前几期谈过了英语冠词的用法以及一些应注意的事项。虽然如此,一般人的英语句子中,漏用或错用冠词的情况,还是很普遍。主要的原因是不重视冠词所扮演的角色,以为有无冠词或更换冠词,都无足轻重。当然,冠词只是个虚词,与其他词类比较,有点儿相形见绌。然而,在某些场合中,一个冠词的选择或取舍,即使不会使句子出错,也会直接影响句子的意思。
现在请看看这个句子:
“We’ve sold few units of HDB flats in this area.”
房地产经理到底是要用“few”还是“a few”呢?在这里,你看得出有无冠词怎样影响句子的意思了吧!如果还是不能,就请比较下面两个句子:
We can give you few books.
We can give you a few books.
两者都表示“少”,但“few”是几乎没有,“a few”是“有一些”。
现在进一步比较有无冠词时语义上有什么差别。
① a.Have you seen the children playing in front of the school bus?
b.Have you seen the children playing in the front of the school bus?
(a)指“在校车前面,但人不在车内”;(b)指“在校车车厢前部分,人在车内”。
② a.She insisted onkeeping house for him.
b.She insisted on keeping the house for him.
(a)的意思是“替他管理家务”;(b)是“为他保留房子”。
③ a. In case of a traffic accident, send for the police.
b. In the case of a traffic accident, recklessness is usually the main cause.
(a)是“如果”;(b)是“就……来说”。
④ a. Out of question, Jason is the most prolific writer.
b. Going to the meeting in pants? Out of the question!
(a)的意思是“毫无疑问地”;(b)是“不可能的”。
⑤ a. Mike goes to school at 7.30 am.
b. Her father went to the school yesterday.
(a)指“上学”,表示一种活动,含义笼统;(b)指“到学校里”,表示一个确定的地方。
⑥ a. Judy speaks Mandarin after a fashion.
b. Tom is a man who runs after the fashion.
(a)指“一点儿,不很好”;(b)指“追求时髦”。
⑦ a. She looks crazy in a way.
b. The chair is in the way.
(a)指“有一点”;(b)指“挡着去路”。