an:
明确出数字,以显示其重要意义。
We need one fork, not two forks.
one…another
We went from one town to another.
当way前无形容词修饰时,常加one
One way to do this is to…
A novel way to do this is to…
在这种句型中 ”one day next month/week…”
We can have the meeting one day next week.
三、不加冠词
1.表非特定的复数名词、不可数名词前。
Chanel do not sell computers .
Chanel sell perfume.
2.单数名词的抽象表达前无冠词。
There was a significant effect of the road conditions on speed.
3.当描述某人从业于某机构或者在此机构做与该机构密切相关的事时,机构前不加the。
He is still in hospital.(分析:他作为病人“住院”了。)(对比:My sister works in a hospital for sick children.)
He went to sea when he was 19.(分析:他19岁成为了“一名水手”)
go to collage(“上大学”)
in office (“执政”)
4.独一无二的头衔之前通常不加冠词。
She was elected President in 2000.
The film depicts King George VI, father of England"s Queen Elizabeth, as a reluctant leader tortured by his stuttering.
John has been appointed Sales Director.
5.球类、棋类前不加冠词
play basketball ; play chess
6.关于时间的表达
Next week; last year; on Sunday; at seven o’clock
7. 动词+bed,work,home,当我们用这一结构表达与之关联的行为概念而非去到特定地方时。
She left work. (她下班了。)
He got home. (他到家了。)
She went to bed. (她去睡觉了。)
在此结构中,若前有be,也不用加冠词:
She is at home/work.
She is in bed.
8.人名前不加冠词。
9.一些特殊名词不加冠词,表泛指
It was as if she was clothed in nature.(她好像融入大自然之中。)
Man can conquer nature. (人定胜天。)
It really was one of the best periods of economic performance in history.(这确实是历史上经济效益最好的时期之一。)
10.一些额外情况(大家可以私下多积累)
in front of… …在…之前; in the front of 在…(内部的)前部
out of question 没问题 ; out of the question 没有可能
本篇的讲解就是这些,下篇我们将集中讲解定冠词the的用法。
本文如果对你有帮助,请点赞收藏《Ruth老师简明英语语法讲解(4):限定词之冠词的使用》,同时在此感谢原作者。