高中英语核心语法点汇编 part 4 常见易错冠词使用释疑 清单 -2026届高三英语一轮复习专项

该高中英语核心语法知识清单聚焦冠词使用重难点，涵盖16个易错专题，包括零冠词表名称、定冠词特指限定、不定冠词泛指概念等核心用法，通过问题解析与例句对比构建系统知识网络。 清单采用“问题导向-深度辨析-语境应用”设计，如标注“dark horse表名称用零冠词”“三餐前the表具体食物”等高频考点，结合“out of question/out of the question”反义短语对比培养思维品质，附易错点警示和场景应用提示，助力学生提升语言能力，教师可据此设计针对性复习，高效突破备考难点。

高中英语核心语法点汇编 part 4 常见易错冠词使用释疑 14 “dark horse”为什么用零冠词？ 有人问到这样一个句子： (1)The English term derived from horse racing to designate an unexpected winner is “dark horse”. 请问“dark horse” 之前为什么没有不定冠词 a? 我们知道，表名称 (name)的单形可数名词都要用零冠词，如有这样一个问句： (2)What's the English name for “黑马”? 其答案就应该是： (3)Dark horse. 名词短语也可表名称，只不过比较特殊罢了。这就是为什么例（1）中的 dark horse 不用不定冠词的缘故。 下面一句中的 “boy” 亦表名称，应用零冠词： (4)To Mrs. Hopton, “boy ” was a species not an individual. 上述 dark horse 和 boy 皆泛指一种概念，非指一具体的个别事物。事实上，泛指概念的单形可数名词都用零冠词，如： (5)In Chinese there are more than a dozen different terms for cousin to distinguish the exact form. (6)Home in the case of a country constable was synonymous with place of work. 饶有趣味的是下面一句中的 “House”，不但说明它是一个概念，而且说明它为什么由一个单形可数名词转变成一个用零冠词的抽象名词： (7)“House ” is only a concept; there are many kinds of houses with all sorts of different qualities. The various members of the class have very little in common, and this very little can only be reached by a process of abstraction. 你也许会反问道： 难道“a +单形可数名词”不也可以作为一名称泛指一概念吗？ 不，“a +单形可数名词”不是一个名称，也不是一个概念 (concept)， 如： (8)A horse has four legs. 这里的 horse 为 a 所限定，相当于 any horse 或 every horse，意指“任何一匹马”或“每一匹马”，具有单一的含义。 a horse 表单数意念，上述例（1）至例（7）中的 dark horse, boy, cousin, home, place, house 则表零数意念，也就是既非单数意念亦非复数意念的一种意念。 15 with a knife and a fork, with knife and fork, with a knife and fork 有人问到这样一道选择题： (1)The Western people eat with _________and _____. A. a knife, a fork B. knife, fork C. knives, forks D. knifes, forks 所给答案是B，可不可以用A和C呢？ 下面几种说法都对： (2)They eat with a knife and a fork. （比较具体，可译作“刀子和叉子”） (3)They eat with knife and fork. （比较抽象，强调方式或方法，可译作“刀叉”） (4)They eat with a knife and fork. （表单数概念，可译作“一副刀叉”） C之所以不妥，是因为主语they=they each（他们每一个人），不可能用“多个刀叉”吃饭。D更不妥，因为knife的复数形式不是knifes,而是knives。 16 the French language与French language 有人问： 最近在做英语练习时遇到这样一道选择题： (1)What do you know about the French _____? A.history B. language C.culture D.literature 正确答案是B，但为什么不可以是A、C、D呢？ 单就你所问的这个句子而论，在一般情况下，正确的答案应该是B，而不是其他。遇到这样的问题，你就需要凭着你的语感将A、B、C、D逐一放在句子中的空格内默默地试读一下，看看填入哪一个词比较顺当，哪些词比较别扭。这样一来，你就会发现应填language，因为你应该学过： (2)the English language (3)the Chinese language 无形之中，你就会觉得“the+English, Chinese等词”之后可接language了。同时，你也会发现填其他三个词都不妥，因为你应该学过： (4)Chinese history (5)English culture (6)American literature 无形之中，你也就会感到这些说法之前一般是不会用定冠词the的。 以上是凭语感或类比试图解决你所提的问题的。对广大的学习英语的人来说，也许可以到此为止了。然而你却对正确答案有怀疑，你想知道为什么B是正确的，为什么A、C、D是不正确的。 从语法上讲，这是一个“形容词+名词”结构前的冠词用法问题。 让我们先看看French language之前为什么要用定冠词the。概括地讲，这是因为：1. language在此是可数名词；2. French在此是限制性形容词；3. 用定冠词the是为了区别于其他国家或民族的语言。这正如我们说the red pencil以区别于其他颜色的铅笔一样。 如果language是一不可数名词，纯指语言现象，French用作描绘性形容词，二者合起来变成一门法语课程，那就不需要用冠词了，如： (7)He obtained high marks in French Language. 现在再让我们看看 French history (culture, literature)为什么其前不用定冠词the吧。概括地讲，这是因为：1. history, culture与literature常用作不可数名词；2. French在此是描写性形容词；3. 不可数名词前有描写性形容词并不影响它原来的“无冠词”用法，正如hot water中的hot不影响water的“无冠词”用法一样。 上述literature, history等名词之前亦可用定冠词，表示特指，不过多与of短语连用，如： (8)the literature of the Japanese (9)the history of China 17 如何解释此处的the manager? 有人问到这样一道题： (1)Regan,_________President of the U.S.A., made a speech on TV last night. A. / B. the C. a D. an 答案为A。据解释说，在表示职务的名词前不用定冠词the。如是这样，下面一句中的the manager又作何解释呢： (2)Mr Robison, the manager, is sitting at his desk in the office. 还有一句： (3)She is secretary to Mr. Robison. 这里的secretary之前又无the。上述几个句子用法不一，这是怎么回事？ 英语语法确是有一条规则：表职务的名词之前常用零冠词（即不用冠词a或the）。所以上述句（1）与句（3）在一般情况下是不用冠词the的。上述句（2）则较为特殊。有一位著名英语学者说，表职务的名词之前用定冠词时，有强调所表职务较为重要的含义。这就是该句之所以用the的缘故。 18 next morning之前为何不用the? 有人问到这样一句话： Early next morning, without telling the lady in white, she hurried back home. 句中next morning前为何不用the? 在当代英语中，说过去或将来某一天的第二天或第二天早上，用next day (morning)或the next day (morning)都可以。二者前面皆可再加上副词early, 表示“早些时候”。所以问中的early next morning中的next morning之前可以不用the。 19 out of question 与 out of the question 其意大不一样 有人问到这样一句话： 5% reduction is absolutely out of the question. 译文是“减5%是绝对不行的”。我查阅《简明英汉词典》，说 out of question 的意思是“不成问题”。这与译文的意思恰恰相反，请问如何解释？ 你将 out of the question 和 out of question 这两个短语混同在一起了。