单数可数名词前用不用冠词（即用零冠词），主要有以下情况：(1) 用于表示家庭成员或 nurse, cook, teacher 等名词前：Mother is not at home. 妈妈不在家。Ask nurse to put the child to bed. 叫保姆抱孩子到床上去睡觉。 Teacher was satisfied with our work. 老师对我们的工作很满意。

(2) 用于动词 turn(用于动词变成)，go(变成)后作表语的名词通常用零冠词：He was a teacher before he turned writer. 他在成为作家之前是教师。 He has gone socialist. 他成了社会主义者。

(3) 在让步状语从句的倒装句式中，单数可数名词前通常用零冠词：Child as he is, he knows a lot. 他虽然是个孩子，但已经很懂事了。Child as he is, he knows a lot. Teacher though he is, he can’t know everything. 他虽然是老师，但也不可能什么都懂。

(4) 单数可数名词用作呼语，通常用零冠词：How is she, doctor? 医生，她怎么样? Can you drive me to the station, driver? 司机，请送我去车站，好吗?

(5) 在某些独立结构中通常用零冠词：在某些独立结构中通常用零冠词：The teacher came in, book in hand. 老师走了进来，手里拿着书。 He was sitting in the chair, pipe in mouth. 他坐在椅子上，嘴里叼着烟斗。

(6) 在“(a) kind [sort] of＋名词”这一结构中，名词通常用零冠词：This kind of book is very interesting. 这种书很有趣。He is the sort of person I really dislike. 他这种人我真不喜欢。【注】注意以下两句在含义上的差别：What kind of car is it? 这是什么牌子的车? What kind of a car is it? 这种车质量如何? (from 这种车质量如何?

(7) 当单数可数名词含义抽象化具有形容词意味时，通常用零冠词：The man was more animal than man. 那个人与其说是人，不如说是畜生。I was fool enough to accept his offer. 我接受他的提议真是太傻了。 Are you man enough for this dangerous job? 你有勇气做这项危险的工作吗?