常態之下, 動物的單數人稱代名詞應為it, 但動物亦可擬人化 (即將動物視作人物看待), 此時可使用代名詞he/him或she/her。

例: The dog is man's best friend. He can do many
　　things.

　　(狗是人類最好的朋友。牠能做許多事。)

　　My pet is a female dog. I named her Spotty.
　　She's really cute.

　　(我的寵物是隻母狗。我給牠取名為小花。牠真可
　　愛。)

常態之下, 單數可數名詞之前須置定冠詞the或不定冠詞a/an; the指限定的某個東西, 相當於中文『這個』或『那個』的意思; a/an則指非限定的某個東西, 相當於中文『某個』、『一個』的意思。

例: There is dog there. (╳)

　→There is a dog there. (○)

　　(那裡有隻狗。)

　　It's old dog. (╳)

　→It's an old dog. (○)

　　(那是隻老狗。)

　　The dog is old but cute.

　　(那隻狗高齡但挺可愛。)

但冠有the或a/an的單數可數名詞亦可泛指同一類全體的人或事物。

　例: The dog is man's best friend.

　　= A dog is man's best friend.

　　= Dogs are man's best friends.

　　　(狗是人類最好的朋友。)

　　　比較:

　　　The dogs are raised by John.

　　　(這些狗是約翰養的。)

　　　又例:

　　　The rich man is not necessarily happy.

　　= A rich man is not necessarily happy.

　　= Rich people are not necessarily happy.

　　= The rich are not necessarily happy.

　　　(有錢人未必就快樂。)

　　　比較:

　　　The rich people are John's relatives.

　　　(這些有錢人是約翰的親戚。)

注意:

現代美語中習慣用the取代a/an來表示泛指同一類全體的人或事物。

　例: The pen is mightier than the sword.

　　　(筆的力量要大於劍／文勝於武。──諺語)

　＊mightier為形容詞mighty的比較級。

　　mighty a. 強大的, 有力的

for example的用法

for example表示『舉例來說』, 等於for instance, 均為介詞片語, 有副詞的功能, 通常置於第一個句子之後, 再置逗點, 然後接另一完整的主要子句, for example修飾該主要子句。

例: He has many hobbies. For example, he enjoys
　　swimming and collecting stamps.

　= He has many hobbies; for example, he enjoys
　　swimming and collecting stamps.

　　　(他有許多愛好。譬如，他喜歡游泳和集郵。)

例: The next time he comes, tell him plainly that
　　I don't like him.

　　= Next time he comes, tell him plainly that I
　　don't like him.

　　　(下次他來的時候，坦白告訴他我不喜歡他。)

本課閱讀部份的the next time即屬此用法。

　　　So the next time a dog lifts a leg to your
　　　bicycle,don't kick him.

　　= So next time a dog lifts a leg to your
　　　bicycle, don't kick him.

　因此下次有狗對你的自行車抬腿撒尿時, 可別踢牠。