据说有一条语法规则说：单数（应为单形）可数名词之前必须用冠词。我们认为这样说是不妥当的，至少是不全面的。我们为什么这样说呢？原因有两个：一是单形可数名词之前不仅可用所谓“冠词”，还可用某些物主代词、某些指示代词、某些不定代词，以及某些数词等，如 my book, this book, no book, one book；另一个是它所谓“冠词”显然仅指定冠词和不定冠词而言，而不包括零冠词（即不用冠词的场合），但事实上单形可数名词用零冠词的情况是屡见不鲜的。
单形可数名词有单形类名词（皆可数）、单形可数集体名词、单形可数物质名词与单形可数抽象名词等。这篇短文只限于谈单形类名词用零冠词的情况。为方便起见，让我们把这种情况叫做“零冠词+单形类名词”结构。
“零冠词+单形类名词”结构主要有两种用途，它们是将单形类名词加以抽象化与物质化。
首先，什么是抽象化呢？有一位语法家说得好：“一个普通名称的潜在意义主要内含着品质，品质是一般的，故而是抽象的。”这就是说，当一个个别的可数的代表着普通名称或事物的类名词用上了零冠词，它就代表一个一般的抽象的不可数的概念或品质了。或者说得简单一些，单形类名词用上零冠词就转化为一抽象名词了。这种单形类名词又可分为表人的、表物的、表地点的三种：
1.“零冠词+表人的单形类名词”可抽象化的有：
(1)He had great neatness of person . （person 在此表人的外表这一整体概念）
(2)Tall, gaunt and dogmatic, one's first impression of Laetitia was of undying latter-day puritan ... （undying latter-day puritan 在此表永恒的近代清教徒的典型概念）
(3)She had the door open now and was through it, a rustle of girl , a fragrant, snapping shadow and was gone as the door slammed shut. （girl 在此表典型的少女概念，可与 a burst of sun 类比）
(4)A basketful of deeply-engrossed boy . （这是报上一张照片的说明，其中 boy 亦表一种典型概念）
最常用的“零冠词+表人的单形类名词”结构大概就是表“人”或“人类”的 man 了。 如：
(5)Man is mortal.
(6)Everybody says man has evolved from the monkey.
(7)The skull of Peking man was discovered in 1929 in Zhoukoudian.
(8)We have done all that mortal man can do.
为什么表“人”或“人类”的 man 用零冠词呢？语法家们的意见不尽相同。有的说 man 一词就像 home 一样，人们对之太熟悉了，谈到它时，只会觉得它是一个基本着眼点（primary concern)， 不会想到它区别于别的什么动物或东西。如例（6）中的 man 显然与 the monkey 不同：前者是基本着眼点，后者则有区别于其他事物的含义。有的语法家则说 man 是独一无二的事物，就像专有名词一样，所以应用零冠词。也有人说，因为说话人也是人，故总与 man 分不开，而 the horse 则不是这样。我们倾向于第一种说法。另外，请注意例（7）与例 （8）中的 Peking man 与 mortal man 虽有修饰语，但并不区别于其他类别。如有区别于其他类别的含义，则须用定冠词 the, 如 the Neanderthal man, the family man 等。
同样， woman 亦可用零冠词表示一基本着眼点，如对女子有偏见的人常说：
(9)Woman is frail.
(10)Woman is best when she is at rest.
(11)She had that sort of queerness, endless assertion of her own will, which is one of the signs of insanity in modern woman .
用零冠词的 man 还可抽象化为男人的气质或丈夫气概，用零冠词的 woman 则表女人的气质，如：
(12)That was a lot of man （或woman ）.
表男女对照时二者皆可用零冠词，如：
(13)Woman lives longer than man in most countries.
“零冠词+表人的单形类名词”也常指一个单位中的某一职务。职务是一不可数的、无限制性的、无形的一般概念，故应用零冠词。也有人说它像是专有名词。如：
(14)I was surgeon successively in two shifts.
(15)James was received in Scotland with great rejoicing and was crowned king .
(16)There is a strain of high seriousness in her resolve to manage her farm and take over the duties of bailiff .
这种“零冠词+表人的单形类名词”之后常接一个 of 短语，如：
(17)John is captain of the team.
(18)He is Manager of the Westminster Bank. （如在 Manager 前加上定冠词 the 则有卓越非凡之含义）
(19)He is Rector of the University.
在当代英语中，一般的不是唯一的职务亦可用“零冠词+表人的单形类名词”表示，如：
(20)I’m chauffeur tonight. （chauffeur 在此表职责）
(21)He is mechanic in a factory.
(22)Had he not been bartender in a great city at one time until he drank so deeply that he was discharged?
(23)During the silent ride to the suburbs that morning, Eli's thoughts were drawn to the first homicide case he'd investigated right after making detective .
