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高中英语核心语法点汇编 part 29 非谓语动词之比较
1 为何用不定式而不用现在分词?
有一读者问: 有这样一道选择题:
(1)He has saved every penny he could_________the poor girl.
A. to help B. helping
答案是A,为什么B不对?现在分词短语不也可表目的吗?
这里应选A,表目的,这是不定式的经常用法。有人确实认为下面两句中的swimming和fishing是现在分词,表目的:
(2)I'm going swimming this afternoon.
(3)He often goes fishing in the river.
但对这种看法是有异议的。如从历史语法的角度来看,这里的swimming和fishing并非现在分词,而是动名词,其前省去了介词on。
2 这里用不定式或动名词皆可
有一读者问: 有这样一道选择题:
Your father would like_________for the BBC.
A. work B. to work C. working D. worked
正确答案是B,但我认为亦可选C,对否?
这里B与C都对。
3 不定式和现在分词的完成式可用作定语吗?
有一读者问: 动词不定式的完成式与现在分词的完成式可否用作定语?
动词不定式完成时态用作定语的情况并不罕见,详参见以下例句的划线部分:
(1)It's an awful thing to have happened .
(2)There is no need to have bought it .
(3)He had the good fortune to have studied with Professor Li.
但现在分词的完成时态一般则不能用作定语,虽然偶尔也有例外,如一些语法家所举的:
(4)Any man having witnessed the attack is under suspicion.
4 这里用不定式或现在分词皆可
有一读者问:有这样一道填空题:
(1)Bill has no business_________my personal affairs.
请问用 to interfere with 或是用 interfering with? 二者有何不同?
这里可填不定式 to interfere with, 也可填现在分词 interfering with。 有的辞书上说不定式是英国用法,现在分词是美国用法。此说也许值得参考,但当今英国也有用现在分词的例证。例如有一大型英国词典只给下面一用现在分词的例证:
(2)You have no business hitting her.
而并没有提供可用不定式的例证。反之,有的美国词典(如大型词典 The World Book Dictionary)却只有一用不定式的例证:
(3)The State has no business to provide more than subsistence benefits.
而却没有用现在分词的例证。由此看来,似乎可以肯定:“ have no business + 不定式”与“have no business + 现在分词”结构现今在英国和美国皆通用,但值得注意的是,英国最具权威性的《牛津英语词典》(OED)和亦有权威性的《简明牛津词典》(COD)却只有“have no business + 不定式”的说明或例证,而没有“have no business + 现在分词”的说明或例证。这至少显示在历史上前者是早于后者出现于文字中的。have no business 之后接不定式与接现在分词在意义上也稍有不同。不定式含有一次性的意义,而现在分词则含有多次性的意义。在语法上,不定式和现在分词似乎皆可看做定语。
5 不定式被动式与过去分词有时可通用
有一读者问: 不定式的被动式用作宾语补足语时与用作宾语补足语的过去分词有什么区别?
在许多情况下,二者并不能相互通用,故无法比较。如“They don't allow the books to be taken out .”中的用作宾语补足语的不定式被动式 to be taken out 即不可改用过去分词 taken out。 反之,“I must get my hair cut.”中的用作宾语补足语的过去分词 cut 也不可换用不定式被动式 to be cut。但二者也有少数可以通用的例子,比如“He wants these two letters to be posted at once.”中的 to be posted 即可换作 posted 而意义不变,只是后者的语气似乎较重一些。再如“He ordered them to be sent.”简直和“He ordered them sent.”无甚区别,只是后者多用在美国。
6 can't help sweep与can't help sweeping的区别
有一读者问: 有一道选择题:
I'm sorry I can't help_________the floor.
A. sweeping B. sweep C. being swept D. swept
答案是B,为什么不选A?
help sweep(或help to sweep)的意思是“帮助扫”,所以是合乎句意的。不可选A,因为can't help sweeping=can't but sweep,其意是“无法不扫”,显然与句意不合。
7 “have +名(代)词”后接不定式与现在分词的区别
有一读者问: 有这样一道填空题:
(1)We can't have that sort of thing _____.
应填happen还是happening?
