動詞不定式是一種非限定動詞。非限定動詞是指那些在句中不能單獨充當謂語的動詞形式,它包括動詞不定式、動名詞和分詞。非限定動詞的共同特征是:它們不受句中主語的數(shù)或人稱的制約;它們不能獨立地表示出自身動作發(fā)生的時間;但它們都有語態(tài)的變化,并且有一般式和完成式等區(qū)分。動詞不定式除了具有非限定動詞的這些共同的特征之外,還有自己的功能和用法。其形式與用法是最為繁雜的語法項目之一,尤其是一些特殊形式,我們在學(xué)習(xí)或應(yīng)試中更不容忽視。下面將自己在多年的教學(xué)中,匯集了它的幾種特殊結(jié)構(gòu),以饗讀者。
1 疑問詞+不定式
此結(jié)構(gòu)除保持原有的動詞性質(zhì)之外,又增添了名詞的性質(zhì),在句子中可以用作主語、賓語、表語、同位語等成分。其中疑問詞多指who, whom, which, what, when, where, whether(不用if), how等,然而why幾乎不用于此結(jié)構(gòu)。如:How to persuade the worker is the first question.如何說服工人是個首要問題。(主語) I don’t know when to go.我不知道何時去。(賓語) Jim said something to Mary about what to do.吉姆對瑪麗談到有關(guān)做什么的問題。(介詞賓語)The problem now is which coat to take. 現(xiàn)在的問題是要買哪一件外套。(表語) The plan what to do next has not been decided yet. 下一步該做什么的計劃仍然未定。(同位語) He must have time in which to grow calm.他需要時間冷靜下來。
2 不定式的復(fù)合結(jié)構(gòu)
(1)不定式的復(fù)合結(jié)構(gòu)是指“for+名詞或代詞賓格+不定式”結(jié)構(gòu),for之后的名詞或代詞賓格是該不定式的邏輯主語,而for本身無詞義。此結(jié)構(gòu)在句子中可以用作主語、賓語、定語、表語、狀語等。如:It’s rather difficult for the people in the countryside to see the famous star.對于鄉(xiāng)下的人們來說,很難看到明星。(主語) We think it possible for them to learn English well.我們認為他們學(xué)好英語是可能的。(賓語) The best thing would be for you to grasp the opportunity to get more money. 最好的事是你能抓住這次機會賺到更多的錢。(表語) The situation is too complicated for you to cope with. 情況太復(fù)雜,你對付不了。(狀語)
(2)It is/was+形容詞+of sb.+不定式 這類表示人物性格特征、行為表現(xiàn)的形容詞同of后的名詞或代詞關(guān)系密切,有意義上的主表關(guān)系。常用的形容詞有: kind, honest, clever, careful , careless, polite, wise, nice , brave, foolish, stupid, wrong等。如:It’s very kind of you to help the old woman cross the street. 你攙扶那位老太太過馬路,真是太善良了。We think it impolite of him to ask the lady her age. 我們認為他問那位女士的年齡是不禮貌的。注意:It was foolish of him to say that.(= He was foolish to say that.)
試比較:
Ⅰ.It was nice/brave of you to do that. 那樣做你真好/勇敢。
Ⅱ.It was easy for you to do that.那樣做對你來說很容易。
第Ⅰ句中,形容詞nice或brave是對行為者(邏輯主語)本身的評價,可以轉(zhuǎn)換為You were nice/brave to say that.
第Ⅱ句中,形容詞easy并不是對行為者you本身的評價,只是對for you to do that.這個不定式復(fù)合結(jié)構(gòu)表達的“你這么做”這件事表示說話人的看法。它不能轉(zhuǎn)換為You were easy to say that.
因此,能否作類似第a)句那樣的轉(zhuǎn)換可作為解題中確定用of還是for的依據(jù)。
我們不妨再比較:
It was nice of him to help her with English. (可以轉(zhuǎn)換為He was nice to help her with English .) 幫助她學(xué)習(xí)英語他真好。
It was nice for him to win easily. ( 不可以轉(zhuǎn)換為He was nice to win easily.)
3 分裂不定式
分裂不定式,就是組成不定式的小品詞to,在一般情況下,不能與動詞分開。但有時我們也會看到有些副詞出現(xiàn)在to和動詞之間,使之分離。這種現(xiàn)象我們稱之為分裂不定式。如果不定式涉及到完成體、進行體、完成進行體或被動式時,副詞一般插在第一個助動詞后;如果強調(diào)副詞所表達的含義,仍可插在不定式符號to后。常用的副詞有:ever ,half , quickly, completely, finally, long, really, entirely, fully, plainly, truly等。如:
Their task is to quickly finish the building. 他們的任務(wù)是迅速地完成這棟建筑。
She likes to half open the windows. 她喜歡半開著窗子。
The government has begun to really do with the problem.
