“It’s...to...”不定式句型作主语“面面观”
2015-03-19邱世才
□邱世才
“It’s...to...”不定式句型作主语“面面观”
□邱世才
动词不定式作主语是不定式的重要用法之一。其实,不定式作主语时,可以直接放在主语位置上,但更为常见的是用先行词it作形式主语,而将真正的主语(不定式)置于句末,构成It’s...to...的常见句型。这不,归纳梳理出来好的句子早已排列好,等待你的“检阅”。
【句型1】To do...is....
展示:To speak a foreign language well is difficult.说好一门外语是困难的。
To give is better than to receive.给予比接受好。
链接:在英语中,不定式作主语是常见的句型。不定式作主语通常位于句首。
动词不定式在句子中作主语时,谓语动词用单数。有时为了保持句子的平衡,常用先行词it作形式主语放在句首,将真正的主语(不定式)置于句末。
【句型2】It is+名词(形容词)+to do sth.
展示:It’s my duty to help you.帮助你是我的职责。
It is necessary to remember enough words.记住足够多的单词是有必要的。
链接:由于不定式短语作主语位于句首,使句子显得头重脚轻,故常用先行词it作形式主语,代替动词不定式,而将作主语的不定式放在后面。这种结构多体现在不定式作主语,而谓语部分是系表结构时。It is+形容词+to do sth.,表示“做某事……”,此类句型可改为“To do sth.is+adj.”结构。请比较句型间的互换:
It’s better to give than to receive./To give is better than to re⁃ceive.给予比接受好。
It will be impossible to beat him./To beat him will be impossible.要打败他将是不可能的。
【句型3】It is+形容词+of sb.(for sb.)+to do sth.
展示:It’s nice of you to help me with my English.你能帮我学英语,真好。
It’s very dangerous for the children to cross the busy street.对孩子们来说穿过繁忙的街道是很危险的。
链接:当句中的形容词是一些能表示某人的性格特征的形容词,描述不定式行为者的性格、品质时,如:good,kind,nice,right,wrong,foolish, polite等,用of sb.,如果说形容词仅仅是描述事物,不是对不定式行为者的品格进行评价,如difficult,easy,hard,important,dangerous,possible,im⁃possible,用for sb.,引出不定式的逻辑主语。在of sb.结构中,可用sb直接作句子的主语来转换“It’s+形容词+of sb.+to do sth.”结构。如:
It’s foolish of him to go alone./He was foolish to go alone.他单独出去太蠢了。
然而,“It is+形容词+...for sb.+do sth”结构则不能转换成用sb.直接作句子的主语来改写。
【句型4】It takes/took/will take sb.some(money)+to do sth.
展示:It will take us a long time to walk there.步行去那里要花费我们很能长时间。
链接:It takes/took/will take sb.+time/money+to do sth.意为“花费某人多长时间做某事”,此句型可转换为:Sb.spends/spent/will spend+ time/money(in)doing/on sth.如:
It took me a week to finish reading the book./I spent a week in reading the book.
【句型5】疑问词(how,what,when,where,which)+to do sth...
展示:How to use the computer is the question.如何使用计算机是个问题。
链接:动词不定式与疑问词how,where,when等连用构成动词不定式短语,可用作主语。“疑问词+不定式”结构中的疑问词,包括了疑问代词who,what,which以及疑问副词when,where,how等,这些疑问词和不定式一起构成了不定式短语。在句子中,这些不定式短语,除了可用作主语外,还可用作表语、宾语(作动词宾语、作介词宾语)、宾补等成分。
“疑问词+不定式”结构和宾语从句是两个重要的语法项目。它们看似独立、毫无联系,实际上,带疑问词的动词不定式还真能与宾语从句相互“嫁接”。在句型转换中,“嫁接”是有条件的。如:
(1)当宾语从句的主语和主句的主语是同一类人或物,且主句的谓语动词是decide,hope,wish,agree,choose,promise等时,可以将宾语从句中的主语删去,将谓语动词改为“to+动词原形”(有助动词的,将助动词一并去掉),最后变成“疑问词+动词不定式”结构。如:
They can’t decide when they should leave school./They can’t de⁃cide when to leave school.
We hope that we shall see you soon./We hope to see you soon.
(2)当主句的谓语动词是ask,show,tell,teach时,宾语从句的主语和间接宾语一致时,而且引导该从句的从属连词是which,what,how,where等,宾语从句可与“疑问词+不定式”结构相互转换。如:
Please tell me where I can find him./Please tell me where to find him.
Could you tell me how I can get to the post office?/Could you tell me how to get to the post office?
(3)当主句由know,remember,forget,learn等谓语动词引导宾语从句时,从句可与“疑问词+不定式”结构相“嫁接”。此时,主、从句的主语须一致。如:
I really don’t know what I should do next./I really don’t know what to do next.
They forgot what they should do next./They forgot what to do next.【同步训练】同义句型转换,每空填写一词。
1.It’s kind of you give me the dictionary.
Yougive me the dictionary.
2.It made us very angry to hear him talk like that.
________ ________ ________talk like that made us very angry.
3.To finish the work in two hours is impossible.
________ ________ ________finish the work in two hours.
参考答案:1.are kind to2.To hear him3.It’s impossible to