四、用于复数名词前
复数名词表示类别时,通常用零冠词:
Teachers should be respected. 教师应该受到尊重。
泛指不定量的人或物,也用零冠词:
We are students of Class Five. 我们是五班的学生。
【注】若特指,复数名词前应用定冠词:
The teachers should attend the meeting 教师应参加会议。
五、用于单数可数名词前
单数可数名词前用零冠词,主要有以下情况:
(1) 用于表示家庭成员或 nurse, cook, teacher 等名词前:
Mother is not at home. 妈妈不在家。
Ask nurse to put the child to bed. 叫保姆抱孩子到床上去睡觉。
Teacher was satisfied with our work. 老师对我们的工作很满意。
(2) 用于动词 turn(变成),go(变成)后作表语的名词通常用零冠词:
He was a teacher before he turned writer. 他在成为作家之前是教师。
He has gone socialist. 他成了社会主义者。
(3) 在让步状语从句的倒装句式中,单数可数名词前通常用零冠词:
Child as he is, he knows a lot. 他虽然是个孩子,但已经很懂事了。
Teacher though he is, he can’t know everything. 他虽然是老师,但也不可能什么都懂。
(4) 单数可数名词用作呼语,通常用零冠词:
How is she, doctor? 医生,她怎么样?
Can you drive me to the station, driver? 司机,请送我去车站,好吗?
(5) 在某些独立结构中通常用零冠词:
The teacher came in, book in hand. 老师走了进来,手里拿着书。
He was sitting in the chair, pipe in mouth. 他坐在椅子上,嘴里叼着烟斗。
(6) 在“(a) kind [sort] of+名词”这一结构中,名词通常用零冠词:
This kind of book is very interesting. 这种书很有趣。
He is the sort of person I really dislike. 他这种人我真不喜欢。
【注】注意以下两句在含义上的差别:
What kind of car is it? 这是什么牌子的车?
What kind of a car is it? 这种车质量如何?
(8) 当单数可数名词含义抽象化具有形容词意味时,通常用零冠词:
The man was more animal than man. 那个人与其说是人,不如说是畜生。
I was fool enough to accept his offer. 我接受他的提议真是太傻了。
Are you man enough for this dangerous job? 你有勇气做这项危险的工作吗?