1.物質(zhì)名詞(water, air等)在用于一般意義時不加冠詞:
Water boils at 100 centi degree.
水在攝氏100度沸騰。
We can't live without air.
沒有空氣我們就不能生活。
They make high-quality steel.
他們制造優(yōu)質(zhì)鋼。
Snow covered the ground.
地上被白雪覆蓋。
2.指該物質(zhì)特定部分時可加定冠詞:
The air (in the room) is bad.
(屋里)空氣不好。
The water isn't very clean.
這水不太干凈。
Don't stand in the rain.
別站在雨里。
Wipe off the dust.
把灰塵擦掉。
3.有時物質(zhì)名詞前還可加不定冠詞,表示:
1)“一種”:
Marble is a precious stone.
大理石是一種珍貴的石料。
It was a special tea which tasted of chrysanthemum.
這足一種菊花茶。
2)“一場雨雪”:
What a heavy rain.
多大的雨呀。
It was bitterly cold, and a heavy snow was falling.
天氣嚴寒,下著一場大雪。
3)“一份”:
A chocolate ice-cream for me!
給我一客巧克力冰淇淋。
An iced coffee for me.
給我一杯冰咖啡。
有時一個物質(zhì)名詞可表示可數(shù)的東西:
I need two yards of cloth.
我需要兩碼布。(不可數(shù))
He wiped the books with a cloth.
他用一塊布擦書。(可數(shù))