a, an
(1)一(个)
His sister will be back in a day or two.他姐姐过一两天会回来.
We need a computer in our laboratory.我们的实验室里需要一台电脑.
(2)(泛指一类事物中的)任何一个
A horse has four legs.马有四条腿.
A cow is a useful animal.奶牛是很有用的动物.
(3)某一个
A professor from Oxford University is going to give us lectures on the moon.来自牛津大学的一位教授将给我们作有关月球的讲座.
The machine was invented by a worker in Shanghai.这台机器是由上海的一位工人发明的.
(4)(在专有名词前表示类似的)一个或某一个
Dick has a sense of humour. He is a Chaplin.迪克很有幽默感,是个卓别林似的人物.
A Mr. Johnson came to see you this morning.今天早上一位叫约翰逊的先生来找你.
(5)(在某些物质名词前表示)一份,一客
Sam sat at the table and ordered a soup and a salad.山姆坐在桌前,点了一份汤和一份色拉.
Give me a coffee, please.请给我来份咖啡.
注意 1.以元音音素开始的词前冠词 a 改成 an,如:an honour (一种光荣),an Englishman (一个英国人),an early riser (早起的人).
2.有些场合中根据习惯而用不定冠词,如:in a hurry (匆匆忙忙),all of a sudden (突然),at a loss (不知所措),as a result (结果),as a matter of fact (事实上)等.
a(n),one
冠词 a(n) 和数词(形容词)one 都可以修饰单数可数名词,表示“一”、“一个”.这
两个词主要有如下异同:
(1)冠词 a(n) 表示类属.一类人或事物与另一类人或事物对比出现时,用 a(n), 不用one.这时,不一定要译成“一”或“一个”.例如:
This is a desk. That is a chair.
这是桌子,那是椅子.
I am a teacher, you are a student.
我是教师,你是学生.
One 是数词,表示“一”、“一个”.在明确表示“一”这数量时,或与 another连用表示“一种”时,用 one,不用 a(n).例如:
Only one person came.
只有一个人来了.
He can't tell one tree from another.
他不能把一种树和另一种树区别开来.
(2)在“一”和其他数量词连接出现或对比出现时,用 a(n) 或用 one 都可以.有时用one 表示强烈对比.例如:
He has a (one) TV set, two radios and three recorders.他有一台电视机,两台收音机和三台录音机.
I have one (a) radio, but he has two.我有一台收音机,但他有两台.
(3)有时,两者都可以用,但着重点不同.a(n) 表示类别,不强调数量;one 表示数量,不表示类别.试比较:
Give me a book.
给我一本书.(不是铅笔)
Give me one book.
(同上)(不是两本)
A boy can do it.
男孩子可以做那事.(女孩子不一定能做)
One boy can do it.
一个男孩可以做那事.(不必两个或更多)
(4)在有些情况下,习惯用一种形式,不能互换.例如:
one rainy day on a rainy day
one o'clock ten miles an hour
one day once upon a time
one or two hours an hour or two
one pound 50 a pound and a half
at one time at a time
for one thing as an example
(5)在下列情况下,两者可以互换:
a third -- one third
a hundred percent -- one hundred percent
in a word -- in one word
more than a year -- more than one yea