第一章 句子的構(gòu)成
概說
1、任何一個句子一定由主語(Subject,簡寫成S)及動詞(Verb,簡寫成V)構(gòu)成。
例:John works hard. (約翰努力工作。)
S V
He plays the piano well. (他鋼琴彈得很好。)
S V
Mary seems to be fond of learning English. (瑪麗似乎喜歡學習英語。)
S V
2、(1)有時主語可以省略,而構(gòu)成祈使句。這種祈使句由原形動詞(也稱為動詞不定式)引出。
例:Work hard! = (You should)work hard.(努力工作?。?br />
原形V
Be quiet! =(You should)be quiet. (安靜?。?br />
原形V
(2)祈使句變成否定型式時,要在原形動詞前加 Don’t。
例:Don’t fool around. (別游手好閑。)
Don’t be silly. (別傻了。)
第一節(jié) 可充當主語的詞類
一般所見到的句型中,通常是以名詞做主語,但除了名詞以外,還可以用代詞、動詞轉(zhuǎn)變過來的動名詞或不定式短語、名詞從句、名詞短語、表距離的地點副詞短語等做主語。
介紹如下:
一、名詞做主語
例:The child is apt to tell lies.
(這孩子喜歡說謊。)
Gold is of much value.
(黃金很值錢。)
二、代詞做主語
例:He always keeps his promise.
(他總是信守承諾。)
It is quite interesting to climb mountains.
(爬山蠻好玩的。)
三、動名詞或不定式短語做主語
動詞絕不可直接充當主語,一定要變成動名詞或不定式短語,如此才可視為名詞的對等語,當主語用。
例:See him makes me angry. (×,See為動詞)
→Seeing him makes me angry. (○,Seeing為動名詞)
(看到他就讓我生氣。)
See him is my purpose of coming here. (×,See為動詞)
→To see him is my purpose of coming here. (○,To See為不定式)
(我來這兒是為了看他。)
1.動名詞做主語
用動名詞做主語,通常用以表示已知的事實或經(jīng)驗。
試譯下句中的主語:
集郵是他的嗜好之一。
由“嗜好”一詞得知,此處的“集郵”乃是一種經(jīng)驗。
故應譯成動名詞 Collecting Stamps,而成:
Collecting stamps is one of his hobbies.
再譯下句中的主語:
聽音樂使我快樂。
由“使我快樂”得知,“聽音樂”是說話者曾經(jīng)做過的事,故仍用動名詞短語Listening to music 做主語,而成:
Listening to music makes me happy.
2.不定式做主語
用不定式做主語時,通常表示一種意愿、目的或未完成的事。
試譯下句中的主語:
出國念書是我最大的愿望。
由“愿望”一詞得知此處的“出國念書”乃是一種意愿或尚未做的事,故應以不定式短語 To study abroad 充當主語,而成:
To study abroad is my greatest desire.
(出國念書是我最大的心愿。)
再譯下句中的主語:
到日本游玩是我今年的計劃。
由“計劃”一詞得知說話者尚未到過日本游玩(go to Japan for a visit),故此處用不定式短語 to go to Japan for a visit 做主語,而成:
To go to Japan for a visit is my plan for this year.
注意:不定式或動名詞短語做主語時,往往會形成主語過大的現(xiàn)象,故通常均用代詞it做主語,置于句首,而將真主語(亦即不定式或動名詞短語)移至句尾。動名詞移至句尾時,通常改為不定式短語。
例:Collecting stamps is one of his hobbies.
= It is one of his hobbies to collect stamps.
虛主語 真主語
Listening to music makes me happy.
= It makes me happy to listen to music.
虛主語 真主語
To study abroad is my greatest desire.
= It is my greatest desire to study abroad.
虛主語 真主語
注:虛主語相當于傳統(tǒng)語法中的形式主語。
注意:被it代替的動名詞短語移至句尾,仍保留動名詞形態(tài)而不變成不定式短語。但此種用法并不普遍,初學語法者宜盡量避免。
例:It is interesting to learn English. (佳)
It is interesting learning English. (劣)
注意:以下句型則屬例外情形,it要代替動名詞短語,不可使用不定式短語:
It is no use + 動名詞短語
例:It is no use crying over spilt milk.
(覆水難收。)
It is no use asking him for help.
(向他求救是沒有用的。)
注意:
It is no use + 動名詞短語
= It is useless + 不定式短語
= It is of no use + 不定式短語
use
= There is no sense + in + 動名詞短語
point
例:It is useless to cry over spilt milk.
= It is of no use to cry over spilt milk.
= There is no use in crying over spilt milk.
