泛指”：不帶冠詞的不可數名詞和複數名詞都可以表“泛指”， 有些表“不定”概念的限定詞（another, some, a few, most, enough, hundreds of, plenty of等 ）也可以充當這個作用。

例如： I want to buy a book/some books. Books are of great use. Air is all around us. I will stay there for a few days/another few days. “特指”經常由定冠詞（the）或表“特定”概念的限定詞（物主代詞，指示代詞，名詞所有格等）來充當。假如將“中國的第二大河流”說成 “China’s the second longest river” 是不妥當的， 因為China’s 和the 在“特指”的概念上是重複的。“那個門破了的教室”既可以譯成 “the classroom whose door is broken”也可以說成 “the classroom the door of which is broken”，因為 “door” 前應該有個表“特指”的限定詞。同樣，“with one’s help/ take one’s place” 可能在另一場合會變成“with the help of/ take the place of”。