既可填以不带to的不定式happen,亦可填以现在分词happening。但二者含义稍有区别:前者具有一次性,即只指这一次;后者则具有多次性或重复性,即指经常情况。再试比较:
(2)The magician had the card disappear without lifting a finger. (disappear具有一次性)
(3)The magician had the card disappearing without lifting a finger. (disappearing具有多次性,指不断地消失)
“have+宾语+现在分词”中的现在分词有时则强调其持续性,试比较:
(4)I'll have the car wait at the gate.(wait强调动作,全句意味着:我将派人开车到大门口等)
(5)I'll have the car waiting at the gate.(waiting强调其持续性,全句意味着:我将派人将车开到大门口等着,你随时可用)
8 再谈“have +名(代)词”后之不定式与现在分词的区别
有一读者问: 有这样一道选择题:
Fred had his son all the morning _____, for the boy hadn't finished his homework.
A. stand B. standing
答案是A,但有人说应选B,到底应选哪一个?
总的说来,“have+名词+动词原形”中的动词原形表一次性动作,不强调持续性;“have+名词+现在分词”中的现在分词则强调持续性或多次性,有时还表生动。据此,上述句用stand似乎较好。如用standing则强调持续性。
9 It is difficult后只接不定式吗?
有一读者问: 有人在一本考研指导书中写道:It is difficult后面接-ing形式。但我只见过“It is difficult+不定式”结构,如:
(1)It was difficult to put the tent up because of the wind.
在何种情况下后接-ing形式?
It is difficult之后可接不定式,亦可接v-ing,但前者比较强调动作或目的,如上述句(1),这种情况较为常见。后者则比较强调状态或持续性,实例如:
(2)It's very difficult writing because I feel that somebody is looking over my shoulder.
同样find it difficult后接不定式的情况亦较为常见,但其后亦可接-ing,如:
(3)He finds it extremely difficult being a single parent.
顺便提一下,形容词easy和difficult一样,其后亦可接-ing,如:
(4)It isn't easy being a teacher these days, you know.
10 get to do与get to doing
有一读者问: get to do sth与get to doing sth有什么区别?
get to do sth较口语化,其基本含义是“经过一定(或长或短)的过程做成功,取得结果(get的本义是“得到”),有“会或能够”、“逐渐”、“变得”、“开始”等内涵。如:
(1)You will soon get to like it.
(2)How did you get to know him?
(3)I never got to go to college.
(4)Do I get to meet the President?
(5)Every capital city is getting to look like every other.
(6)The men piled out of the coach, rushed into the restaurant and immediately got to work on the meal that had been prepared for them. (get to work on应看做一固定说法)
get to doing sth在口语中常省去to,其意仅仅是“开始做什么”,如:
(7)They got to living together.
(8)I got to thinking about Pebble and what a long detour it had been to find her again.
(9)Things haven't got going yet.
11 lie 与 lying 之区别
有一读者问:有一选择填空题:
(1)Did you see a pencil-box_________on the ground just now?
A.lie B. lying C. to lie D. lay
所给答案为B,但我觉得A也对,请解答。
这里从句意看,显然应选B。lying 强调状态,再如:
(2)I saw him lying ill in bed.
lie 强调动作概念,如:
(3)I saw him lie down on the bed.
12 read 和 reading 的区别
有一读者问:请问在 I hear her_________in the classroom every morning一句中应填 read 还是应填 reading?
填 read 或 reading皆可。但二者稍有差别。如填 read 则强调动作的种类,即强调“读”而不是“唱”等。如填 reading,则有较长的延续过程的含义,是一习惯性动作过程,如念讲义等。在这个意义上,这里填 reading 较好。
13 这里的to talk与talking有什么区别?
有一读者问: 有这样两个句子:
(1)It is no use to talk.
(2)It is no use talking.
以上两句孰对孰错? 二者有什么区别?
这两种说法都是对的,其意义也没有什么不同,但后一句(用动名词)似乎更普通一些。
14 这里为何选用“think+不定式”?
有一读者问:有这样一道题:
(1)The manager was thinking_________on business the next day.
A. to go out B. out to go
C. of going out D. on going out.
答案为什么是A?为什么不是C?
这里不选C,可能是由于 be thinking of 具有尚未做出最后决定的含义。这里选A,是因为 think to 强调意图(intend)或企图去办一件比较具体的事,如《红楼梦》英译本中有一句是这样的:
(2)One morning, he had just washed and dressed and was thinking to ask his grandmother's permission to pay another visit to his friend (Chin Chung), ...
再如:
(3)He thinks to deceive us.
(4)They think to influence the voters.
think to 有时意为期待(expect),例如:
(5)I never thought to see you here.
在口语里, think to 还可表“记得”或“想到”,相当于 remember, 如:
(6)I didn't think to lock the door.
(7)I didn't think to ask.
15 何谓half gerund?
