The 的用法

這是一個最難答的問題。作為一位業餘英語學習愛好者，面對這問題，竟然要拿起很多Grammar書來幫助。

要知道一個簡單 the 的用法，最好從最淺學起：

The word "the"is used when it refers to a particular or definite thing.
"The" is used :-

1. Before nouns in a particular sense
2. Before words standing for a whole class.
3. Before an adjective when the noun is understood.
4. Before the names of rivers, canals, seas, oceans, groups of islands and chains of mountains.
5. Before common nouns that are the only ones.
6. Before superlatives
7. Before the names of buildings and books

好像很多點，但是細心留意, 1,4,5,7 說的是同一樣東西 -- proper nouns, 例子:

• the boys
• the lion
• the Red Sea
• the Alps
• the Indian Ocean
• the City Hall
  
• the sun
• the left
  
• the right
• the earth
  
• the Bible
  

6 是特別用法，基本上沒有難度，例子:

• the most beautiful
  
• the tallest boy
  

所以，餘下的是3，即第一次在句中出現時，用 a ，但當要再一次用，又想指明就是第一次那個，便用the 了。

2呢? 十分搞笑，2是錯的!!!!

Essence of English for Upper Class 精編英文科複習指導 (約20年前版)

誰說Grammar 書越小學越好？被公認為中高階的Practical English Grammar (by Michael Swan)解得比小學用的還好! 試綜合之：

1. The = 'you know which one(s)
一句通了, 還有兩句, i) we mention them before; ii) we say which one we mean, e.g.

• She's got two children: a boy and a girl. The boy's fourteen and the girl's eight.
• Tell Pat about the story about John and Susie.
  

2. The = 'the only one around'
解釋也不錯的: The listener may know which one we mean because there is no choice!

• the moon
• the Japanese
• the Thirty Years' War
  

3. physical environment -- the world around us and climate

• the mountains
• the fog
• the night
• the rain
  

4. superlatives -- 同上

5. 'the' = 'the well known' -- proper noun

6. things in general , no 'the'
看到我們小學的Grammar 書有多不濟吧! The whole class 是不用'the' 的!

其實，只有多看英語的語料，就會懂得用 'the'。