但请注意下面一例中的 yonder solitary child 并不是“零冠词+表人的单形类名词”结构，而是等于 that solitary child，因为较古旧的形容词 yonder 在此= that:
(24)It's dear old honest Ali Baba! Yes, yes, I know. One Christmas time, when yonder solitary child was left here all alone, he did come, for the first time, just like that.
2.“零冠词+表物的单形类名词”也可以转化为不可数的抽象名词，如：
(25)Car is the best mode of transport. （car 在此表一不可数的总体概念）
(26)I told her I had never been in so many hotels in my life as since I came to Europe. I have never seen so many — it's nothing but hotel . （hotel 在此亦表一总体概念）
表人体部分的单形类名词常可转而表抽象的概念，如：
(27)“I am a person who cares a lot about face ,” she told me. （face指面子）
(28)Anne went herself to the east gable and sat down by her window in the darkness alone with her tears and her heaviness of heart . （heart指心情）
但下面一例中的 soul 则表一不可数的总体：
(29)The idea of chastity should be widened to refer to purity of soul . And it should apply to both women and men.
3.“零冠词+表地点的单形类名词”也可以转化为不可数的抽象名词。最常见的有： bed, church, home, hospital, market, prison （或 jail）, town, school, college 等。实例如：
(30)There is no place like home . （home 表一不可数的整体概念）
(31)School is over at twelve. （school 指上课）
(32)He had left college before that time. （college 意谓“大学学业”）
(33)He risked jail . （jail 意谓“坐牢”）
注意下面句中的 place=room:
(34)The day had faded until he could barely distinguish place for his feet.
其次，什么是物质化呢？说得简单些，就是“零冠词+单形类名词”转化为不可数的单形物质名词。例如：
(35)Apple. （这是一幅上面画有一个苹果的画的说明。 apple 在此和 meat 一样，仅表物质，不可数，无区别性）
(36)We had roast chicken for dinner. （chicken 转化为鸡肉）
(37)Spider is a shrike's favorite food. （spider 转化为伯劳鸟的食物）
(38)Most city people have never tasted squirrel , which is arguably as sweet as rabbit . （squirrel 与 rabbit 皆转化为肉食）
以上四例中的“零冠词+单形类名词”结构皆指食物。这种结构亦可指非食物，如：
(39)There is too much sun in this room. （sun 转化为阳光）
(40)The essence of pearl mixed with essence of men and a curious dark residue was precipitated. （pearl 变为不可数的物质名词）
和单形物质名词一样，这种用零冠词的单形类名词也可与单位词连用，如：
(41)He had no chance to take a bite of biscuit .
(42)There was a stretch of bad road beyond the river.
(43)The man had his hand bound up with shabby strips of shirt .
上面所谈的是“零冠词+单形类名词”结构的两种主要用途。下面让我们谈谈这种结构的一些其他个别的具体用法。
1.“零冠词+单形类名词”结构的具体用法之一是常用来表示一种典型的品质，这种单形类名词常指人体部分（动物身体的部分亦然）以及衣物等，如：
(44)She leant with blue face and bent knees against the window.
(45)He sat with head bent over a pile of papers.
(46)Then he was down, rolling over and over in the warm sand, crouching with arm up to ward off, trying to cry for mercy.
(47)Wexford remained seated, legs crossed, left foot casually swinging up and down.
下面一些句子中的“零冠词+单形类名词”则表典型的衣物：
(48)“This is Oliver,” said Philip Cavilleri, suit by Robert Hall, coiffure by Dom of Cranston, cashmere sweater by Cardin.
(49)The tall and pretty bride in a white knitted dress, arm in arm with her bridegroom in dark suit and red tie , got out of the car in a shower of flowers.
(50)The Greek, big apron , sleeves rolled up, was frying pork chops in two big skillets.
(51)Lukitch poured out another glass and stood with bottle tipped.
注意下面三例中划横线的单形类名词亦皆属于这一类情况：
(52)A girl came in, book in hand.
(53)He stood there, pipe in mouth.
(54)I fell head first down the stairs.
此类“零冠词+单形类名词”所指的事物不一定附属于人，如：
(55)On the flat-topped desk was a reading lamp with whitelined green shade .
