Grammar The Article　冠詞

冠詞是虛詞，放在名詞之前，用來說明名詞所指的人或事物，一般沒有句子重音。冠詞分定冠詞（the）與不定冠詞（a,an）兩種。

一、定冠詞

定冠詞“the”用在以元音開頭的詞前面讀[ei]，用在以輔音開頭的詞前面讀[e?]。例如：

the[ei]old shop-assistant

the[e?]store

定冠詞的意思接近指示代詞this,that，表示后面名詞所指的是某個或某些特定的人或事物，可用于各種普通名詞前面：

Pass me the book,please.（指所看見的這本書）

Li Ming is the manager of our store.（指在我們商店而不是其他商店里的經理）

這種情況稱為“特指”。在“特指”的情況下，無論是可數名詞或不可數名詞，是單數名詞還是復數名詞，都需要加the。與特指相對，并不指某個或某些特定的人或事物的情況稱為“泛指”。

二、不定冠詞

不定冠詞“a”用于以輔音開頭的詞前面，“an”用于以元音開頭的詞前面。例如：a towel,an apple。不定冠詞是“一個”的意思，只能用在單數可數名詞前面，表示某一類人或事物，以區別于其他類。例如：

I want to have a blouse.（指任何一件襯衫）

This is an iron bed.（指所有鐵床中間的一張）

注　一件事物第一次提到時，如果它是可數名詞單數，常用不定冠詞，而再次提到它時卻需要用定冠詞，因為這時已經是特指的了。例如：

This is a book.

That is a desk.（第一次提到，泛指）

The book on the desk is an English Dictionary of Business and Economics.

三、一些不用冠詞的情況

1.泛指的復數名詞前不用冠詞。例如：

We are cutters.　These are books on grammar.

2.不可數名詞用于泛指的時候不用冠詞。例如：

It's lovely weather.　This is paper,that is ink.

3.在專用名詞前一般不用冠詞。例如：

Shanghai　Fudan University

但有些由普通名詞構成的專有名詞卻要加定冠詞。例如：

the Shanghai Friendship Store　the First Department Store

4.在名詞前已有作定語用的this,that,my,your,some,no,every等代詞時，不用冠詞。例如：

This is my piano.　Where is your pen?

5.在季節、月份、星期、三餐飯等名詞前，一般不用冠詞。例如：

In summer 1985,we had a big exhibition.

You may come to fetch your watch on Saturday.

We'll have lunch here.

6.在某些習慣用法中不加冠詞。例如：

go to work（上班）　at home（在家）

after work（下班）　go by bus（乘汽車去）

Grammar Exercises

1.用適當的冠詞填空：

1）I have______novel written by______English writer.

2）She was______worker before liberation.Now she becomes______engineer.

3）______sun rises in______east and sets down in______west.

4）______Summer Palace is______most beautiful park in Beijing.

5）There is______bottle on the desk.______bottle is full of ink.

6）It is raining outside now.Take______umbrella with you.______umbrella is in your room.

7）We,Chinese people have three meals______day.

8）______ink in the bottle is red.

9）It will take us______hour and______half to get there by bus.

10）My father is______engineer and my mother is______university teacher.

11）Jack is______honest boy.

12）Oil is______liquid.

13）None of______books can be taken out of______library without permission.

14）______Great Wall is______place which everyone likes to visit.

15）______workers there are very friendly to us.

16）How long will______meeting last?

17）Where did you find______boy?I found him in Room 201.

18）They study at______No.4 Middle School.

19）Can you tell me how to get to______station?Go straight down______street until you come to______bridge.From______bridge you will see______huge building.That is______station.

20）______Party calls on us to serve______people heart and soul.

2.在必要處填入適當的冠詞：

1）Doctor:You need______six-week holiday,Mr Wells.

Wells:But,______Doctor,Ican't possibly leave______office during______busiest period of______year.

Doctor:I think you should take my advice,Mr.Wells.______health is far more important,than______work.

Wells:Should I follow what you said,______Doctor?

Doctor:Of course,you should,and have______complete rest for______time.

2）______first time I saw______Thames in 1962,I was very disappointed.I had expected to see______very wide,great river,full of______clear water,with______beautiful houses on______banks.But I went to______south of______London,to______dock area,where______water was very dirty,and______warehouses（倉庫）between______London Bridge and______Tower Bridge looked like______dirty grey prisons.