一 基本规律 (Basic rules)
1. Indefinite article (不定冠词)
我们用 "a , an "当我们不知道他是诸多人或事中的哪一个：
* is one of many. ( 是许多个中的一个)
He is an artist.(=there are many artists)
* is not unique. (不是唯一的)
I have just bought a book
* has not been mentioned before. (之前没有提到过)
There was a new student in class today.
2. Definite article (定冠词)
我们用 "the "当我们知道他是诸多人或事中的哪一个：
* is unique (or unique in that context) (是唯一的)
The Australian Prime Minister. (=there is only one)
I looked inside, the engine was in a terrible state. (=there is only one engine, in this case)
* has been mentioned before. (之前提到过)
The man gave me a ticket. I looked at it, and saw that the ticket was a single.
* is defined by the phrase which follows it. (要被接下来的短语详细说明)
What is the new student's name?
3. No articles (无冠词)
我们不用冠词当我们普遍地提及事物的时候：
* using plural or uncountable nouns (在使用复数或不可数名词时)
Do you like sport?
* with the names of people or places, but there are many exceptions (人名和地名的时候不用冠词，但是地名有许多例外，下文一一介绍)
He is Professor Jones
4. Fixed phrases ( 固定短语)
有许多固定搭配需要用或者不用冠词，我们应该来单独学习，他们包括：
a few at home at work at the beginning atthe end go to bed
go to the cinemas, shops, station in the world once a week
sixty kilometres an hour the next the other the other day
the same
二 经常发生问题的区域 (Areas that often cause problems)
1. Jobs (工作)
如果有许多人做这个工作我们用 a 或 an.：
My husband is an architect. (=there are many architects)
但是如果一个工作特别对应一个人，我们就要用“the”了：
He is having talks with the French foreign minister(外交部长). (=there is only one)
2. Superlative (最高级)
我们使用“the”在形容词最高级前面：
She is the best person for the job.
3. Last and next
有一些形容词如 “last” 和 “next ”同时可以用也可以不用定冠词“the”但是句意会发生变化
I saw James last night. (=the one before this one)
It is the last night of our holiday. (=the fanal one)
I will see you next week.(=the one after this one)
4. Institutions: school, prison, university, church, home, hospital
和以上机构连用时我们不用定冠词“the”
My sister had to stay in hospital overnight.
然而，如果我们指的是这个建筑，我们就要用“the”
Our flat is opposite the hospital.
三 在表示时间和地点的短语中用或不用定冠词 (phrases of time and place)
1. Phrases of time
有些时间短语必须用“the”
Dates: the 25th of December / December the 25th
Parts of the day: in the afternoon, in the evening, in the morning ( but at night, at lunchtime)
Decades or Centuries: the 1980s, the 21st century
另外一些时间短语不用“the”
Years or Seasons: in 2002, in summer
Months or Days: in August, on Friday, see you tomorrow
2 Place names
国家，大洲，岛屿，洲，省，城市前不加“the”(countries, continents, islands, states, provinces, town, cities)
in Asia, to Sydney from Texas in Turkey in Britain in America
例外情况
the Netherlands, the UK, the USA, the Arab World (可以发现国家名作为缩写的话要加“the”)
如果我们指的是一个地区(region)那么我们不需要用“the”
North-west Inida, Northern Europe
但是如果我们指的是对于一个地区的方位或方向就要加上“the”
in the east of the country, in the south of Italy, on the coast
大多数路，街，公园，桥梁，商店，酒店不用加“the”(raods, streets, parks, bridges, shops, restaurants)
Central Park, Oxford Street, Tower Bridge
但是有命名的剧院，电影院，旅馆，画廊，博物馆加“the”(names of theatres, cinemas, hotels, galleries, museums)
the Hermitage, the National Theatre, the Odeon, the Ritz
特别的山和湖不加“the”
Lake Victoria, Mount Everest
山脉，河流，海洋，运河要加“the”
the Atlantic, the Yangtze River, the Himalayas, the Panama Canal
without的正确用法
一、基本用法
1. (表否定)没有，无，不需。如：
The letter was posted without a stamp. 那封信没贴邮票就寄出去了。
We got there without any trouble. 我们到了那儿，一路上没遇到任何麻烦。
You'll get wet if you go out in the rain without an umbrella. 雨天外出不带伞会淋湿的。
I suddenly realized I'd come out without any money. 我突然意识到，一点儿钱也没带就出来了。
2. (用在no, not, never等否定副词之后，强调肯定)没有……不，没有……则不能……，每……必定……。如：
You can't get rich without taking risks. 人不冒险不富。
The old man cannot walk without a stick. 那位老先生离开手杖就走不了路。
Don't go out without a coat: you'll catch your death. 别不穿外套出去，会得重感冒的。
I never see this picture without thinking of him. 每次看到这张照片，我都会想起他。
3. (与-ing形式连用)不，无，没。如：
She entered the room without knocking. 她没敲门就进了房间。
It goes without saying that health is above wealth. 健康胜于财富这个道理是无需多说的。
They had to stand for hours without changing position. 他们得一动不动地站几个小时。
It wasn't very polite of you to serve yourself without asking. 你也不问一声就自己吃起来是不太礼貌的。
4. (表条件)若无，若非。如：
I don't like to go to a country without knowing something of the language. 我要是不懂得一点那个国家的语言，就不想到那个国家去。
Without water, we cannot live. 没有水，我们就活不了。
Can you see without your glasses? 你不戴眼镜能看得清东西吗?
二、作表语的用法
without引出的介词短语通常用作状语，但有时也可用作表语。如：
She is completely without shame. 她恬不知耻。
My investigations were without result. 我的调查毫无结果。
The houses in this village are without water. 这个村子里家家户户都没有自来水。
We were without electricity for three hours but it's on again now. 我们的电停了3小时，现在又有了。
三、后接复合宾语的用法
without后接复合宾语的常用结构如下：
1. without+宾语+副词
I'd be lost without you here. 没有你在这儿，我会一筹莫展。
I'm very near-sighted without my glasses on. 我要是不戴眼镜十分近视。
2. without+宾语+介词短语
We'd be better off without them as neighbors. 要是没有这些邻居，我们就过得更愉快了。
I don't like sweet coffee; I like it better without sugar in it. 我不喜欢加糖的咖啡，里边不加糖我更喜欢。
3. without+宾语+动名词
Without anyone noticing, he slipped through the window. 无人注意，他从窗户溜了出去。
They debated for hours without a decision being taken. 他们争论了几个小时，也没作出决定。
4. without+宾语+不定式
Without anyone to help, how can we go on? 没有人帮忙，我们怎么能进行下去?
It was boring to sit there without anything to do. 无所事事地坐在那里太无聊了。
5. without+宾语+过去分词
Without another word exchanged, they started off. 没有再交谈一句，他们就出发了。