这是两个意义上完全相反的短语。前者意谓“根本不可能”，后者意谓“不成问题”。就在你所查的《简明英汉词典》 question 一词目中，不但有 out of question （毫无疑问，不在话下），也有 out of the question （毫无可能的；做不到的；完全不行的）。 20 to tell right from wrong不用 the 有人问这样一句话： (1)I doubt whether he can really tell right from wrong. 我们认为这里的 right 与 wrong 之前都应加 the ，不知是否正确？ right 和 wrong 二名词连用时其前皆不用冠词。除上述句（1）外，再如： (2)One must have some sense of right and wrong. 但其复数形式连用时，即 rights and wrongs （真相，是非曲直），前面则常用定冠词，后面常用 of 短语，如： (3)I don't care about the rights and wrongs of the matter. I just want you both to stop arguing. 21 go to school与go to the school的区别 有人问这样一句话： (1)I'll go to the school to tell him. 这里school前为什么用定冠词the? 说“上学”不是应说go to school吗？ go to school意为“上学”，因为school在此已转化为抽象名词，其意为“学习”；go to the school则意指“到学校去”，因为school在此仍是一类名词，其意是“学校”。所以，上述句（1）的意思应是：我要到学校告诉他去。同样，at school意为“在上学”或“在读书”，at the school则意指“在学校里”。再试比较： (2)at home 在家里（不强调地点，表习惯状态） at the home 在家里（强调地点，非习惯状态） (3)in prison 在坐牢 in the prison 在监狱里 (4)in bed 睡卧中 in the bed 睡或卧在那张床上 22 这里为什么选用 the sisters? 有人问这样一道选择题： (1)— Is Rose tall? — Yes,she is. She must be the tallest of _____. A. the sisters B. her sisters C. all her sisters D. sisters 答案是 A， 能否选 B 或 C ? 这里只能选 A，因为 the sisters 包括 Rose 在内。B 和 C 都不可选，因为这两项选择都不包括 Rose。D 是泛指姐妹，故亦不可选。试比较： (2)Sophie is the oldest of the sisters. 索菲是这些姐妹们中最大的。 (3)They are sisters. 她们是姐妹。 (4)Sophie and Emily are her sisters. 索菲和埃米莉是她的姐妹。 23 如何解释the supper? 有人问到这样一个句子： (1)She quickly cooked the supper, and cleaned the house. 我们的课本上说，三餐名称之前不用冠词。而这里的supper之前却用了冠词the，这是怎么回事？ 你们课本上的说法可能是在初学阶段对初学者而言的。实际上，三餐名称之前，既可不用a或the，亦可用a或the。前者一般指用餐时间（mealtime)或每天重复的不指具体食物的三餐，如（仍以supper为例）： (2)It's time for supper. (3)Supper is ready. (4)We often take a walk after supper. 后者则指具体食物或种类而言，如上述句（1）中的the supper,再如： (5)It was a good supper. (6)The supper was badly cooked. 24 United States在此为何不用冠词the？ 有人问： 我曾在China Daily上看到这样一句话： A diplomatic effort was launched by United States and United Nations envoys after Lebanon broke off the talks to protest against the arrest of four Shi'ite Muslim leaders by Israel's army in south Lebanon. 为什么United States 前面不用冠词the，请答复。 我们谈到用作名词的“美国”时，一般须说the United States，前面须有定冠词the，因为它含有普通名词states。 “联合国”亦然，因为它含有普通名词nations，但当“美国”或“联合国”用作形容词时，则可用the，亦可不用the。如有所特指，仍须用the，如非特指，则不用the。句中的United States and United Nations envoys非特指，只说是一些“美国和联合国的特使”，故前面没有the。如果说the United States and United Nations envoys，那就专指某些美国和联合国特使而言了。你如果把United States换作形容词American，特指用the American envoys，非特指用American envoys， 即更容易理解为什么United States前可以不用定冠词the了。但请注意，如将用United States用作名词所有格，则仍必须用定冠词the，如the United States' envoys。 25 all year round与all the year round 有人问到这样一个句子： All year round one can see the snow capped mountain top from any angle within 100 km around the Fuji. 句中all year round与all the year round有何不同吗？ 二者没有什么不同。在当代英语中，尤其在美国，往往省去the，再如all (the)morning, all (the)day, all (the)week, all (the)winter等。 26 关于day与冠词的关系 有一读者说有这样一个句子： (1)He had different clothes for every hour of the day. 他问到这里为什么用the day? day之前何时用a，何时用the，何时不用冠词？ days又如何用？ 让我们先谈第一个问题，即这里为什么用the day的问题。我们知道“the+单形类名词”结构常可泛指一类事物，如： (2)The doctor sees nothing but pain, pain, pain. （the doctor在此泛指医生） (3)Several blinks will sometimes get a cinder out of the eye. （the eye在此泛指眼睛） (4)The lion is the king of beasts. （the lion在此泛指狮子） (5)The rose smells sweet. （the rose在此泛指玫瑰） “the+单形抽象名词”结构同样也可以泛指一类概念，如： (6)The wish is father of the thought. （the wish和the thought在此皆属泛指） (7)The first half of the 19th century saw the duel die out. （the duel在此亦属泛指） 时间词，如hour, day, week, month, year等，也属于抽象名词。在它们之前冠以定冠词the亦可泛指某一时间概念。提问中的the day，即表泛指“一天”，再如下列句中的划线部分： (8)Breakfast is the first meal of the day. (9)She's paid by the day. （by the day是一习语，意谓“按工作日”） (10)It's all in the day's work. （all in the day's work 亦一习语，意谓“不足为奇”） (11)I went to a department store shortly before 7 p.m. as it was about to close for the day. (12)On 14 March, seventy-three years to the day after Marx's death, the Memorial was unveiled. （to the day 亦一习语，意谓“一天不差地”） 除“the+day”可用以泛指外，还有“the+hour, week, month, year等”亦可用以泛指，实例如： (13)The train arrives on the hour. （意谓“一小时一趟”） (14)The week begins with Sunday. (15)We pay the rent by the month. (16)December is the last month of the year. 现在让我们分别探讨一下第二个问题： 1.