有一读者问：有这样两个句子：
(1)To our regret, he refused our invitation.
(2)He found to his great joy that his old friend was still alive.
有的语法书将句（1）中的介词短语 to our regret 唤作评注性状语，而将句（2）中的介词短语 to his great joy 唤作结果状语。是何缘故？
这里的 to our regret 与 to his great joy 皆属于一种常见的“to+物主代词+多表感情的名词”结构。属于这种结构的表感情的名词还有 surprise, annoyance, dismay, horror, satisfaction, admiration, amusement等。这种结构中的介词 to 都意谓 resulting in 或 so as to cause （产生……的结果或结果引起）。所以它所引导的这种介词短语都是表结果的状语。
顺便提及，上述表感情的名词中，有许多也可用于“to the + 表感情的名词 + of + 名词或代词”结构之中。且以 satisfaction 为例，我们既可说：
(3)The dress was done to her satisfaction .
亦可说：
(4)It is difficult to settle the matter to the satisfaction of all .
当上述表结果的状语修饰一个句子中的谓语时，在语法上一般只唤作结果状语，其实精确地说，它应是用作修饰句中谓语的结果状语，如句（2）中的 to his great joy 和句（3）中的 to her satisfaction 或句（4）中的 to the satisfaction of all. 再如：
(5)He found to his surprise that she was so ill.
(6)To his dismay he found the money missing.
“to +the +非表感情的名词+of+名（代）词”亦可用作结果状语，如：
(7)This discovery had been exploited to the detriment of the poor peasants .
但是表结果的“to+物主代词+表感情的名词”（或“to +the +表感情的名词+of+名[代] 词”）结构也可用来评说整个句子，这时这种结构就属于一种附加性的句子状语。句子状语有好几种。这一种句子状语由于具有评注的性质，所以就被叫做评注性状语。其实，确切地说，它应是一种用作评注性句子状语的结果状语。上述例（1）中的 to our regret 即是一例，再如：
(8)To my great relief , her injuries were only slight.
(9)They arrived, to our surprise , before we did. （参较上述句[5]）
(10)To my horror , he fell into the river.
(11)To the great admiration of all the onlookers , he plunged into the water and rescued the struggling child.
