三. 非谓语动词的句法功能:
一个典型的句子共有以下五个基本成分:
主语 谓语 宾语 定语 状语
这里要讨论的是当英语中的一个动词处在主语、宾语、定语和状语位置时怎么处理,即非谓语成分时怎么处理。
1.主语:
首先,"to do" 和 "-ing"形式具有名词性,"-ed "不具备名词性。也就是说,"to do" 和 "-ing"可以做主语,例如:
To learn a foreign language is not an easy thing. (= It is not an easy thing to learn English.)
Learning a foreign language is not an easy thing.
问题是这两种表达方式有没有区别。语法上没有对或错的区别,因此不是语法考试的重点
一般讲,"to do"较具体的行为或状态,"-ing"表示较笼统的概念,如"学习外语对我来说并非易事"一般用"to do"来表达:To learn a foreign language. is not an easy thing for me. (或:It is not an easy thing for me to learn a foreign language.)
从应试角度讲,只要记住下面两个特殊句型就可以了:
It is no use (或good) + ing结构,例如:
It is no use quarreling with her. (和她争吵没有用。考试时不要选to quarrel with her)
There is no + ing 结构,例如:
There is no denying that women are playing more and more important roles in the world today.(不可否认,在当今世界上,妇女正发挥越来越重要的作用。)
There is no joking about this matter. (这事开不得玩笑。)
2.宾语
如上所述,非谓语动词"to do"或"-ing"当主语时,没有特别的语法要求。但是,当宾语时,就有一个用"to do"还是"-ing"的问题。大家还记得这个规定吗?如果忘了,请复习"第二讲"中"五个基本句型"的"第三句型".这是考试的一个重点。在以往的职称考试中,此项一般要占2-3道题目。
关于非谓语动词做宾语补足语的问题,请复习"第二讲"中"五个基本句型"的"第五句型".
3.定语
也就是做名词的修饰语。只要牢记本讲"非谓语动词的时态和语态意义"一节中的内容,就不难理解非谓语动词做定语的问题。非谓语动词做定语,本质上是"定语从句",例如:
Where is the house built last year?
= Where is the house that(或which)was built last year (去年建造的那栋房子哪儿去了?)
Do you see the house being built there ?
= Do you see the house that (或which) is being built there?(看见那边那栋正在建造的房子了吗?)
The house to be built next month will be our dorm.
= The house that (或which) will be built (或that is to be built) next month will be our dorm.(下月要建造的那栋房子将是我们的宿舍。)
也就是说,只要把握好"时间状语"和"语态(先行词与动词的关系)",非谓语动词做定语的考试选项比较容易,出题几率也比较低。
有人可能会问:
I have a letter to write 和I have a letter to be written两个句子中的黑体部分都是做"letter"的定语,为什么一个用主动,另一个用被动语态。一般来说,当动词(write)的行为者就是句子的主语(I)时,用主动语态。因此,这两个句子的内涵是有些区别的。但由于考试形式的局限性,一般不会考这种区别的。
4.状语
非谓语动词做状语是这一讲的重点,也是考试的重点。大家还记得"句子的连接"一讲中说过的"逗号不能连接两个句子"这句话和所举的例子吗?
错:He is ill, he cannot come to the party this evening.(逗号不能连接两个句子)
对:Because he is ill, he cannot come to the party this evening.(使用连接词)
对:Being ill, he cannot come to the party this evening.(使用非谓语动词形式)
如果:His child is ill, he cannot come to the party this evening. 该怎么改呢?
道理是一样的:
His child being ill, he cannot come to the party this evening.
也就是说,非谓语动词也要有"行为的主体",称为"主格";如果"非谓语动词的行为的主体"与句子的主语不一致,要保留其行为主体(如上句中的"his child"),这种结构称为"(分词)独立主格结构".
