再谈一些有关不定式的问题

还有一些动词不定式的问题,现简要答复如下:

问一:

(1)I'm sorry I forgot to turn it off before I left .

请问此句中的不定式to turn用得对吗? 按语法,forget to do只能表未来的动作,forget doing 才能表过去的动作。例(1)中用forgot to turn表过去岂不是错了?

用过去式forgot时,其后的不定式仍表未来的动作,但这里的未来是过去式forgot的未来。其实,动词forget以及remember后接的不定式乃是表未完成的动作 ,其后接的动名词乃是表已完成的动作。只要把握住这一点,就不会在时间关系上产生误解了 。

问二: 请问动词不定式有哪些情态意义?

动词不定式用作表语和定语时往往有情态意义。现让我们分别举例说明一些常见的情况:

1. 用作表语:

(2)The doctor says that the patient is not to be moved. (not to be moved意谓“不可移动”)

(3)The letter is to be handed to him in person. (to be handed意谓“必须交与”)

(4)What am I to do if I fail the exams? (to do有“应该”的含义)

(5)He's to blame. (to blame意谓“应该受到责备”)

(6)Nobody is to know. (全句意谓“不应让任何人知道”)

(7)It's nowhere to be found. (全句意谓“哪儿也找不到它”)

(8)How am I to know? (全句意谓“我怎么会知道呢?”)

2. 用作定语:

(9)She is not the kind of girl to do such things. (to do有“可能”的含义)

(10)There are always some people to believe this nonsense. (to believe意谓“会相信”)

(11)There is nothing to fear. (全句意谓“没有什么可怕的”)

(12)He is not a man to know. (to know有“值得”的含义)

(13)Nothing to speak of. (全句的意思是: 不值得提)

(14)It isn't a thing to talk about — it is only a thing to feel. (to talk about 与to feel都有“应该”的含义)

(15)You have your children to consider. (to consider有“必须”的含义)

问三:

(16)She was seen to enter the hall.

有的书上把此句中的不定式to enter叫做表语,为什么?

英语语法术语,由于各家体系不同,看法不同,的确很不一致。国外如此,国内亦如此。有的语法家所用的表语,并不限于连系动词后的词语,也包括我们常用的主语补足语和宾语补足语等。这样,例(16)中的to enter也便成了表语。但在我国的英语教学中,to enter似乎一般不叫做表语,而是叫做主语补足语。

问四: 请问如何分析下面一句中的后一部分?

(17)We divided the work, he to clean the windows and I to sweep the floor.

句中的后一部分,亦即he to clean the windows和I to sweep the floor,和“(with)+名(代)词主格+分词”结构一样,也是一种独立结构。这种独立结构在此用作伴随状语。它在英语里并不罕见,再如:

(18)Greatly inspired by his words we felt that there was no difficulty we could not overcome with Vice-Chairman Zhou to lead us. (独立结构with Vice-Chairman Zhou to lead us在此用作条件状语)

(19)He proposed to Bland that they should start one or two picture theatres in the provinces, Bland to find the money and Wicks to provide the technical knowledge. (独立结构Bland to find...knowledge皆用作伴随状语)

(20)He would take us down on Thursday week for two months, all our expenses to be paid. (独立结构all our expenses to be paid用作伴随状语)

(21)A number of officials followed him, some to hold his robes, others to adjust his girdle, and so on. (独立结构some to hold... and so on在此亦用作伴随状语)

请注意上述独立结构中的不定式常表未来的动作,这是与独立结构中的分词不同之处。

问五: 请问在哪些情况下用不带to的不定式?

这是一个很大的题目,这里我们只能举一些常见的例句来说明:

(22)I saw him come. (see, hear, watch, let, make, have等动词的复合宾语之逻辑谓语动词之前不带to)

(23)She does nothing but cry. (连词but之后省去了she does)

(24)Why don't you go see the doctor? (口语中see之前可不带to,这种不带to的不定式多用于动词原形go与come之后)

(25)Try knock at the back door if nobody hears you at the front door. (口语中knock之前可不带to。又,祈使句中的动词原形try前自然亦不带to)

(26)“All I did was hit him on the head,” said the boy. (当主语部分含有实义动词 do时,用作表语的不定式可不带to)

(27)I'm puzzled what to think or say. (think之前已有to,故say之前可省去to)

(28)You ought to weep instead of laugh. (此处laugh之前常省去to)

(29)Why talk so much about it? (talk不带to)

(30)What do you want us to do? Put the clock back? (put不带to)

(31)For shame, Tony. You a man, and behave so. (behave不带to,并有贬意)

(32)I would rather go than stay. (动词stay前面省去I would)

(33)Try again and you will succeed. (try有假设的含义,不可带to)

(34)Will you please help me translate this poem? (translate前带to不带to皆可)

以上诸例,大都指狭义的不带to的不定式(即一般所谓的非谓语动词不定式)而言。至于广义的不带to的不定式(即一般所谓的动词原形),我们就不多说了。

问六: 请问如何分析下列句中的动词不定式?

(35)She trembled to think of it.

(36)Don't trouble to meet at the station.

(37)I was pained to hear it.

(38)It's kind of you to say so.

例(35)中的to think of it相当于when she thought of it,故为时间状语。例(36)中的to meet相当于about meeting,故是方面状语。例(37)中的to hear可以说是原因状语,也可以说是时间状语。例(38)中的复合结构of you to say so是全句的真实主语,it是形式主语。

问七: 带to的不定式在什么情况下可省去动词原形? 为什么在:

(39)Do as you are told.

(40)Don't go till I tell you to.

这两句中,第一句told之后不用to,而第二句tell you之后却用to?

一般地讲,只有在前面已经出现过同样的动词的情况下,为了避免重复,才可省去动词原形而只留下不定式符号to,如:

(41)He may go if he wishes to . (to后省去前已出现的动词go)

(42)I'd like to come but I don't know whether I shall be able to . (to后省去了前面已出现过的come)

(43)He always speaks faster than he needs to . (to后省去了前面已出现过的speak)

有时则是为了避免重复后面出现的动词,如:

(44)These who wanted to were able to look upon him. (为了避免重复后面的look upon him)

在所问的两个句子中,例(40)中的to之后显然省去了前面已出现的go。而例(39)中的as you are told之后所以没有to,则是习惯使然。as引导的从句省去to的情况还有:

(45)You ought to do as he tells you.

(46)Do as you see fit.

(47)— May I smoke?

— Just as you wish.

(48)Come and stay as long as you like.

在其他连词如what, when引导的从句中也有省去to的情况,如:

(49)Come when you want.

(50)I've decided to do what I like.

在某些动词如try之后也可省去to,如:

(51)— Can you start the car?

— OK, I'll try.

关于不定式问题,就谈这么多吧。