倒裝結構是英語中一個很重要的語法現象,有的老師甚至把學好倒裝語序當成是一種提升書面表達檔次的一個重要方面告訴給學生,由此倒裝語序的重要性可見一斑。但倒裝語序由于其特殊的句型結構,學生很容易出錯。先看下例:
—My room gets very cold at night.
— ______.
A. So is mineB. So mine is
C. So does mineD. So mine does
答案:A。有的學生不注意“So+助動詞+主語”的這種倒裝結構,會誤選B或者C,因為看見上句的動詞是gets,所以誤認為是行為動詞,因此使用So does mine,其實gets在這里是一個系動詞,應該使用is來代替。
以下就幾種倒裝語序易出錯的地方作簡要評述:
1. So +助動詞/系動詞+主語
① —Go to wash your face. Your face is a little dirty.
—Oh,______.
A. So is itB. So it is
C. It is soD. So is mine
答案:B。該句并非倒裝結構,而是表示同意或肯定對方所說意思。上句說“你的臉很臟”,后者可能看了一下鏡子發現自己臉果然很臟,因此說So it is。“So+主語+助動詞/系動詞”表示肯定對方所說,常譯成“果然……,真的……”。
② He said he would help me with the work and afterwards ______.
A. so did heB. so he did
C. he did soD. neither did he
答案:C。上句也不是倒裝語序,而是表示某人曾許下諾言,后來兌現了自己的承諾,應使用sb do/does/did so。
③ —He is from the south and can’t speak putonghua very well.
— ______.
A. So am IB. So can I
C. Neither can ID. So it is with me
答案:D。上句中有兩種情況,且謂語部分有兩種形式is from the south和can’t speak,不能再簡單使用“So+助動詞/系動詞+主語”的倒裝形式,應該采用So it is with sb/ sth或It is the same with sb/ sth。
歸納:
(1)“So +助動詞/系動詞+主語”為倒裝語序,表示“某人/物也……”
(2)“So +主語+助動詞/系動詞”表示肯定對方所說的觀點,意為“果然如此”。
(3)“主語+do/ does/ did+ so”表示某人曾許諾做什么后來照做了。
(4) 當有兩者以上的情況也同樣適應另外的人或物,應使用So it is with...或It is the same with...的句型。
2. Neither/ Nor + 助動詞/系動詞 + 主語
④If Joe’s wife won’t go to the party,______.
A. he will neitherB. neither will he
C. he neither willD. either he will
答案:B。該句意思是“如果Joe的妻子不去參加晚會,他也不會去”,當表示“……也不會”可將neither或nor提到句首,句子使用倒裝語序。這種意思也可用not...either,但either必須置于句末,且用逗號跟主句隔開。又如:
Joe didn’t go to the party and his wife didn’t go there, either. Joe沒去參加晚會,他的妻子也沒去。
除了可用not..., either替代neither或nor的倒裝結構,使用neither或nor還需注意以下幾點:
(1) 當neither與nor同時引導兩個并列句時,兩個句子都應倒裝。
Neither did he do the thing, nor did he care about it. 他沒有做這件事,也不想關心這件事。
Neither can the man speak,nor can he hear anything. 這人不僅不能說話,也聽不見任何東西。
(2) 當neither和nor同時引導一個并列主語時,謂語動詞根據最靠近謂語的名詞或代詞判斷。如:
Neither the students nor the teacher knows how to answer the question.學生和那老師都不知道怎樣回答這個問題。
Neither he nor I am to accept the fact that we will be sure to fail.他和我都不會接受我們一定會失敗的事實。
3. 否定詞置于句首,句子常倒裝
⑤I have been living in the United States for twenty years, but seldom ______ so lonely as now.
A. have I feltB. I had felt
C. I have feltD. had I felt
答案:A。本句的seldom含否定含義,被置于句首,因此句子需要倒裝,故可排除B、C,再根據句末的as now,既然是跟現在比較,只能用現在完成時。
一般而言,只要是含否定含義的詞被置于句首,句子都應該倒裝,但有一種情況例外,這也是易出錯的地方,即若否定詞只是主語或主語的一部分時,不能倒裝。如:
This question is very difficult, not a student can answer it.這個問題太難,沒有一個學生能回答。
not a student是整個主語部分,主語本身就應該置于句首,句子不能倒裝,若不是主語,其他含否定詞的結構置于句首都應使用倒裝形式,又如:
Not a word could I say at that moment because I was too excited.當時我一句話都說不出來,因為我太激動了。
4. Not only...but also結構的倒裝
⑥Not only ______ the man, but also ______ about him very well, even about all his family.