那么,什么情况用"to do" 、"-ing" 或 "-ed "呢?注意以下两点:
(1) 要符合下表的基本要求。
to do -ing -ed
主动 被动 主动 被动 被动
将来时 to do to be done
现在时 doing (sth.) being done
过去时 to have done to have been done -ed
(2) 要注意以下基本用法和思路
前置(即放在句子的前面):
形式 功能 辨别要点
To (或In order to) do sth., + 句子 目的:"为了…"
(关于做"独立成分",见下文"后置") 1) 与句子间有","隔开;
2) 一定解释为"为了…"
3) 如果没有",",可能是句子的主语,不要混淆
-ing /-ed ,+ 句子 1) 时间状语:"当…时候"
2) 原因状语:"由于…"
3) 条件状语:"如果…" 1) 与句子间一般有","隔开;
2) 如果没有",",可能是"动名词"当句子的主语,不要混淆
显然,"to do"做状语形式和意义比较单一,难点是如何区分-ing 和-ed 形式。
下面每个例子说明一条规则,注意理解和记忆(重点不要去区分作什么状语,也不要刻意去翻译句子的意思,重点注 意形式的转换和规律):
1) When she heard the noise, she went out to see what was happening.
Hearing the noise, she went out to see what was happening.
规则:当句子的主语(she)与 (非谓语) 动词构成主动语态时,只要将实义动词(heard)恢复原形 (hear),后面加ing即可
2) When (或 If) the substance is heated to over 200℃, it will give off a poisonous gas.
Heated to 200 over 200℃, it (= the substance) will give off a poisonous gas.
规则:当句子的主语(it = the substance)与 (非谓语) 动词构成被动语态时,去掉be动词,只保留动词的-ed形式(heated)即可
3) As he did not want to hurt her feelings, he did not tell the truth at the moment.
Not wanting to hurt her feelings, he did not tell the truth at the moment
规则:非谓语动词的否定式是在非谓语动词前面(不是后面)加not构成;其他变化按照例1)或例2)规定
4) As she has lived in China for over 20 years, she can speak Chinese fluently.
Having lived in China for over 20 years, she can speak Chinese fluently.
As they had not finished the lessons, the students had to give up going to see the play.
Not having finished the lessons, the students had to give up going to see the play.
规则:当句子中出现1)"for + 时间"状语,或2)当一个行为必须在另一个行为结束后才能开始的情况下,应该用"完成式",否定词 "not" 要放在"having"的前面,即"Not having…"
提示:当你在考试时分不清是否要用"完成式"时,应倾向于选择有"完成式"的选项。
5) If weather permits, we'll go out for a picnic tomorrow.
Weather permitting, we'll go out for a picnic tomorrow.
When all necessary data had been collected, they began the experiment.
All necessary data having been collected, they began the experiment.
(注:这个句子也可以写成:All necessary data collected, they began the experiment.考试时按例4)提示选题)
规则:当句子的主语与非谓语动词的主格不一致时,应使用"独立主格形式",其他变化按上述各项规定处理
后置(即放在句子的后面):
形式 功能 辨别要点
句子 + to do sth 1) 目的:"为了…"
2) 结果:"以致…"
3) 程度
4) 独立成分 要特别注意以下结构:
1) (in order) to / so as (such) to(目的)
2) (,) only to / so (such) as to(结果)
3) enough / too…to(程度)
4) 如: to tell you the truth,(独立成分)
-ing /-ed ,+ 句子 1) 说明、伴随或方式
2) 结果 分词做"后置"状语的多数为"-ing"形式,很少是"-ed"
需要说明的是:
1. 所谓"前置"和"后置"是相对的,这里这样区分一是为了便于理解,二是根据职称考试中出题的习惯,便于判题;
2. 关于功能,这里只是讲了考试中较多出现的形式和结构,对于诸如如何区分"目的"和"结果"等内容,因与解题关系不大,这里就不作具体说明了。
下面把非谓语动词中其他几个重要问题用实例说明一下:
关于"不定式"作后置状语的举例(注意黑体字部分的表达形式):
1) She was so angry as to be unable to speak. (她气得连话都说不出来了。)
2) I don't know her well enough to ask her for help.(我与她不太熟悉,不便请她帮忙。)
3) She was too angry to say anything.(她气得什么都说不出来了。)
4) I'm only too glad to help you.