四、名詞從句做主語
1.名詞從句
他不用功令我生氣。
這個句子的主語雖然是“他不用功”,但若譯成 He doesn’t work hard,則大錯特錯。
He doesn’t work hard makes me angry. (×)
因為 He doesn’t work hard 是句子。所謂句子,就是一開頭就是主語的結(jié)構(gòu)(此處的He就是主語)。句子絕不能當主語,一定要變成名詞從句方可做主語。
故本句的正確譯法應為:
That he doesn’t work hard makes me angry. (○)
名詞從句
2.名詞從句的種類
名詞從句一共有三種:that從句、whether從句、疑問詞所引導的從句
(1)that從句
任何一個主語起首的句子前面冠以that即成that從句。
He doesn’t believe my words.
→ that he doesn’t believe my words
(他不相信我說的話。)
He enjoys dancing.
→ that he enjoys dancing
(他愛跳舞。)
There is much work to do.
→ that there is much work to do.
(有很多工作要做。)
(2)whether從句
本從句是由可用yes/no回答的問句變化而成。
① 問句有be動詞時:
主語與be動詞還原,前面冠以whether。
例:Is he happy?
→ whether he is happy
(他是否快樂……)
② 問句有一般助動詞(can, will, may, should, ought to, must, have)時:
主語與助動詞還原,前面冠以whether。
例:Can he do it?
→ whether he can do it
(他是否能做這件事……)
Has he done it?
→ whether he has done it
(他是否已做好這件事……)
③ 問句有do, does, did等助動詞時:
主語與助動詞還原,再將do,does,did去掉,后面的動詞依人稱和時態(tài)變化。
例:Did he come?
→ whether he did come
came
(did為過去式,故come改為came)
→ whether he came
(他來不來……)
Does he like it?
→ whether he does like it
likes
(does為第三人稱單數(shù)現(xiàn)在式,故like改為likes)
→ whether he likes it
(他喜不喜歡它……)
(3)疑問詞從句
本從句是由疑問詞(when,what,how,where,why)等引導的問句變化而成。
① 問句有be動詞時:
主語與be動詞還原,前面保留疑問詞。
例:What is he doing?
→ what he is doing
(他正在做什么……)
② 問句有一般助動詞時:
主語與助動詞還原,前面保留疑問詞。
例:Where can he find it?
→ where he can find it (他在哪里能找到它……)
③ 問句有do,does,did等助動詞時:
主語與助動詞還原,前面保留疑問詞,再將do,does,did去掉,動詞依人稱和時態(tài)變化。
例:What did he write?
→ what he did write
wrote
(did為過去式,故write改為wrote)
→ what he wrote
(他寫什么……)
When did he come?
→ when he did come
came
(did為過去式,故come改為came)
→ when he came
(他何時來……)
How does he do it?
→ how he does do it
does
(does為第三人稱單數(shù)現(xiàn)在式,故do改為does)
→ how he does it
(他怎么做這件事……)
注意:
who,what,which(哪一個)為疑問代詞,若在問句中做主語,變成名詞從句時,結(jié)構(gòu)不變。
例:Who came here? 問句
主語
→ who came here 名詞從句
(誰來這兒……)
What happened last night? 問句
主語
→ what happened last night
(昨晚發(fā)生什么事……)
Which was bought? 問句
主語
→ which was bought 名詞從句
(哪個被買走……)
3.名詞從句的功能
我們已知,名詞從句是由敘述句子或問句變化而成,和動名詞或不定式短語一樣,名詞從句也要被視為名詞。由于具有名詞的特性,故可做主語、謂語或be動詞之后的補語。
(1)名詞從句做主語
例:That honesty is the best policy is a proverb (Which) we should always keep in mind.
主語
(“誠實為上策”是一句我們應時時謹記在心的箴言。)
Where he lives is still a doubt.
主語
(他住哪里仍不確定。)
Whether he can do it remains to be seen.
主語
(他能勝任與否仍優(yōu)待觀察。)
注意:
動名詞或不定式短語,名詞從句做主語時容易造成主語過大的現(xiàn)象,可用代詞it代替,置于句首,而被代替的名詞從句則置于句尾。
因而上述各例句可改寫為:
It is a proverb we should always keep in mind that honesty is the best policy.
It is still a doubt where he lives.
It remains to be seen whether he can do it.
(2)名詞從句做動詞的賓語
例:I know that he will go abroad in the nearest future.
(我知道他最近即將出國。)
I wonder whether he has finished the work.
(我懷疑他是否已做完工作了。)
(3)名詞從句做介詞的賓語
注意:
用whether或疑問詞引導的名詞從句可做賓語,但that從句不可做介詞的賓語。
例:I am worried about whether he can do it.