2.“介词+零冠词+单形类名词”结构常可表各种不可数的抽象概念，有许多已变成习语，如：
(56)He's six, so he'll be going to school this year. （to school 表目的）
(57)An ambulance is a motor vehicle for carrying sick or wounded people to hospital . （to hospital 表目的，但美国英语常用 to the hospital）
(58)He spent six months in jail . （in jail 指在坐牢）
(59)He is in college now. （in college指在上大学）
(60)They were at table when we called. （at table指在吃饭）
(61)It was considered a virtue not to talk unnecessarily at sea . （at sea指在航海中）
(62)Do you come to school by bus ?（by bus 表手段）
(63)She knows the words by heart . （by heart 亦表手段）
(64)He went away on foot . （on foot表徒步）
(65)They are trying to give young performers more opportunities on stage . （on stage指在舞台上表演）
(66)In the past four years, he has been into hospital 12 times. （into hospital 表住院）
(67)We sailed into port to refit. （into port 表入港）
(68)The case was settled out of court . （out of court 指不打官司或私了）
意指“作为”的介词 for 与 as 之后也常接“零冠词+单形类名词”结构，如：
(69)...and a third man beat time to them, making do for instrument in this betweenworld with an empty sardine-tin.（instrument 在此表不可数的总体概念）
(70)She and her sister moved to an old cowshed and gave up their living rooms as classroom . （classroom 在此亦表不可数的总体概念）
3.“形容词+ of+ 表人体部分的单形类名词”结构中的单形类名词也常用零冠词，表不可数的典型概念，如：
(71)Father Andrew Powel was a large man, red of face .
(72)A woman, solid of frame and vigorous, very plain in face and dress, was leading a small boy of seven.
(73)She called to a tall and slender youth, smooth of cheek and obviously becurled as to hair.
(74)You are genuinely good and pure of heart .
4.“kind, sort, type 等+ of” 结构之后的单形类名词也常用零冠词，表不可数的总体，如：
(75)What kind of man is he?（有人说如用 a man 则不表“甚等样人”，而是问“一个人的具体职业”）
(76)A butterfly is a kind of insect .
(77)A hammer is a sort of tool .
(78)You have to stop this sort of thing .
(79)John is a fine type of schoolboy .
(80)What type of car are you looking for?
(81)This is a strange species of rose .
(82)That class of bag is not obtainable now.
饶有兴味的是 age （年龄）亦可用于此种结构，如：
(83)—What age of woman is she?
—Close on sixty — respectable and hard working!
请注意 kinds, types, species 等复形名词亦可用于此种结构，但 of 之后亦常可用复形类名词。例如：
(84)These kinds of book are useful. （亦可用复形 books）
(85)There are many types of officer in the army, of all kinds of rank. （亦可用复形 officers）
5. 当介词 of 前后两个单形名词（最后面一个名词是类名词）是一种同位关系时，最后面的类名词亦须用零冠词，如：
(86)She was very much against the idea of hospital . （idea 与 hospital 同位）
(87)Miriam was not used to the position of hostess . （position 与 hostess 同位）
(88)Each morning at breakfast she played the role of happy wife for the servants' benefit. （role 与 wife 同位）
(89)Becoming one of the most learned men in general knowledge of this sort, and also perhaps the most widely read man of his time, he entered upon his career of critic — without bias, any prejudice, any narrowness...（career 与 critic 同位）
6. 单形类名词用作表语表不可数的抽象概念时应用零冠词，这种单形类名词常具有形容词的品质，如：
(90)He was master .
(91)Now she was gypsy , pure gypsy .
(92)He looked at the poor dead thing that had been man .
(93)Marie was nineteen and virgin , but she was essentially woman .
这种单形类名词可后接副词 enough, 如：
(94)I want you to be warrior enough to fight, if necessary, for what you believe, and for what is right.
(95)Hardy is realist enough to see that human nature being what it is, the consequences of a surrender to impulse should not damn the individual irredeemably.
这种单形类名词也可与副词 all （=completely）连用，如：
(96)“My boyfriend is all man ,” boasted Anita Bussom to Ponny Plane.
(97)This may look like an old jalopy to you, but it's all car .
这种单形类名词在比较结构中更像是形容词，如：
(98)She is more mother than wife .
(99)He is more artist than businessman .
(100)Nicholson said that man was more animal than man , he was sure.
(101)Though the youngest among them, she was more woman than they.
为了强调， 这种单形类名词常置于句首或从句之首， 但其后要用 that，如：
(102)Little fool that he was!
(103)Beggar that I am, I am even poor in thanks.
(104)Lucky man that David was, he had a son who very much loved his father.
这种单形类名词还可置于从句之首，后接 as 或 though 或 that, 表示让步，如：
(105)Child as she was, consciousness of self had come to her.
(106)She has more sense than Mary, child though she is.
(107)Child that he was, he knew what was the right thing to do.
除 be 外，其他连系动词如 become, turn, fall, stand 等亦可后接“零冠词+单形类名词”结构，如：
(108)He became king .
(109)He was a medical student before he turned writer .
(110)She fell victim to fashion. （fell victim to 已成习语）
(111)Will you stand godmother to the child?
