解密语法规则中的特殊现象
2008-04-10林炎陶倩
林 炎 陶 倩
英语语法是有一定规则可循的,这些规则学起来并不难,而规则以外的特殊现象却不容易掌握。下面列举一些特殊语法现象。
1.复数名词作主语时,谓语动词一般用复数形式;但表示距离、时间、金钱等的复数名词作主语时,常被看作一个整体,谓语动词用单数形式。试比较:
Some students are playing football. 一些学生正在踢足球。
One thousand dollars is a lot of money. 一千美元是一大笔钱。
Ten years is quite a long time. 十年是很长的一段时间。
2.形容词修饰名词时,通常放在名词前面;但形容词修饰不定代词(something, anything, nothing等)时要后置。试比较:
Emma has got a new computer. 爱玛买了一台新电脑。
There is nothing important here now.现在这儿没什么重要的事。
Is there anything new in todays newspaper?
今天的报纸上有新的消息吗?
3.副词修饰形容词或副词时,通常置于被修饰词的前面;但enough修饰形容词或副词时须后置。另外,else也要放在所修饰词的后面。例如:
You must do it very carefully. 做这件事你要非常小心。
He is strong enough to lift the box.
他的力气很大,能够举起这个箱子。
Where else did you go? 你还去了别的什么地方?
Anything else? 还有别的事吗?
4.冠词修饰名词时,一般放在名词及其他修饰词语前面;但冠词与quite, such, all, both, what等连用时,须放在这些词的后面。例如:
Lucy is a very clever girl.露茜是个非常聪明的女孩儿。
Thats quite a good story.那是一个很好的故事。
This is such a beautiful city.这是一座如此美丽的城市。
Whos eaten all the meat?谁把肉吃光了?
5.表示时间的名词构成短语作时间状语时,前面一般要加介词;而由last, next, every加时间名词构成的时间状语前不能加介词。另外,yesterday, tomorrow前不能加介词;morning, afternoon, evening前有this, that时,也不能加介词。例如:
We usually have a meeting on Friday afternoon.
我们通常在星期五下午开会。
What are you going to do next Sunday? 下个星期天你要做什么?
Last spring we went on a trip to Beijing.
去年春天我们去北京旅游了。
He is leaving for Shanghai tomorrow morning.他明天上午去上海。
We are going to have a class meeting this afternoon.
今天下午我们要开班会。
6.动词不定式由to加动词原形构成。在主动语态中,不定式作感官动词see, look at, hear, listen to, feel, watch, notice或使役动词have, make, let等的宾语补足语时,不定式中的to要省略;作动词help的宾语补足语时,to可以省略,也可以保留。例如:
He asked me to close the window.他叫我关上窗户。
The story made everyone laugh.这个故事使大家都笑了。
They saw him go into the house.他们看见他走进屋子里了。
Tom felt something move on his back.
汤姆感到有什么东西在他背上爬。
7.not用在否定句中,一般表示全部否定;而当not与all, both, every及其合成词等连用时,表示部分否定。例如:
I cant speak Japanese. 我不会讲日语。
Not everyone likes sandwiches.不是所有的人都喜欢三明治。(全部否定是:Nobody likes sandwiches. 没有人喜欢三明治。)
Not all the sharks are the same.并非所有的鲨鱼都一样。
8.主句为过去时,宾语从句一般要用某种过去时态;但如果宾语从句所表示的是客观真理(规律)或经常性、习惯性以及阶段性的动作或事实时,从句时态不受主句时态的限制,常用一般现在时。例如:
She said she would be back soon. 她说她不久就会回来。
The teacher said the earth goes around the sun.
老师说地球绕着太阳转。
When I was a boy, my teacher told me that the earth is round.
当我还是孩子的时候,我的老师就告诉我地球是圆的。
He told me he goes to the park every day.
他告诉我他每天都去公园。
Our teacher said that China is a great country with a long history.
我们老师说中国是一个伟大的国家,有悠久的历史。
9.宾语从句表示否定意义时,否定形式一般放在从句中;但当主句为I/we think/believe/suppose…结构时,要把否定形式转移到主句中。例如:
He said he couldnt arrive until 9:00. 他说他九点才能到达。
I dont think they will come. 我认为他们不会来。
(一般不说I think they will not come.)
We dont believe that is right. 我们认为那不对。
(一般不说We believe that isnt right.)
10.表示将来的句子通常用一般将来时态;但当条件状语从句和时间状语从句中含有表示将来的时间状语时,从句要用一般现在时。例如:
There will be heavy snow tomorrow. 明天将有大雪。
We will go to the park if it doesnt rain tomorrow.
如果明天不下雨我们就去公园。
Ill tell him about it as soon as he comes back.
他一回来,我就告诉他这件事。