政府已經(jīng)開始真正處理這個問題。
注:此用法多用于文學(xué)作品、報刊中,是修辭的需要。有時,為了避免產(chǎn)生歧義。如:The boss failed to entirely understand its real significance.老板未能完全理解它的真正意義。(意思是老板懂,但不完全懂。)The boss failed entirely to understand its real significance.老板完全不能理解它的真正意義。(意思是老板一竅不通。)
4 不定式的省略
(1)感官動詞和使役動詞在主動語態(tài)中不需要帶to,即我們常說的“一覺二聽三讓五看”: feel, listen to , hear , let, make, have, see, watch, notice, observe, look at. 如:She liked to listen to little birds sing. 她喜歡聽小鳥歌唱。注:當它們用于被動語態(tài)時,to不能省略。let在變成被動語態(tài)時,to可有可無。如:The person was seen to enter the room by us. 我們看見那個人進了房間。The grass was let (to) grow. 就讓這些草長著吧。
(2)以Why或Why not 開頭,省略to. 如:Why+動詞原形(無to不定式)構(gòu)成的疑問句,表示這一動作是沒有意義的,沒有必要的,甚至是愚蠢的。如:
Why worry about such trifles? 干嘛要為那些瑣事發(fā)愁?(沒有意義的)
Why tell a lie? 為什么要撒謊?(愚蠢的)
(3)Why + not + 動詞原形(無to不定式)構(gòu)成的疑問句,用來提出建議或勸告。但如果有主語(you),就不能用不定式,而要用“why don’t you.... ”。 如:Why not go out for a walk? 為什么不出去散散步呢?Why not go out for a walk?= Why don’t you go out for a walk?為什么不出去散散步呢?
(4)由 all, what 引導(dǎo)的主語從句或者主語被only, first, one, least 或形容詞最高級修飾時,而且從句中含有do時,其表語如果是動詞不定式,則往往省去to. 如:All that I did was come here early. 我能做的就是早點趕到這兒。What I wanted to do was help the poor.我想做的是幫助那些窮人。
The first thing I could do was visit him myself.我首先能做的是我親自拜訪他。
(5)常用的結(jié)構(gòu) may well do, may as well do ,but或except后接不定式時,如果它們前面有do便可省略to,其結(jié)構(gòu)為can not do but…,can not help but…等句型。如:We might as well put up here for tonight.
我們不妨今晚就在這兒過夜。She can do nothing but/except sing.她除了唱歌什么也沒做。There is nothing he could do but play all day long.
他除了整天玩,別無它事可做。
(6)不定式做help后的賓語補足語或賓語時,可帶to也可不帶。如:Can I help(to)do some housework for you? 我可以幫你做些家務(wù)嗎?I helped him(to) mend the bike.我?guī)椭蘩碜孕熊嚒?/p>
(7)在had better, would rather, rather than之后省略to. 否定式不用hadn’t better do ,而用had better not (do) ,但在疑問句中卻可以用hadn’t +主語+better (do) . 如:You’d better tell him the news . 你最好把這個消息告訴他。You’d better not tell him the news.你最好不把這個消息告訴他。Rather than wait anyone, she decided to go home by subway.她決定乘地鐵回家而不愿等候任何人。Hadn’t you better see a doctor? 你是不是最好去看看醫(yī)生?
(8)由并列連詞and, except, but, than, or 連接兩個以上的具有相同意義或功能的不定式時,后面的動詞不定式不帶to. 如:I’d like to have some apples and drink a glass of milk.我想吃些蘋果,喝一杯牛奶。Smith asked us to stay at home and wait till he came back.史密斯告訴我們呆在家里一直等到他回來。注:如果兩個不定式表示對照或?qū)Ρ葧r,則不能省略to. 如:To try and fail is better than not to try at all.嘗試而失敗總比不嘗試好。
參考文獻:
[1]蔣輝明.《中考英語》,湖北:中國地質(zhì)大學(xué)出版社,2003年10月,第一次印刷
[2]薛金星.《中學(xué)教材全解——初三英語》,陜西人民出版社,2005年5月,第四版
[3]任志鴻.《高中英語總復(fù)習(xí)——優(yōu)化設(shè)計》,北京:西苑出版社,2008年5月,第二版,第一次印刷
[4]孟憲珍.王淵喆,《無敵英語語法》,北京:外文出版社,2003年8月,第一版,第七次印刷