〔關鍵詞〕 動詞不定式;復合結構;句法
〔中圖分類號〕 G633.41〔文獻標識碼〕 C
〔文章編號〕 1004—0463(2008)03(A)—0059—01
動詞不定式的句法作用
由于動詞不定式具有名詞、形容詞和副詞的特征,所以它在句中可作主語、表語、賓語、定語、狀語。
1. 作主語
First of all,to understand the teacher wasn’t easy when she talked.
但在多數情況下,特別是在口語中,常常用it來代替不定式作主語,而把不定式移到句中后部去,這樣使句子顯得比較平穩。It叫做形式主語,不定式叫做真正主語,故上句可改為:
First of all,it wasn’t easy to understand the teacher when she talked.
某些表示人的品行的形容詞(如kind,good,nice,wrong,careless,wise,foolish,polite,clever,right, unwise,stupid,thoughtful,rude,silly,impolite)作表語時,不定式前常可用of引起的短語,即“be+形容詞+of+名詞(或代詞賓格)+不定式”。如:
It is very kind of you to help me.
2. 作表語
Her wish is to become a pop singer.
3. 作賓語
I want to be a teacher when I’m older.
能直接跟不定式作賓語的動詞很多,常見的有:want,like,wish,hate,prefer,hope,try,ask,offer,start,forget,remember,decide,agree,choose,promise,expect等。
另外,在一些復合賓語中,常用it代表不定式,作形式賓語,把不定式放在后面。如:
I find it interesting to study English.
4. 作定語
I have a lot of work to do.
不定式作定語時,須放在被修飾的名詞或代詞之后。不定式常和它修飾的詞有動賓關系。因此,如果這個不定式是不及物的,它后面就應有必要的介詞。如:
There is nothing to think about.
We use pens to write with.
5. 作狀語
不定式作狀語可以修飾動詞,表示目的、結果或原因等。
(1)表示目的
She uses a computer to write articles.
不定式作目的狀語時,常用“so as to 或in order to+動詞原形”來表示。如:
I decided to work harder in order(so as)to catch up with the others.
To catch the first bus,I have to get up early.
(2)表示結果
What have I said to make you unhappy?
不定式表示結果更常見于下列搭配:
a)so+形容詞+as to …;such(…)as to …
We are not such fools as to believe him.
b)…enough(for sb. to)…
The ice is thick enough to walk on.
c)too…to…
He is too young to go to school.
d)only to…(常表示未曾料到的結果)
They lifted a rock only to drop it on their own feet.
(3)表示原因
I’m glad to hear news.
動詞不定式的復合結構
不定式可以和名詞(或代詞)構成復合結構,作動詞的賓語,不定式作賓語補足語。
Would you like us to play basketball with you?
Mother told me to come back early.
常帶不定式作賓語補足的動詞有:ask,tell,invite,force,advise,get,beg,allow,help,want,wish,like,hope,order,expect,encourage,hate等。
但在使役動詞make,let,have和感官動詞see,hear,watch,notice,feel,listen to,look at等動詞后的復合賓語中,不定式不帶to。在help后不定式可以帶to,也可以不帶to.如:
The boss made the workers work day and night.
I would have him wait for me.
Did you notice anyone come in?
I often hear her sing in the next room.
My English teacher often helps me(to)learn English.
但這類動詞轉為被動語態時,不定式符號to須保留。如:
He was seen to enter the room.
有些動詞后面常跟“to be+形容詞”構成復合結構,如:think,consider,believe,suppose,know,find,understand,prove,imagine。
I considered the work to be very important.
We proved these facts to be correct.
但有個別動詞(如 think,consider,find)后面可省略to be,直接跟形容詞。如:
I think her rather clever.
We found the idea very good.
我們也可以把這種結構看作形容詞作賓語補足語。