连系动词 look 与 go 有时亦可后接“零冠词+单形类名词” 结构，如：
(112)The group of buildings looks every inch ancient temple .
(113)I went cabin-boy on board an Indiaman.
“零冠词+单形类名词”结构用作表语时常后接 of 短语，如：
(114)The child is father of the man. （格言）
(115)We were sure that the captain was master of the situation. （master of the situation 已成习语）
(116)He was son of a tailor. （强调父子关系）
(117)He was headmaster of Rugby. （强调 headmaster 与 Rugby 学校二者的关系）
(118)He was author of many literary works. （was author 可以说=wrote）
(119)Han was sole owner of a business worth ten million yuan. （sole owner of a business 像是一个整体，如用定冠词 the, owner 与 business 的关系就不很密切了）
“零冠词+单形类名词”结构也可后接介词 to 引导的短语，如：
(120)Was Marice niece to this man?
(121)Who is heir to the throne?
(122)Perhaps that was a providence too, for John was brother to Ellen Amelia.
请注意下面一例中“零冠词+pinhead+in size”的用法：
(123)These eruptions were pinhead in size.
7.“零冠词+单形类名词”结构一般皆表零念（即既无单念亦无复念），但当此结构用作名词的修饰语时，则可认为表复念，如：
(124)Are you a member of a book club? （book club=a club that offers books cheaply to its members, 故 book 在此有复念）
(125)An eyebrow pencil is a stick of coloured material in a holder, used for darking the eyebrows. （eye-brow 在此有复念）
其他如复合名词 toothpaste, football 等中的tooth 与 foot 皆可认为表复念。（但并非所有这种结构中的单形类名词皆表复念，如 tablecloth 则= a cloth for covering a table）
8.“零冠词+单形类名词”结构形式上常相当于同位语，实际上则起一种描写的作用，如：
(126)Hannah Marsland, widow , aged 75 years. （省略句）
(127)Thomas Betts, labourer , of no fixed address. （省略句）
(128)After coffee Michaelis, restless and ill-sitting soul , wondered what he should do.
(129)Burke, famous statesman , writer and philosopher , was member of parliament for Bristol from 1774 to 1780.
9.“零冠词+单形类名词”结构还可用作宾语补语和主语补语。用作宾语补语有如：
(130)They made him prisoner .
(131)He called me fool .
(132)They continued to hold the three Americans hostage .
将上述主动结构变为被动结构，宾语补语即变为主语补语，如：
(133)He was taken prisoner .
(134)Abraham Lincoln was first elected president of the United States in 1860.
10. 单形类名词指词语本身时，自然须用零冠词，如：
(135)The boy cried wolf . （wolf 为一单词）
(136)The sounds help the description of wandering road .（road 与 wandering 构成一短语）
11.“零冠词+单形类名词”结构常用在习语中，这是大家所熟知的，故只就最常见的两类各举几例。
动词+单形类名词：
(137)take root
(138)lose heart
(139)cast anchor
(140)eat humble pie
介词+单形类名词：
(141)at home
(142)in town
(143)by hand
(144)on horseback
最后简略地谈一谈另一些为人所熟知的情况：
1. 呼语、感叹语等口语中常用“零冠词+单形类名词”结构。呼语如：
(145)Come here, boy !
(146)Hello, exchange ?
(147)I'm feeling better, doctor .
(148)Stop thief !
感叹语如：
(149)O table !
(150)Poor fellow !
(151)Nice room you've got here.
2. 成对的单形类名词要用零冠词， 如：
(152)Brother and sister were at breakfast.
(153)They became man and wife .
(154)Their wage is hardly enough to keep body and soul together.
(155)The classmates left the room arm in arm .
(156)I ask you simply as between man and man ...
(157)He turned and hurried out, thrilling from head to toe .
(158)He ran from oil well to pumping station to crude storage.
请注意下面三例中成对的单形类名词：
(159)I imagine train will be quicker than car .
(160)It is funny how rogue knows rogue .
(161)They are in a great stew about it all, mother lying down with screaming hysterics or something and daughter snapping like a turtle.
3. 两个以上的单形类名词并列时亦常用零冠词，如：
(162)The little inn was really a combination of restaurant and dancing parlor and hotel .
(163)His face, which was almost sculpturally masculine in its bold lines of brow , nose and jaw , softened suddenly.
(164)A clean cloth was spread before him, with knife , fork , and spoon , salt-celler , pepper-box , glass , and pewter ale-pot .
(165)Lion hunter , snake handler , midwife and cook — Doug Wright has been all those and more.
(166)The man with net or bow or lance or gun creeps noiselessly as he thinks, toward the frog.
单形类名词还有不少其前可以省去定冠词与不定冠词的情况，但由于这已不属于“零冠词+单形类名词”结构的范畴，我们就不在这里谈了。
