This article summarizes some of the common questions in English Writing.
A. Use articles
Many people will encounter the same question at the time of writing: what articles should be how to use? In fact, use of the articles is a very complex issue, a lot of time alone sense of language usage to determine the article does not fly. Foreign teacher said: "Your article is resolved if the problem is basically a native writer in the academic field." Kidding, so writing articles or to learn about the.
Grammatically speaking, the article is a function words, use it only with the noun, indicating the meaning of the noun. English articles can be divided into: definite article (the), the indefinite article (a or an) and zero article. Articles for use, there are two core areas:
- Judgment and articles used with nouns are countable or uncountable nouns
- Analyzing articles or in context refers specifically refers to
First, a determination is countable and uncountable noun. Chinese and no concept of countable and uncountable nouns, which gives us determine whether or not the number of words can bring great difficulties. For example, "furniture" (furniture), this concept is countable in Chinese, but in English it is uncountable. Another example is "development" (development), in accordance with the Chinese habit of thinking, it should be an uncountable noun, but it can actually be used as a countable noun (for example:. There have been significant computer developments during the last decade)
Second, and especially to distinguish the article refers. Refers to refers to a class of things, or the general term for certain types of things. Especially it refers to certain things in particular one or a few.
Here are some basic principles:
With A / AN
1. Prior to use in a single countable noun, represents the first-mentioned (refer to non-specific)
2 prior single countable used, refers to the entire generic in any one of (corresponding to any)
without a / an
3. before plural no
no 4 uncountable before
use the
5. the particulars for (the Sky, the Sun, the Earth ...)
6. the second-mentioned object to
7. when there phrase or clause of the something specific time (the I Met the Girl)
8. the something when in the context of a defined location
9. before the ordinal numbers for the
prior 10 for a single countable noun refers to whole in all the generic (corresponding to all)
11. the particular for a crowd of one (the small shopkeeper)
without the
prior abstract things 12. (abstract things is given unless a specific meaning)
13 indicates "NATURAL "when, nature without the (but said" when to use the essence ")
before the noun place 14. unspecified location in (at home, at school, at
A / FC vs. the AN
15. A A / AN things for the first time, for the things that continues to occur in
16. a / an a for a generic object in any one of (the any), for the class in the case of all the things (all)
17. the universal do with the statement of a thing
Zero article (that is, without the article) vs. A / AN
18. The things on the conceptual level, even singular count nouns, articles do not .
The zero article FC vs.
19. A plural noun, and refers to, with zero article
20. uncountable noun, and refers to, with zero article
21. abstract noun, countable or uncountable matter, both with zero article
22. the first word of the title of the paper, if it is a noun, usually omit the
23. the chart title of a noun, usually omitted the
The following specific examples to explain several common easily go wrong:
Uncountable noun that refers to articles without: uncountable noun that refers to when, without definite article preceding the, if the rate of the, especially indicates. such as:
Salt is a strong-tasting substance, in the form of white powder or crystals. At this time, generally refers to salt, refer to "salt" category items.
Can you pass the salt please? What this means is, "Please pass the salt, please?", Where salt is specific, referring to the speaker and listener knows that a bag of "salt."
2. plural noun without the article that refers to: plural noun that refers to when not in front of the definite article the, if you add the, it means especially, for example:
（1）Pumas are large, cat-like animals which are found in America.（2）The pumas escaped from the zoo.
The first sentence of pumas generally refers, refers to the Cougars this animal, the second sentence is especially pumas, refers to a group of fleeing Zoo cougar.
The books fill leisure time for many people. To express the meaning of the sentence is "Books can help a lot of people spend their leisure time", then "book" should be generally refers to the concept, but the sentence can only be expressed in the books refers specifically, and therefore Context does not match. Sentence should be changed to: Books fill leisure time for many people.
3. the definite article singular noun that refers to the possible: when used with the definite article singular noun refers to may represent, a category that represents a typical sample represents.
For example, refers to "government", what to say? The following two foreign periodicals title gives the answer:
(1) Why governments Should introduce Gender Budgeting? (2) Should at The government Guarantee Your Work for Everybody? These two are heading in government countable noun, refers to may be "government" by governments or the government.
In addition, To solve this problem, the governments should ... such an approach is wrong, because the governments are specific to usage, can not be used to refer to the government, we should say: To solve this problem, governments / the government should .. .
4. indefinite article a / an addition may represent a singular noun refers to: the indefinite article a / an add to a singular noun refers to a class of things may be any of a representative member.
（1）A puma is a wild animal that is a member of the cat family. （2）Pumas have brownish-grey fur and live in mountain regions of North and South America.
The first sentence refers to a puma puma animal, second sentence also refers pumas cougar animal. But the point to note is, a / an add singular noun refers mainly limited to the case with the subject, and in other positions do not represent the general context.
More examples for experience, deepen understanding:
Error: The multiple factors influence children's evaluation of scientific claims.
Review: Multiple Factors Influence Children apos Evaluation of Scientific Claims.
Reflection: where multiple factors are not seen above, and generally refers to some Factors (hereinafter will be particularly What they are talking about), so you can not use articles.
Modify: at The Multiple Factors the I reviewed in Section Previous ... at The
modified: at The Multiple Factors that govern Children's Evaluation ...
Reflection: If this clause is limited things to live, then it no longer refers to, so use the.
Error: The news article may contain a chart of CO2 emissions by gasoline-powered cars.
Review: A news article may contain a chart of CO2 emissions by gasoline-powered cars.
Reflection: First, article single countable noun, it is not used zero article; secondly, this article has not been defined phrases or clauses to live, so the reader does not know "what" article, it refers to any news article in this generic one, so use a.
Error: How can an argument-oriented instruction play a role in students '? Reasoning
modification: How can argument-oriented instruction play a role in students'? Reasoning
reflection: argument-oriented instruction here is a conceptual level things (can We understood that the term), but neither refers to certain species, nor the generic instruction in a certain, so a zero article.
Error: Another data source is the videotaped observation of classroom instruction.
Modify: Another data source is videotaped observations of classroom instruction.
Reflection: observation here refers specifically to the need to use, because there has never been before and, with Zero Article plural nouns more in line with academic writing conventions.
Error: The analysis of observation protocols and video -based interaction analysis were conducted.
Modifications:. Analysis of observation protocols and video -based interaction analysis were conducted
Reflection: First, not experienced before this analysis, nor is it generally refers to the entire generic , so you can not use the; secondly, analysis here is a conceptual level terms, so than an analysis to be more in line with academic writing conventions.
Look at an interesting sentence: ... Because of the . Why use the Financial Situation of it? First, it is a countable noun, the plural form is not, and the term is not, it must be added to the articles (i.e., articles can not be zero). Then, if a financial situation, strictly speaking this sentence is not over, because I use a word, you are to convey a meaning: this situation is before you do not know, I have not mentioned, and now I to tell you, this situation is that ...... so if this is not done then, it is very strange. Finally, if this is indeed a new situation, but I'm not going to tell you specifically what the situation, how do you say that? We should say: Because of ... A CERTAIN Financial Situation.