“定冠词the+day”结构的用法除上述已讨论过的以外，还有如： (17)The day was cold. （the day在此意谓“这一天”） (18)Trousers are the order of the day for women when travelling now. （the order of the day是一习语，意谓“时尚”，the day在此意谓“当代”） (19)It happened in the day. （the day在此意谓“日间”或“白天”，与the night相对） 2.“不定冠词 a(n)+day”结构的用法举例： (20)Take the tablets three times a day. （a day在此相当于一天） (21)We have stayed here for four months to a day. （to a day 相当于 to the day, 参见例[12]） (22)He lived in a day when to be a gentleman had its obligations but also its privileges. （a day在此意谓“时代”或“时期”） (23)An eight-hour day is common. （day 在此相当于 working day [工作日]） 3.“零冠词+day”结构的用法举例： (24)Day was fading into dark. （day 相当于白天） (25)Day breaks. （day 相当于日光，黎明） (26)He asked me what was the time of day. （day在此指“一天”） (27)Beijing was beautiful over National Day. （day在此指“节假日”） 关于第三个问题，同样我们也只能扼要地分别列述如下： 1.“定冠词+days”结构的用法举例： (28)The days passed. （the days有所指，意味着“一天天”） (29)As the days went by, she grew to feel that somehow it would be accomplished. （as the days went by是一常用结构，the days在此意味着“时间”或“时光） (30)The days and the nights are of equal length at this time of year. （the days在此指“白天”，与the nights相对） (31)He's going to tell us about his hard life in the old days. （days在此指“时期”或“时代”） (32)“Those were the days ”, she sighed. “We didn't have a care in the world.” （the days在此指“昔日盛世”） (33)The days have expired. （the days在此指“某人或事物的寿命”） 2.“零冠词+days”结构的用法举例： (34)Days passed. （days在此指“多日”） (35)Nobody has seen them for days. （days常与for连用，亦指“多日”） 最后，试看下一句中days与the days的区别： (36)The hours had turned into days, the days had turned into weeks. （days在此泛指“日”，the days则指其前的days） 顺便提及， hour, week, month, year等时间词的用法，在许多方面都与day有相似之处。 27 关于man与冠词的关系 有些读者来信问到 man 一词与冠词的关系如何。有的读者则具体地问道： man, a man, the man, men 以及 the men 究竟有什么区别？它们的用法如何？ 我们认为这个问题，对学习英语的中国人来说，具有一定的普遍性，所以对此问题做一初步的探讨。 1. 首先让我们谈谈“零冠词 +man”结构，也就是其前不用定冠词 the 也不用不定冠词a（n)的 man 的用法。man 一般有两层意义，一是泛指“人” （包括男和女）；二是泛指“男人”。不论 man 意谓“人”或“男人”，它都应是类名词。这里就产生了一个问题：作为类名词，man 为什么竟然要用零冠词呢？ 类名词，如 horse, 不是一般只能用定冠词或不定冠词吗？关于这个问题，我们认为有两个不同的理由，即：一是由于 man 和 home 一样，为人们所最熟悉，而人们最熟悉的东西的名词常是用零冠词的；二是由于 man 被人认为是唯一之物，就像专有名词（如God）一样，故而用零冠词。除此之外，还有人提出一些别的理由，如 man 相当于语法上的不定代词；man 受到了 mankind 一词的影响； man 受到英语《圣经》中 man 的用法的影响，等等。我们则仍然认为 man 用零冠词是属于类名词抽象化的范畴。man 泛指人的中性意义乃是其古时的本义。现今一般多见于较为文气的书面语中，如： (1)Man is mortal. (2)Man's only young once. (3)What a piece of work is man ! (4)God created men in his own image.（摘自基督教《圣经》） 有时man可作为“人类”解，但作主语时须用单形动词，如： (5)It is man's longest flight in a balloon. (6)Man has existed for thousands of years. (7)Man is superior to all other animals. (8)Man hopes for peace. man 常可大写，如： (9)What wonderful things Man has achieved! 注意 prehistoric man, Peking man, early man, modern man 等表集体的“形容词+man” 结构亦常用零冠词，实例如： (10)Mr.Munro was well-advised in selecting prehistoric man as the subject of the first course of the Munro Lectures. (11)Peking man is a type of early man of the Pleistocene age. (12)So far, no trace of Neanderthal man has been discovered. (13)Modern man refuses to acknowledge his need for mercy. man 泛指“男人”则是现代英语的主要含义，常与 woman 做对比，如： (14)Man is taller than woman. (15)It is not a suitable job for man. 有时为了避免与泛指“人”的 man 相混淆，泛指“男人”的 man 之后需要标出 the human male, 如： (16)It is not likely that Man — the human male — left to himself would have done this...But to woman it was natural. （this 指 the deification of the Babe） man 可用作形容词表示男子的勇气或能力，如： (17)He's not man enough for the job. man 用作呼唤语源自其泛指“人”的古义，但在现代英语中则仅指男性，有时有感情色彩，如： (18)Hurry up, man ! (19)This party's really great, man ! man 常用以指“成年男子”，如： (20)He has lived with us, man and boy, for twenty years.（man and boy 是一成语，意谓“从小到大”） 2. 现在让我们看一看“不定冠词 a +man” 结构。a man 可泛指一个人（包括男女），这里的a 意味着一个语气较弱的 any, 如： (21)As a man sows, so he will reap. (22)A man is as old as he feels. (23)Growing old is something a man has to accept. (24)Don't kick a man when he is down. a man 有时相当于不定代词 one，如： (25)It does a man good to see the energy of that boy. (26)What can a man do in such a case? a man 有时实际上指说话人自己，如： (27)That's hardly fair upon a man. (28)Must a man be eternally telling you of these things? a man 有时也可以暗指人类，如： (29)A man is an unusual being. (30)A man is the product of millions of years, and the depth of him is the depth of the whole night of eternity. 