盘点特殊动词“there be”的特殊使用形式

河南 武学哲

在英语中，动词“there be”的使用特别广泛，在高考试题中的出现频率也特别高。因为它是一个形式特殊的动词，因此它与其他动词的混合使用以及它用于某些句型的形式也就比较特殊，再加上学生平时对这些特殊的使用形式不太留心，训练较少，所以学生对“there be”的掌握颇感困难。为帮助中学英语教师有效地指导高中生进行复习和方便学生学习，下面对特殊动词“there be”常见的特殊使用形式加以盘点和总结，以期对各位中学英语教师的教学和学生的学习有所帮助。

一、动词“there be”的不定式一般式为“there to be”；完成式为“there to have been”

常有以下使用情况：

1.“there to be”与某些可接不定式的实义动词连用。例如：

She wants there to be a colour TV set in her room. 她希望在她房间里能有一台彩电。

I wish there to be no misunderstanding about the matter.我希望对这件事不要有误解。

The students expected there to be more reviewing classes before the final exams.学生们希望在期末考试之前有更多的复习课。

2.“there to be”与动词seem， appear， happen等连用。例如：

There seems to be something wrong with her.她看起来好像出了什么事似的。（seem的单复数取决于后面的主语something）

There seem to be many people on the square.广场上似乎有很多人。（seem的单复数取决于后面的主语many people）

There doesn’t seem to have been any difficulty over this question.在这个问题上似乎从来就没有什么困难。（本句为seem与there be不定式的完成式连用）

There appears to be an animal behind the tree.树的后面好像有只动物。

There happened to be a doctor at the spot when she fell ill all of a sudden.当她突然生病时，现场恰好有一位医生。

3.“there to be”用于“be going to”结构。例如：

There is going to be a meeting this evening.今晚将有一个会议。

He said that there were going to be ten foreigners to attend the concert.他说将有十个外国人参加音乐会。

4.“there to be”用于“It+be +形容词+for”句型。例如：

It is too late for there to be any buses.天太晚了，不会有公共汽车了。

It is impossible for there to be any food.不可能再有食物了。

It is not uncommon for there to be problems of communication between old and young.年轻人和老年人之间有交流方面的问题是常见的。

5.“there to be” 还 可 和 某 些 动 词 如 expect，say，believe，think等的被动式连用。例如：

There are expected to be more good films.（=It is expected that there will be more good films.）希望能有更多的好电影。

There is said to be an earthquake in that country next year.(=It is said that there will be an earthquake in that country next year.)据说明年那个国家将有一次地震。

二、动词“there be”的现在分词的一般式为“there being”；完成式为“there having been”

例如：There being no buses, we had to walk home.因为没有公共汽车了，我们不得不步行回家。( There being在独立主格结构“There being no buses”中作逻辑谓语)

There being no further business , I declared the meeting closed.因为没有其他事情，我宣布散会。

There having been much difficulty in solving the problem, it remains unsettled.解决这个问题一直存在很多困难，所以现在还未解决。

三、动词“there be”的动名词形式的一般式也为“there being”；完成式为“there having been”, 可在句子中作主语或宾语

例如：There being a bus stop near the house is a great advantage.在房子附近有个公交站点是个很大的便利。（动名词作主语）

No one could have dreamt of there being such an opportunity.谁都不会想到会有这么一次机遇。（动名词作动词短语的宾语）

Is there any chance of there being a vacancy in this hotel tomorrow?这家旅馆明天有可能有空房间吗？（动名词作介词宾语）

I still remember there having been a big tree in front of the house. 我还记得房前有棵树。（动名词作动词宾语）

四、动词“there be”的现在完成式为“there has been”和“there have been”; 过去完成式为“there had been”

例如：There has been some doubt about what he said.他说的话一直让人存在一些疑惑。（主语为不可数名词doubt）

There have been several meetings since May 4, 2015. 自2015年5月4日以来已经开了几次会了。（主语为复数可数名词meetings）

He said that there had been a traffic accident the day before.他说在前一天发生了交通事故。（主语为a traffic accident）

五、动词“there be”的一般式和完成式可与助动词或情态动词如will，shall，can，could，may，might，must，would，should，ought to，used to 等连用

例如：There will be a sports meeting next month.下个月将有一场运动会。

He said that there would be a lecture the following day.他说第二天将有一场讲座。

There must have been over 3000 people on the square that day.那天广场上肯定有三千多人。

There used to be three old pine trees in our schoolyard.我们校园里以前有三棵古松树。

六、动词“there be”用于某些特定句型

例如：There is/was（no）need to do sth.“（没）有必要做某事”

There is/was（no）difficulty/trouble/point/sense/delay (in)doing sth.“做某事（没）有困难/意义/延误”

There is/was（no）hope/chance/possibility of doing sth.“（没）有做某事的希望/机会/可能性”

There is/was no doubt/saying/denying/telling/knowing+that/wh-从句。“毫无疑问/很难说/不能否认/无法判断/无法知道……”

There is no need to worry about the driving test.没有必要为驾驶考试担忧。

There was no sense in arguing with them.与他们争论没有意义。

There is no possibility of his coming to our assistance.他不可能来帮助我们。

There is no denying that Tom participated in the fight.不可否认汤姆参与了这次打斗。

七、“there be”结构的变体

“there be”结构中，有时be还可以被live, exist, lie, stand,seem, rise, remain, happen, come, go等动词代替。例如：

Once there lived an old fisherman in a village by the sea. 从前，在海边的一个村子里住着一位老人。

There lies a beautiful lake beside the small town.小城镇的旁边有个美丽的湖。

There remained just fifty-three pounds. 只剩下五十三英镑了。

There seems little doubt that he is to blame for the big fire.似乎毫无疑问他应该为这场大火负责任。