注意与例3)的区别:only too与happy, pleased, glad 等词使用时,表示"非常":我非常愿意帮助你(能帮助你真是太高兴了)。
5) We waited in the train for nearly three hours, only to be told that the appointment had been canceled. (only to…表示意想不到的结果:我们在雨中等了近3个小时,结果被告知约会取消了。)
6) To be fair, he has been working very hard recently.(公平地说,他最近工作一直非常努力。类似的表达方式还有:
to tell the truth(说实话), to be frank(老实说),to go without saying (不用说 / 毫无疑问) 等。
关于分词做后置状语的举例 (注意括号中句子的演变过程):
1) She received an E-mail from her brother, saying that her mother was seriously ill. (她收到她兄弟发来的一份电子邮件,(邮件上)说她母亲病得很厉害。= She received an E-mail from her brother, which(= an E-mail)said that her mother was seriously ill)
2) Serious infection may develop in some patients, resulting in death. (有些病人会发生严重感染,导致死亡。(= Serious infection may develop in some patients, which results in death.)
3) The guests entered the office, accompanied by the manager. (客人在经理陪同下走进办公室。 = The guests entered the office, who were accompanied by the manager.)
关于"动词不定式"的补充说明:
1) 前面讲到:"动词不定式"的完成式表示过去时,它常在以下句型中出现:
(主语)+ be said / reported / believed / supposed to have (been) done
(主语)+ seem to have (been) done
(主语)+ be likely to have (been) done
当考试时看到这样的句型出现,首先要考虑是否是"动词不定式"的完成式
2) 注意"动词不定式" to与介词to的区别,即:是to + 动词,还是to + 名词或动名词(-ing)。"第二讲 五个基本句型"中已经提到:object to / look forward to / be (get) accustomed (used) to / be subjected to / subject to / be subjected to / be opposed to / agree to等中的to是介词。
当考试时看到这样的表达方式出现,首先要考虑选择-ing形式(一般不会给纯名词形式)
关于on + ing 形式和with (without) + 分词独立主格结构
1)on + ing 形式:一般将介词on + -ing形式理解为"分词"(要有行为主体)而不是"动名词",意为 "当…时","一…就…",相当于when 或as soon as,例如:
On hearing the news, she burst into tears. (一听到这个消息,她一下子哭了起来。)
错:On arriving in Beijing, it began to rain heavily. (一到北京,就开始下起大雨来了。)
由于句子的主语it并不是arriving的行为主体,该句语法不成立。可以改为:
No sooner had we arrived in Beijing than it began to rain heavily.
2) with (without) + 分词独立主格结构
She fell asleep with the lamp burning. (她开着灯谁着了。)
Almost every day the kids returned home with their hands and faces covered with mud and sweat.(孩子们几乎每天回家时手上脸上都是泥和汗。)
当这样的独立主格结构中的动词为 "be" 动词时,往往省略,例如:
Every day the old teacher entered the classroom, with a poor bag under his arm. (每天,这位老教师夹着个破包走进教室。= with a poor bag being under his arm)
关于-ing和-ed形容词
当一个动词后面加上-ing或-ed就可以是一个形容词,其基本概念还是-ing为主动语态,-ed为被动语态,例如:a sleeping child (一个正在睡觉的孩子),a wounded soldier (一个受伤的战士) .
一些带有感情色彩的动词,由于人的感情是"被刺激"后产生的,故一般用-ed形式,而外界的刺激物则用-ing形式,例如:I was moved deeply; the film was really moving. (我深受感动;这部电影真是感人。)
the + 形容词(包括-ed形容词)→ 名词(可以是单数,也可以是复数), 例如:
the wounded (伤员)/ the disabled(残疾人)
关于现在分词和动名词
如前所述,现代语法并不强调现在分词和动名词的区别,建议学生"忘掉"动名词,特别是应试。但记住下面的规定:
She regrets ______ idle when (she was) young. (她后悔年轻时无所事事。)
A. to have been
B. her being
C. her having being
D. having been
解题思路:1)regret后一般接ing形式,除非regret to tell / say, 故A不能选;2)当动名词的逻辑主语与句子的主语一致时,不要再加逻辑主语了,故正确答案为D,比较:Tom insisted on my going with him. (Tom坚持要我和他一起去。)
非谓语动词讲了这么多内容,解题时始终不忘:
1) 分清过去、现在和将来;
2) 分清主动与被动;
3) 动词不定式的完成式表示过去时;
4) 见"for"要用完成式;
5) 否定式not要放在to / -ing / -ed的前面
只要记住以上要点,非谓语动词的解题就不会出大的问题。