在当代英语中， a man 主要是泛指一个男人，以区别于一个女人，如： (31)A woman should never marry a man unless she loves him. (32)She dressed like a man. a man 也常泛指一成年男子，如： (33)Once a man and twice a child. (34)When a boy grows up,he becomes a man. (35)When I became a man , I put away childish things. a man 也常泛指一个有男子汉气概的男儿，如： (36)Be a man. (37)He was every inch a man. (38)The man is now a man. (39)The boy tried to be a man and not cry, but the pain brought tears to his eyes. a man 有时相当于a kind of man，如： (40)He was not a man to be trifled with. (41)He is a man that must be treated kindly. a man 常可指某一个男人，如： (42)I saw a man whom I seemed to have met before. (43)The police found a man's shoe by the body. a man 指某一男子时，其间可使用形容词，如： (44)He is a nice man. (45)I met a very interesting man on the train. 3. 关于“the man” 结构。the man 也可以泛指人，强调一类，以区别于其他类，首先它可用以区别于动物，如： (46)Beauty means a certain proportion in the skeleton which gives the best results of strength and of easy motion in the animal or the man. (47)Every age produces those links between the man and the baboon. 有时 the man 只暗含着区别于动物的意义，如： (48)In English we say “clothes make the man ”. 下面一句中表一般的人的the man 则用以区别一种特殊的人： (49)We see a great deal of the man , and of the soul of the man , but of the clergyman we see very little. 泛指人的the man 结构中的 man 如有修饰语，其可指的范围就缩小了，如： (50)Who is the happy man ? (51)The poor man does not envy the rich so much as the rich man envies the richer. (52)It is important to know what the common man thinks about matters of public interest. 泛指人的 the man 有时相当于the one，如： (53)I was not the man who would influence her in any way in the disposal of it. （it指her money） (54)If you'd wanted a bout at boxing..., I should never be the man to bid you cry off. 泛指人的 the man 也可以泛指成年人,如： (55)The child is father of the man. (56)The character of the man is determined by the training he receives in childhood. 泛指人的the man还可以回指出现在前文中泛指人的a man,如： (57)... a man perfects himself by working. Foul jungles are cleared away, fair seed fields rise instead, and stately cities, and withal the man himself first ceases to be a jungle and foul unwholesome desert thereby.（摘自美国散文家 Thomas Carlyle 的名作 Labour） 在现代英语里， the man 主要泛指男人，以区别于 the woman （女人），如： (58)The woman looms much larger in the world of books than the man , and she reads more sociological works than the other sex. the man 也可以与泛指女人的复形 women连用，如： (59)It is almost impossible to realize the prejudices which existed in Crimean times against giving either authority or responsibility to women in what was regarded as the man's sphere. the man 有时暗含着区别于女人的意义，如： (60)How dare you criticize him. He's twice the man than you are! the man 可用以表示男人的品质，如人品、性格、风度等，实例如： (61)Every book takes us back immediately to the man behind it. (62)The man of him was not changed. (63)“The childhood,” said Milton, “shows the man , as morning shows the day.” （由于韵律的原因， morning 前省去了定冠词 the ） the man 有时相当于男子汉、大丈夫，如： (64)Play the man ! (65)Act the man against the oppressors of the weak. (66)He's not half the man he was. the man 自然常指一特定的男子，如： (67)Who's the man over there? (68)Can I recognize the man ? (69)It is a kind of informal social impeachment whereby the man is stripped of the reverence, protections, and deference with which we treat our presidents. （the man 在此指美国前总统尼克松） 这种特指某人的the man 有时可用作同位语，如： (70)Now the man Moses was very meek,...（基督教《圣经》语） 用以特指的 the 有时可代替he 或 him 以表示厌恶心理，如： (71)The man must be mad! I won't see him anyway, I don't like the man. （前一个 The man 专指某一男人，后一个 the man 则代替了him，以表示厌恶，这是一种非正式英语） 下面一句中的 the man 则相当于the right man ,如： (72)He is the man for the job. 4.“零冠词 +复形men ”结构可泛指“人们（一个个的人）”，它是泛指人的a man 的复数形式，用作主语时，其后须用复形动词，其用法实例如： (73)Men will all grow old. (74)Bad luck befalls men over night. (75)Men are often deceived by what they see. 下面两句中的 men 显然包括women 在内： (76)All, all are men — women and all. (77)Women...are not just men who can have babies. 但有时为了避免与意谓“男人们”的men 相混淆，泛指“人们”的men 之后可标明包括男女，如： (78)There is in all men , both male and female, a desire and power of generation. 有时 men 泛指“人类”，如： (79)Men have two legs and dogs have four legs. (80)Men have made history. (81)Men have only existed for a very short period when compared with fish. (82)Darwin concluded that men were descended from apes. 