16. that代有定冠词的名词,one代有不定冠词的名词

我们可以说:“The study of idiom is as important as that of grammar.”。为何不能说“This is a point of idiom rather than that of grammar.”呢?

【解答】that代表有定冠词的名词,one代表有不定冠词的名词。问题中的第二句是有不定冠词的名词(a point),所以应该用one代表,全句应改正:

This is a point of idiom rather than one of grammar.

当然这个句子里的one略去亦无妨。但要用必须用one,不可用that,因为that是the变的,属于定冠词范围之内。第一句中的that,正是代表the study的,而第二句中的one,则是代表a point的。再看这样的例句:

The cost of oil is less than that of gas.(油的价钱少于煤气的价钱。)句中that = the cost。

但如果说:“A cake made of wheat costs less than that made of rice.”时,则that等于a cake,所以要不得,应把that改为one才对。(one = a cake)

I prefer a flat in Taipei to that in Singapore. 句中that不能代表a flat,应改为one。

有些句子字面上没有冠词,实际是有冠词隐藏在内,例如:

Modern schools(= The schools of modern times)are far better than those of a century ago.(现代的学校比一个世纪前的好得多了。)

又,前面有the,后面并不一定非接that不可,如“The step you have taken is that of much risk.”的说法,就是错误的,应将that改为one才对。因为that = the step,而one = a step,这个句子只能说:

The step you have taken is a step of much risk.(你所采取的步骤是〔一个〕很危险的〔步骤〕。)

现用one代替a step,以求简化。

The subject is too vast a one to be treated in an essay of this length.(这个题目太大了,这样短短的文章中包含不下。)

This book is such a one as is needed by every student of English.(这是每一个研究英语的人都需要的一本书。)

Your cat is black;my young one is white.(你的猫是黑的;我的小猫是白的。)

没有形容词时就不要加冠词,如:

He has many books;I want to borrow one.(他有许多书,我要向他借一本来看。)

This book is one that is needed by every student of English.(这是一本每个研究英语的人所需要的书。)

但有时可以加上定冠词,而意思便不同了。