關于反意疑問句的幾點補充

樊德成

《牛津初中英語》教科書對反意疑問句的構成方法只作了些基本的概括性的說明,筆者在此基礎上再作以下幾點說明,與同行們共同探討。

一、反意疑問句中,如果后面的簡短問句為否定形式,則be動詞、情態動詞、助動詞一定要與not采取縮寫形式。如:

正:You can sing many English songs, cant you?

誤:You can sing many English songs, can not you?

二、英語習慣上在簡短問句中采用與前面陳述句部分人稱相對應的適當代詞充當主語。如:

正:The children cant swim, can they?

誤:The children cant swim, can the children?

三、There be句式的反意疑問句

There isnt water in the bottle, is there?

There were many students in the classroom, werent there?

四、祈使句的反意疑問句的構成

1.祈使句是肯定形式時,后面的簡短問句既可用肯定形式,也可用否定形式。如:

Close the window, will(wont) you?

Let us go home, will(wont) you?

提醒大家注意的是:以Let us的縮寫形式(Lets)開頭的祈使句的反意疑問句中,后面的簡短問句用“shall we?”。如:

Lets go to school, shall we?

2.祈使句是否定形式時,簡短問句要用肯定形式。如:

Dont read in the sun, will you?

五、陳述句中含有never/no/nobody/nothing/nowhere/hardly/seldom/few/little/neither…nor等否定詞或含有否定意義的詞時,形式上是肯定的,但意義上是否定的,所以后面的簡短問句用肯定形式。如:

Tom could hardly tell the story in Chinese, could he?

但陳述句中帶有否定詞綴的詞時,后面的簡短問句仍要用否定結構。如:

She is unhappy, isnt she?

The boy is hopeless, isnt he?

六、當陳述句為“第一人稱+think/believe/suppose/expect…+(that)賓語從句”結構時,后面的簡短問句應根據“賓語從句”進行變換;如主句中的主語不是第一人稱,則后面的簡短問句與主句保持一致。如:

I believe he will be back in the month, wont he?

We didnt think you had done it, had you?

They thought Tom was a thief, didnt they?

七、當陳述句中含有have一詞并表示“有”解時,后面的簡短問句中英國人多用have的適當形式,美國人則用do的適當形式;如have表示一般動作,則后面的簡短問句只能用do的適當形式。如:

Wang Hai has a new watch, hasnt/doesnt he?

Li Pings father had lunch at home yesterday, didnt he?

八、當陳述句中的謂語動詞前有have/has(had) to時,則后面的簡短問句用do的適當形式。如:

They have to wait for the next bus, dont they?

九、當陳述句中含有had better時,后面的簡短問句用had的適當形式。如:

Youd better go and find him now, hadnt you?

十、當陳述句中出現dare/need時,如它們當作情態動詞用時,后面的簡短問句用情態動詞的適當形式;如它們作實義動詞用時,則后面的簡短問句用do的適當形式。如:

They dare not walk through the forest alone, dare they?

She needs help, doesnt she?

十一、當陳述句部分是“I am…”時,后面的簡短問句常用“arent I?”。如:

I am a student, arent I?

十二、當陳述句部分主語是someone/somebody/everyone/everybody/nobody等不定代詞時,后面的簡短問句中的主語用they;而當陳述句部分主語是something/everything/nothing等不定代詞時,后面的簡短問句中的主語用it。如:

Nobody came in, did they?

Everything is all right, isnt it?

十三、當must出現在陳述句中時,如must表示“必須、應當”之意時,后面的簡短問句用must的適當形式;如must表示推測和判斷,后面的簡短問句須與must后的那個動詞的適當形式相適應。如:

We must help each other, mustnt we?

He must be at home because the light in his room is on now, isnt he?