在现代英语中，men 主要意指“男人们”，与 women （女人们）相对而言，如： (83)Men have a shorter life than women. (84)You must know that women are human beings just as well as men. 有时泛指“男人们”的 men 并不与 women 连用，但仍暗含与 women 相对的意义，如： (85)Men are like that. men 不泛指“男人们”时则是可数的，如： (86)Three men and two women were wounded in the crossfire. 有时 men 则指“一些男人”，如： (87)At breakfast Polly reluctantly asked Gregory for men to move the wardrobes out into the passage. (88)We cannot get suitable men. 有时 men 则可指一定范围内的“男人们”，如： (89)All men must leave their coats here,but women may take theirs with them. 下面一句中的 men 显然指“男子汉、大丈夫”： (90)They acquitted themselves like men. 5. 在现代英语中，the men 主要用以特指男人群体，是特指某一男人的 the man 的复数形式，用作主语时须用复形动词，如： (91)Save the women and children first and let the men out afterwards. (92)Immediately all the little men ran away. 有时 the men 也可泛指一特定范围内为说话人所熟悉的“男人们”，如： (93)I don't dress, sir! To please the men. (94)—If he doesn't come, could someone take us there? —No doubt, when the men come in from fishing. 例 （89）如强调特指一定范围内的所有男子，则可改说： (95)All the men must leave their coats here... the men 有时不可泛指“一切男人”，以与“一切女人”相对比，如： (96)I'm not denying the women are foolish. God Almighty made them to match the men. (97)All the world's a stage and all the men and women merely players. （摘自莎士比亚一喜剧） 下面一些句子中的 the men 乃指“一切人”（包括男女）： (98)Why don't the men propose?（与God 对比） (99)Wonderous the god, more wonderous are the men. （与the god对比） 根据上下文，下面一句中的 the men则包括男女： (100)Here and there the men he was following had also slowed. 最后，还有一些具体问题需要解答一下： 1. 试比较下列句中皆泛指人的 man, a man, the man 和 men: (101)Man is a fool-creating animal. (102)A man is a fool-creating animal. (103)The man is a fool-creating animal. (104)Men are fool-creating animals. 这四个句子的意义基本相同。如细加区别，man 最为正式而文气，a man 表示“任何一个人”，the man 表示人这一类，常用以与动物的等类相区别；men 是复数形式，含有“各种各样的人”的意义，强调具体的一个个人，而 man 则强调整体，所以英语中常说： (105)Men are weak, but Man is strong. 2. 试比较下面一句中的 a man 与 the man: (106)Be a man !—Play the man! 这个句子中的 a man 与 the man 基本同义，都是命令对方“要勇敢!要做个男子汉!”但是 a 在此相当于 some，而 the man则强调男子作为一类所具有的特性，其语气显然要比 a man 强烈。注意这两种说法都已固定，成为习惯用法，不可将 a 与 the 互换使用，但如用以泛指男子，the man 则比 a man 较常使用。 3. 试比较下一句中的 man 与 men: (107)Helen seems to be more interested in man than in men. 一般地说，泛指男子时，英语多用 men, 用 man 的情况较少，man 比较正式而文气。但如表示“男性”，则应用man。这一句中的 man 即是一例。而句中的 men 则指“一个个的男人”。 4. man (men)既可泛指“人”，又可泛指“男人”，有时它不免会产生歧义，这时应该怎么办呢？ 一般地说，由于有一定的上下文，或可根据常识的判断，man （men)是不会产生歧义的，但不可讳言，它有时的确也会产生歧义，引起读者（或听者）的困惑或误会。例如当Neil Armstrong 于1969年7月20日登上月球时，他说道： (108)That's one small step for a man , one giant step for mankind. （a man 指“人”还是泛指“男人”?） 再如有人曾在美国一所大学作调查时，在一批学生的作业中发现将社会学中的 urban man, economic man 和political man 都误会为男性。 为了避免这种困惑与误会，现在的趋势是将man或men代之以human（s), human being(s),the human race, the human species, person(s), people, man and woman （或 men and women）等。 另外，由于女权运动的兴起，不少以 -man 结尾的词有被改动的趋势，如将policeman 改为 police officer, mailman 改为 mail carrier, milkman 改为 milk deliverer 等。有人甚至要将 chairman 改为chairperson 或新创 chairwoman 一词。但有许多情况，由于积重难返，恐怕难以改变，如 craftsman, the man in the street 等。 但说来也很有趣，也有人建议将已是成语的 one man, one vote 改为 one person, one vote。 28 名词rain与冠词的连用 有人问： 何时用rain, 何时用the rain， 何时用a rain? rain泛指雨，实例如： (1)It looks like rain. (2)Rain is forecast for tomorrow. the rain特指雨，实例如： (3)The rain had been pouring all night. (4)Don't stay out in the rain , or you will catch cold. a rain表示种类，常与形容词连用，如： (5)There was a light rain last night. a rain of... 常用作比喻，实例如： (6)a rain of tears 泪如雨下 顺便提一下，rains（泛指久雨，大雨）和the rains（特指久雨或大雨，雨季）也常被用，实例如： (7)Rains and spray had damped it. (8)The air is very clear after the rains. (9)We don't see many tourists when the rains come. 29 关于名词time与冠词的关系 名词 time 与冠词的关系要比名词 day 与冠词的关系复杂一些，这主要是因为 time 的含义较多的缘故。一般英语词典处理名词 time 时，皆从释义出发，目的在于帮助读者了解其各种意义。但如从活用出发，就应知道 time 与各种词类的搭配关系，而其中主要搭配关系之一就是它与冠词的搭配关系。 从形式上讲， time 与冠词的关系并不复杂。总的说来，一共只有五种：1.零冠词 +time;2.不定冠词 a +time;3.定冠词 the +time; 4.零冠词 +times；5.定冠词 the +times。 粗看起来，似乎比较简单，但如考虑到 time 的各种细微的含义，就比较复杂了。 让我们先看: 1.零冠词+time；这一形式具有十几种不同含义。 1）泛指与空间相对的时间，包括过去、现在和将来，无数念，实例如： (1)The world exists in space and time. (2)The concept of measure is as important to the consideration of time as it is to space. (3)It is the style as much as the matter which makes the Paradise Lost a work for all time. 2）泛指时光、光阴等，无数念，实例如： (4)Time flies. (5)Time is money. (6)This wine improves with time. 3）泛指未来，无数念，实例如： (7)Time heals all wounds. (8)Time is the best doctor. 