(我很擔心他是否能做這件事。)
I am suspicious of how he’ll cope with the problem.
(我懷疑他將如何應付這個問題。)
I am sure of that the team has won the game. (×)
遇有介詞,且非要使用that從句時,其補救方法如下:
① 介詞+the fact+that從句
如此,就可用the fact做介詞的賓語,而that從句就成了the fact的同位語。
例:I am sure of the fact that the team has won the game.
(我確定這個隊贏了。)
I am worried about the fact that he doesn’t study.
(我很擔心他不念書。)
② 保留介詞,但不加the fact,且介詞之后的that從句要做適當變化
第一步:除去that;
第二步:that之后的主語變成所有格;
第三步:動詞變成動名詞。
例:I am worried about that he plays around all day.
prep. his playing
→ I am worried about his playing around all day.
(我為他整天游手好閑而擔心)
注意:that從句若有助動詞do,does,did時,去掉即可。
例:I am worried about that he doesn’t study.
prep. his not studying
→ I am worried about his not studying.
注意:that從句若有助動詞will或would時,去掉即可,但也可以改為be going to,再將be動詞轉(zhuǎn)變?yōu)閯用~being。
例:I am sure of that the team will win the game.
prep. the team’s winning
→ I am sure of the team’s winning the game.
或:I am sure of that the team is going to win the game.
prep. the team’s being
→ I am sure of the team’s being going to win the game.
注意:從句若有以下助動詞時,做下列變化:
may → be likely to
can → be able to
should
→be supposed to
must
再將be動詞變成動名詞being。
例:I am happy about that he may come. (×)
→ I am happy about that he is likely to come.
→ I am happy about his being likely to come.
(我很高興他可能會來。)
I am sure of that he can do it. (×)
→ I am sure of that he is able to do it.
I am sure of his being able to do it.
(我確定他能做這件事。)
I am sure of that he should accept Mary’s advice. (×)
→ I am sure of that he is supposed to accept Mary’s advice.
→ I am sure of his being supposed to accept Mary’s advice.
(我確定他應該會接受瑪麗的勸告。)
③ be+adj.+that從句
也就是去掉介詞,將that從句放在形容詞后面,使that從句成為副詞從句(注:相當于傳統(tǒng)語法中的狀語從句),修飾該形容詞。
例:→ I am worried that he plays around all day.
adj. 副詞從句
I am sure of that the team has won the game.
→ I am sure that the team has won the game.
以上三種用法中以①、③最為普遍,②是常考的一種句型。
有時介詞之后也可以直接接that從句,而不需the fact,形成慣用語,同學亦應牢記。
in that = because 因為
例:He is great in that he can speak five different languages.
(他很棒,因為他能說五種語言。)
except that 只可惜
例:He is nice except that sometimes he lies.
(他人很不錯,只可惜有時會說謊。)
for all that 盡管
= with all that
= not withstanding that
例:For all that he is nice, I don’t like him.
= Despite the fact that he is nice, I don’t like him.
= In spite of the fact that he is nice, I don’t like him.
(盡管他人好,我卻不喜歡他。)
五、名詞短語做主語
名詞短語是由“疑問詞+不定式短語”構(gòu)成。
1.疑問副詞
where to live (住哪里)
whether to try again (是否再嘗試一次)
when to talk to him (什么時候和他談)
how to do it (如何做它)
2.疑問代詞
what to do (做什么)
whom to see (看誰)
which to buy (買哪一個)
whom to talk to (與誰談)
注意:疑問副詞構(gòu)成的名詞短語中,疑問副詞因為是副詞的性質(zhì),故不做不定式短語中及物動詞的賓語。但疑問代詞構(gòu)成的名詞短語中,疑問代詞因具有名詞的性質(zhì),故一定要做不定式短語中動詞或介詞的賓語。因此what,whom,which在上述名詞短語中,分別做do,see,buy,to(介詞)的賓語。
名詞短語因具有名詞性質(zhì),故亦可做主語,是由名詞從句簡化而成。
例:Where to meet him is not decided yet.
= Where we should meet him is not decided yet.
(在哪里見他還未決定。)
How to handle the problem depends on how much money we can collect.
= How we can handle the problem depends on how much money we can collect.
(我們?nèi)绾翁幚磉@個問題要視我們能募集到多少錢而定。)
六、表距離的地點副詞短語做主語
From+地點名詞+to+地點名稱,此為表距離的地點副詞短語,亦可做主語,與單數(shù)的be動詞并用。
例:From Taipei to Taichung is about 160 kilometers.
(從臺北到臺中大約160公里)
上面例句中,主語亦可用it代替,而構(gòu)成下面句子:
It is about 160 kilometers from Taipei to Taichung.