A. does he know, does he knowC. does he know, he knows
C. he knows, does he knowD. does he know, he does knows
答案:B。not only...but also的句型只能在not only引導的結構中使用倒裝,but also引導的部分不能倒裝。
除了以上情況外,使用not only...but also的結構還需注意以下幾點:
⑴ 如果not only...but also同時引導兩個并列主語,此時not only...but also是一個完整的主語結構,句子不能倒裝,如:
Not only young people but also the old are very fond of the TV program.不僅年輕人而且老年人也都喜歡這個電視節目。
(2)not only...but also若連接兩個并列主語,謂語動詞的形式采取“就近原則”,即根據最靠近的名詞或代詞判斷。如:
Not only all the teachers but also the expert is in favor of the new teaching method.不僅所有的老師而且那位專家都支持這個新教學法。
5. 地點副詞如here,there或方位副詞in, out, up, down, away等置于句首時,句子倒裝
⑦The door opened and out ______, which made all us very surprised.
A. rushed heB. he rushed
C. did he rushD. he did rush
答案:B。方位副詞提到句首,句子倒裝,但如果主語是人稱代詞時,句子卻不能倒裝,本句中主語是he,因此不能倒裝,應該使用正常語序he rushed。又如:
—Please pass me a glass of water.
—Here you are.(不能說Here are you.)
除了以上情況外,這種倒裝語序也是英語中唯一的一種使用全部倒裝的結構,即謂語動詞全部提到主語前,不能用“助動詞+主語”的形式。
( × )Let’s hurry. Here does the bus come.
(√)Let’s hurry. Here comes the bus.
6.“only+狀語”置于句首,句子使用倒裝
⑧ ______ by keeping down costs will Power Data hold its advantage over other companies.
A. OnlyB. JustC. StillD. Yet
答案:A。根據后面的will Power Data hold its advantage over other companies這個倒裝結構,可知句首應該使用副詞only,only若修飾狀語或狀語從句被置于句首,句子倒裝。
⑨ Only the teachers ______ this reading room. You should go to the next one intended for students.
A. can they useB. they can useC. can useD. do use
答案:C。本句only雖置于句首,但修飾的只是主語,主語本置于句首,句子無法倒裝,這是該句型易出錯的一個地方,因此空格處直接選用作動詞用法的can use即可。
7. So+形容詞/副詞+助動詞/系動詞+主語
⑩______ that Marie was able to set up new branches elsewhere.
A. So successful her business wasB. So successful was her business
C. So her business was successfulD. So was her business successful
答案:B。這是so...that的倒裝語序結構,其形式是將so及所修飾的形容詞或副詞一起提至句首,從句倒裝,結構是“So+形容詞/副詞+助動詞/系動詞+主語”,因此答案為B。
使用這種結構易出現兩種錯誤:一是把它與“So+助動詞+主語”表示“也”的結構弄混,因此上一題容易錯選D;二是容易倒裝主句。
( × )So is she beautiful that all the girls envy her.
(√)So beautiful is she that all the girls envy her.
( × )So strong he is that can he weigh that heavy bag of rice.
(√)So strong is he that he can weigh that heavy bag of rice.
8. as引導讓步狀語從句使用倒裝語序
{11} ______, his idea was accepted by all the people at the meeting.
A. Strange as might it soundB. As it might sound strange as
C. As strange it might soundD. Strange as it might sound
答案:D。as引導讓步狀語從句時需要使用倒裝語序,其結構是將形容詞、副詞、名詞及適當時候的動詞原形提到句首,然后再使用as+主語,因此這題正確語序是D。
使用這種句型易犯的錯誤主要有:
(1)語序混亂
( × )It sounds as strange, it is true.
( × )Strange sound as it, it is true.
( × )As strange it sounds, it is true.
(2)不用倒裝
( × )As it sounds strange, it is true.
(3)與as...as...混用
( × )As strange as it sounds, it is true.
(√)Strange as it sounds, it is true.
(4)名詞前的冠詞問題
( × )A country boy as he is, he also has his own ambition.
(√)Country boy as he is, he also has his own ambition.
編輯/梁宇清