赖世雄教你学英语语法
非谓语动词
1-5:副词性不定式的用法
该不定式可用以修饰动词、形容词或副词,我们且分项讨论如下:
1.修饰动词
副词性不定式修饰动词时,一定置于该动词之后。
例:he came to see me.
(他来看我。)
he has agreed to do it.
(他已同意做它。)
he sang a song to please her.
(他唱首歌以取悦她。)
he tends to lie.
(他爱说谎。)
you'll soon get to know him.
(你很快就会了解他。)
2.修饰形容词
副词性不定式修饰形容词,一定置于该形容词之后。
例:he is able to handle the problem.
(他能处理这问题。)
he is apt to lie.
(他爱说谎。)
this book is good to read.
(这本书很好值得读。)
3.修饰副词
副词性不定式修饰副词时,一定置于该副词之后。
例:he is old enough to_go swimming alone.
(他年龄够大可以单独去游泳了。)
he is too old to do it.
(他老得不能做了。)
4.使用副词性不定式时,应注意下列事项
(1)副词性不定式修饰动词时,多半表示目的,此时该副词性不定式同时修饰含该动词的整个从句。
例:he sang a song to please her.
= he sang a song to please her.
he came to see me.
=he came to see me.
he rushed all the way here to catch the train.
= he rushed all the way here to catch the train.
(他一路赶来以便搭上火车。)
上述句中,all the way(一路),以及here均为副词,也修饰rushed。
注意
表目的的副词性不定式,通常置于动词之后,但亦可移位至主语之前,以逗点相隔。
例:he sang a song to please her.
=to please her, he sang a song.
(为了要取悦她,他唱了一歌。)
you should work very hard to win the honor.
=to win the honor, you should work very hard.
(为了要赢得这项荣誉,你应该努力工作。)
注意
副词性不定式移位至主语之前时,一方面保有其副词特性,仍修饰句中动词或整个句子;但也兼有形容词的功能,修饰句中主语,该主语通常是表“人”的名词或代词。
例:to please her, he sang a song.
=to please her, he sang a song.
因此,同学要切记下面这个概念:
不定式若出现在主语之前,一定具有形容词的功能,以修饰该主语。但这种修饰必须是合理的修饰。换言之,该不定式意义上的主语,必须与它所修饰的主语相同,否则就造成“不连接修饰”(dangling modification)的错误。故此类主语通常是表“人”的名词或代词。
例:to please her, he sang a song.(o)
理由:he是人,有please her(使她高兴)的能力。
例:to please her,a song was sung.(x)
理由:a song是物,是个无思想的东西,故无please her的能力。
例:to win the honor, john should work hard.(o)
to win the honor, hard work is needed by johh.(x)
理由:hard work是名词,表“努力”,但是个无相思的抽象名词,故无win the honor的能力。
(2)副词性不定式置于动词之后,表目的时,绝不可以逗点相隔
例:he sang a song to please her.(o)
he sang a song, to please her.(x)
(3)表目的的副词性不定式亦可被下列短语取代
例:he sang a song to please her.(o)
= he sang a song (in order to please her./so as to please her./with an eye to pleasing her./with a view to plesing her.)
(他唱了首歌以取悦她。)
注意
in order及so as之后的to为不定式符号,之后接原形动词。with an eye及with a view之后的to为介词,之后接动名词。