4）专指时点、时刻等，无数念，实例如： (9)It's time to do morning exercises. (10)It's time for tea. (11)We arrived ahead of time.（ahead of time 是一习语） (12)It's time we were going. (13)Be here tomorrow on time. （on time 是一习语） (14)The trains are off time.（off time 是一习语） 5）专指计时系统，无数念，实例如： (15)It is now 10:15 hours Greenwich Mean Time. (16)05:35 Eastern Standard Time 6）专指时段，无数念，实例如： (17)We have no time to lose. (18)That will take time. (19)I don't have time to read these days. (20)I'm rather pressed for time. (21)We barely had time to make it. (22)He managed to find time for a trip. 7）专指所规定的时段，无数念，实例如： (23)Time is up. (24)Watford scored two goals in extra time last night to defeat the Chinese national team 2-0. (25)With good coaching she might get close to Olympic time. (26)Celia will come in three weeks' time. 8）专指时节、季节等，有修饰语，无数念，实例如： (27)It was winter time. (28)Christmas time is called the season of good cheer. 9）专指时期、年代、时代等，多有修饰语，无数念，实例如： (29)In time of danger the woman must be saved first. In time of pleasure the woman must be given the best place. In time of hardship the woman's share of the common pain must be taken voluntarily by the man as much as possible. (30)There is a great deal of suffering in time of war. (31)TIME （指美国《时代》周刊） 10）专指合宜的时机等，无数念，实例如： (32)The ship which sailed from London is out of time. （out of time 相当于 out of due time） (33)In the fullness of time he will be promoted to manager. （in the fullness of time 意谓“时机成熟时”） 11）专指终场、打烊等，无数念，实例如： (34)Five minutes from time Brgant scored from a penalty to give Arsenal a 3-2 victory. （指足球终场） (35)Time now, please, ladies and gents! （指酒店、饭馆打烊） 12）专指刑期，无数念，实例如： (36)He's doing time for manslaughter. （do time 意谓“服刑”） 13）专指次，回等，无数念，实例如： (37)The theory has been proved time and time again. （time and time again 是一习语） (38)She had threatened from time to time to leave him.（from time to time 是一习语） 14）专指拍子、速度等，无数念，实例如： (39)Keep time to the drum. (40)They began playing a country dance in very slow time. 2. 不定冠词 a +time; 这一形式也具有一些不同的含义： 1）特指某一时点或时机，有单念，可数，实例如： (41)There comes a time when nothing more can be done. (42)Will this evening be a good time to mention it? (43)Ah, I've chosen a bad time to come. (44)What a time he chose to make his move! How could he do that! 2）泛指一时段，有单念，可数，实例如： (45)What a time you've been!（其意为“你怎么走了这么久!”） (46)There was a time of still, stunned whisperings. (47)It became clear after a time that in fact he was very ill. （after a time 是一习语） (48)The professor is staying at the seaside for a time. （for a time 是一习语） (49)He is a two-time Boston Marathon winner with a best time of two hours and eight minutes. 3）泛指一段时光、经历等，常带有修饰语，有单念，可数，实例如： (50)Are you having a good time ? (51)I had a difficult time persuading him. (52)For the rest of the trip he had an easy time of it. (53)What is wanted in a time of embarrassment or danger is a good head, not a strong arm. 4）特指某一时代、时期等，有单念，不可数，实例如： (54)The years immediately following World War Ⅱ were a time of academic renewal. (55)The story belongs to world literature rather than to the literature of a time. (56)English literature begins with songs and stories of a time when their Teutonic ancestors were living on the borders of the North Sea. (57)They congratulated themselves for living in a time when feudal traditions were being replaced by new and more liberal ideas. 5）泛指一次、一回等，有单念，可数，实例如： (58)I ran upstairs three steps at a time. （at a time 是一习语） (59)The telephone rang a second time. (60)I've been that way a time or two. 3. 定冠词the +time； 这一形式包括一些不同的含义： 1）特指时光，无数念，实例如： (61)I didn't realize the time has passed so quickly. (62)You must watch the time and not stay too long. (63)Painting a picture, I quite forgot the time. 2）特指具体一时点、时刻等，有单念，可数，实例如： (64)What is the time ? (65)The child doesn't know how to tell the time. (66)It is only a remote possibility at the present time. (67)I guess I must have surprised them some. My face was dirty at the time. (68)By the time he got there, everyone else had arrived. 3）特指具体一合宜时机，有单念，可数，实例如： (69)Now is the time to ask him. (70)The morning is the time for work. (71)They now feel the time has come to change things. 