冠词是虚词,本身不能单独使用,也没有词义,它用在名词的前面,帮助指明名词的含义。英语中的冠词有三种:定冠词、不定冠词、零冠词。
一、不定冠词的基本用法
不定冠词用于单数可数名词之前,其中 a 用于以辅音音素开始的词前。而 an 是用于以元音音素前等, 不是元音字母开始的词前。
如:a university,a useful tool,a computer,an orange,an hour,an 800-meter bridge
1、与可数名词单数连用,表示类别。
例如:
--I knocked over my coffee cup. It went right over the keyboard.
--You shouldn't put drinks near a computer.
2、泛指某人或某物, 表示“某一个”,相当于 a certain。
例如:
--Hello, could I speak to Mr. Smith?
--Sorry, wrong number. There isn't a Mr. Smith here.
3、用于数量、时间等名词前,表示“每一(单位)的……”相当于 per。
例如:
I earn 10 dollars an hour as a supermarket cashier on Saturdays.
4、用于固定词组中。
例如:a knowledge of ,have a gift for,give sb. a ride,a couple of,have a good time,keep a diary,in a hurry,once in a while,at a loss,tell a lie,do sb. a favor。
二、定冠词的基本用法
1、用来特指某(些)人或某(些)事物。所特指的名词常被短语或定语从句所修饰。
例如:
Of all the reasons for my decision to become a university professor, my father's advice was the most important one.
2、指说话的双方都知道的人或事物。
例如:
Don't worry if you can't come to the party. I'll save some cake for you.
3、复述上文中提到的事物。
例如:
There is a shelf in my father's room. The shelf is new.
4、用于单数可数名词之前,表示该类事物,相当于 a。
例如:
When you come here for your holiday next time, don't go to the hotel; I can find you a bed in my flat.
5、序数词和形容词最高级前。比较级前若表示特指时也要用定冠词 the 。
例如:
The cakes are delicious. He'd like to have a third one because the second one is rather too small.
I want to chat with the taller of the two men.
6、在表示方位、乐器的名词前。
例如:
Summer in the south of France is for the most part dry and sunny.
play the piano, play the violin