4）特指具体一时段，有单念，可数，实例如： (72)If we had the time , we might collect a few dollars on the campus to help him. (73)Since I haven't the time to drive to my rooms in San Francisco, I must ask you to put me up for the night. (74)She said she couldn't take the time off to go along with them. (75)It was raining all the time. （all the time 是一习语） (76)For the time it takes for a meal he inspected the calligraphy, paintings and curios. (77)Whom you were running against doesn't matter — it's the time that counts. 5）特指具体一时代、一朝代、一年代等，有单念，不可数，实例如： (78)The film begins at the time of the Roman Empire. (79)The time when a company could be run by one man is over. (80)The practice can be shown to have existed from the time of Barbour's Bruce till about 1700. (81)His comedies are intensely realistic, presenting men and women of the time exactly as they were. 6）特指具体一次，一回等，有单念，可数，实例如： (82)I saw him when he was here the time before last. (83)The first time I met him,he was a young man about your age. 4. 零冠词 +times: 这一形式也具有不少不同的含义： 1）泛指时点、时刻等，有复念，可数，实例如： (84)I was sweet on her right from the start. And my mother used to ask her into the house at meal times. (85)There were times when I didn't know what to do. (86)They take three full meals a day with milk between times. （between times 是一习语） 2）泛指一些时段、时期等，有复念，可数，实例如： (87)At times I wonder if it's all worthwhile. （at times 是一习语） (88)The village had two streets, each a couple of hundred yards long, covered with stiff black mud in wet times , deep dust in dry.（dry后省去times） (89)Darling, this apron will be with you in many a time of need and stand you in good stead, You may find times when you will prize it more than any dress you have. (90)I know that. But there will be times. We can still see each other once in a while. 3）泛指时期、时代、朝代等（与事件、人物等有关），有复念，不可数，实例如： (91)“Whatnot” may mean a piece of furniture with open shelves, used especially in Victorian times , for showing small decorations. (92)The use of peas as a food dates back to very early times. (93)He saw clearly that new times were coming. (94)The Philadelphia which Mr. Johnson knows so well is a heritage of colonial times. (95)This book presents the whole history of English literature from Anglo-Saxon times to the close of the Victorian Era. (96)Philo had ridden by there a time or two in times gone by. (97)Those who have children should have greatest care of future times. 4）泛指有关人们生活经历的年代、时代、时光等，常与描写性形容词连用，有复念，可数，实例如： (98)The 1930s were hard times for many people. (99)They live in difficult times. (100)They talk about old times. (101)There were good times when we laughed together. (102)Oh, we have had jolly times , haven't we? (103)How were times ? 5）泛指一些刑期，有复念，可数，实例如： (104)Of his eighteen men, nine of them had spent various times in various penitentiaries. 6）泛指……次、回等，有复念，可数，实例如： (105)I play tennis at least three times a week. (106)How many times have you been to see him? (107)Six times she tried to throw her frail thread from one beam to another, and six times it fell short. (108)By popularizing the use of standard-issue envelopes we can greatly increase delivery times. 7）泛指倍数，有复念，可数，常与数词连用，实例如： (109)The rate was six times greater among old people. (110)I think it has become three times as difficult as it used to be. 5. 定冠词 the +times: 这一形式也有几种不同的含义： 1）特指一些时刻，有复念，可数，实例如： (111)Ask the times of planes from Rome to Vienna. (112)He gave me his telephone number and told me the best times to call. 2）特指一些时期、场合、时节等，常有修饰语，有复念，可数，实例如： (113)The good times were only memories and the people he had considered friends were turning against him. (114)This is one of the times I know I'm not going to pass. (115)And then what evil spell was this that brought a memory of the times when he had forgotten her? (116)A neap tide is a very small rise and fall of the sea at the times of the first and third quarters of the moon. (117)The only times he'd really gotten into trouble were the times he'd disobeyed someone. 3）特指具体某一时代、朝代、年代等，有复念，不可数，实例如： (118)The times have changed. (119)Beer at ￡2 a pint! Ah well, I suppose it's a sign of the times. （the times在此有贬义） (120)The law is behind the times on a number of important issues. (121)The literary movement of the age clearly reflects the stirring life of the times. (122)The phenomenon goes back to the oldest times. (123)In the more savage times , they （public robberies）were probably too frequent to excite much attention. (124)We should go back to the Greek times for that. (125)Shanghai, China's largest city, has disposed of more than 40 tons of bombs, hand grenades, shells and explosives left over from the war times. (126)He passed the next half hour recalling the good times he and Bob had had at Columbia. (127)The Times （指伦敦《泰晤士报》） 4）特指具体……次、回等，有复念，可数，实例如： (128)For one of the few times in his life he wasn't thinking clearly. 顺便提及，名词 time 除常与各种冠词连用外，还常与其他限定词连用。所谓“其他限定词”在此主要指各种代词。现分“代词 +time ”和“代词 +times”两类各举一些例子如下： 1. 代词 +time: (129)I spent most of my time in sightseeing. （time 指时光） (130)Mr. Curtis was the manager in my time.（time 指在职时期） (131)This house is old but it will last my time. （time 指余年） (132)His time has come. （time 指死期） (133)Now is your time.（time 指时机） (134)Take your time.（time 指时光） (135)Wait till you are lying flat on your back at the end of your time. （time 指一生） (136)This is one of the great unsolved mysteries of our time.（time 指时代） (137)They have finished the reading in their own time.（their own time 指他们的业余或课余时间） (138)This time next year I'll be in America. （time 指时节） (139)Where have you been all this time ? （time 指一时段） (140)I'll forgive you this time , but another time you'll be punished. （time 指一次或一回） (141)Do you remember that time when Adrian phoned up? （time 指一时刻） (142)It's thirty years ago. It seems so absurd to bear malice after all that time. （time 指一很长的时段） (143)My God, you're the blackmailer of all time. （of all time 相当于空前的） (144)There is no time like the present. （time 指时机） (145)I don't have much time to read these days. （time 指时量） (146)What time is it? （time 指时刻） 2. 代词 +times: (147)Henry Ⅴ's erratic yet vigorous life, as despicted by Shakespeare, was typical of the life of his times.（times 指时代） (148)His own times did not account his faults as faults as we do now. (149)She was flying, beating all of her previous times for that run. （times 指赛跑成绩） (150)Such warfare is likely, in our times , to provide a history of defeats. （times 指时代） (151)We passed many pleasant hours talking our old times. （times 指往昔） (152)These practices became customs to be observed at these times. （times 指时节） (153)The word “nowadays” means in these modern times. （times 指时代） (154)I loved her most at those times. （times 指时节） (155)The Chinese tradition seeks order, discipline, moral behavior at all times.（at all times 相当于在一切场合） (156)In this book you will find poetry which contains universal truth about human life in all times and all ages. （times 指时代） (157)Robert sensed that his mood in regard to her was different, colder. His thoughts were elsewhere — and at this season of the year, too — of all times.（...of all times 相当于偏偏在这个时节） (158)Winter is a busy season for Beijing buses.Many who go to work by bicycle in other times take the bus in the cold weather. （times 指季节） (159)We met on Sunday mornings for Holy Communion, and at many other times in the week for prayer and discussion of the Scriptures. （times 指场合） (160)Some times weren't so good. （times 指场合或时刻） (161)Philip cared for me enough to marry me, and we had some happy times. （times 指时刻） (162)At such times , his face flamed with augmented blazonry, as if cannel coal had been heaped on anthracite. （times 指时刻） (163)He has had so many happy times with his Chinese friends. （times 指时刻） (164)He often suffered from hangovers, at which times he closed the door into his office and sipped Alka-Seltzer or Cokes, answering only to urgent questions, of which there were few. 最后，让我们对下列几对词语做一些比较： (165)the stream of time （a） the stream of times (b) (a)意指“时光的流逝”; (b)则意指“时代的潮流”。 (166)He is behind the times. （a） The train is never behind time.(b) (a)的意思是“他落后于时代”; (b)的意思是“这列火车从不误点”。 (167)in time of peace （a） in times of peace (b) time 与 times 在此皆指“时代”，可以互换。但如细加揣摩，(a)中的time比较抽象，(b)中的 times 比较具体。 (168)in Stuart times （a） in the times of the Stuarts (b) (a)仅指“斯图亚特时代”，无其他含义，另如：in ancient times, in medieval times, in modern times, in recent times 等，均属此类。(b)则指“那个斯图亚特时代”，以区别于其他时代。 (169)at that time （a） at the time (b) （a)与(b)同义，皆意谓“在那个时候”，但(b)往往有“不巧”的含义，如上述例（67）。 1 学科网（北京）股份有限公司 $