有一读者问:何谓 half gerund?
half gerund (半动名词)系英国著名语言学家Henry Sweet(1845—1912)的用语,其出处见其语法名著New English Grammar, PartⅡ第2330节,所举的例证为“I do not like him coming here.”。 他认为这里的coming既非现在分词,亦非动名词,应唤之为half gerund。
16 “afraid+of+动名词”与“afraid+不定式”之区别
有一读者问: 有这样一道选择题:
(1)The governor hid himself somewhere, because he was afraid _____.
A. to be punished B. to punish
C. of punishing D. of being punished
be afraid of doing与be afraid to do之间有什么区别呢?
有一位语法大师说,与其说这里的动名词与不定式之间存在着区别,不如说这里的介词of与介词to(这位大师认为to在此仍有介词的功用)之间存在着区别。of本义是by (afraid本是一过去分词),有“被”的含义。因而afraid of doing sth.的意思是“由于……而感到害怕或担心”,强调害怕或担心会发生的事。上述句(1)如选用of being punished, because从句即意为“因为他担心会受到处罚”。to的本义是in the direction of,表方向,可译作“去”。因而afraid to do sth的意思是“害怕或不敢去……”,强调害怕后果,故而不敢。上述句(1)如选用to be punished, because从句即意为“因为他害怕或不敢接受处分”。从上下文看,这个选项似乎较合乎题意。
试再比较:
(2)He is afraid of dying .
他担心要死。(病不会好了)
(3)He is afraid to die .
他害怕死。(不敢去死,怕死的后果)
(4)she is afraid of waking her husband up.
她惟恐把她的丈夫弄醒。(她不想或避免弄醒他)
(5)She is afraid to wake her husband up.
她不敢弄醒她的丈夫。(怕弄醒他后的结果)
顺便提一下,“形容词+介词+动名词”结构与“形容词+不定式”结构的含义往往有所不同,如:
(6)I'm sorry to interrupt .对不起,我要打断你一下。
(7)I'm sorry for interrupting .对不起,打扰你了。
但有时二者似乎并没有什么区别,如:
(8)She is fortunate to have such a kind husband.
(9)She is fortunate in having such a kind husband.
17 这里的arguing与to talk是否都对?
有一读者问: 下面两个句子是否都对:
(1)It's a waste of time arguing about it.
(2)It's a waste of time to talk with him.
这两个句子,一个用动名词 arguing, 一个用不定式 to talk, 但它们都是正确英语。 It's a waste of time 之后可用动名词,亦可用不定式。总的说来,动名词强调动作的进行并往往泛指一般情况,再如:
(3)It was a waste of time doing that.
(4)It's a waste of time trying to talk to her when she's in this mood.
不定式有时也可表一般情况,如例(2),但也常表一种特定的情况,如:
(5)It is a waste of time to argue further.
(6)It's a waste of time to wait any longer.
It is a waste of 之后还可接 money, labour, talent等,实例如:
(7)It seemed a waste of money to buy anything but the best.
(8)It's a bit of a waste of money hiring skis.
(9)It was mere waste of labour to advise him.
(10)It's a waste of John's talents to use him for such an easy job.
18 “begin +动名词”与“begin +不定式”的区别
有一读者问: begin 有时后接动名词,有时则后接不定式,这到底是怎么回事?
这是一个具有普遍性的问题。对初学者来说,应该记住下列三点:
1. 如表主观意志,二者区别不大,如下面两句都可以说:
(1)He began to read the book yesterday.
(2)He began reading the book yesterday.
如有区别,那就是不定式 to read 强调具体动作的发生,动名词 reading 则强调动作的延续。
2. 如表客观情况(非主观意志),则多后接不定式,如:
(3)It began to rain .
(4)I begin to remember it.
这两句中的 to rain 和 to remember 皆表一客观事实不由主观意志所决定。
3. begin 的进行式 beginning 之后常接不定式,以免重复-ing 形式,如:
(5)You are young people .You are only beginning to live .
(6)It was just beginning to rain as I awoke.
19 but之后不可用动名词吗?
有一读者问:有这样一道选择题:
(1)After supper the professor enjoys nothing but_________out for a walk.
A. to go B. goes C. going D. go
所给答案为C,但 but 这个介词后不是不能用动名词吗?为何不选用A呢?
首先,应该指出,介词之后并非不可用动名词,相反,作为介词,but 之后完全可用动名词,正如可用名词一样,如:
(2)In this world there is nothing but meeting and parting .
同样,上述句(1)中的介词 but 之后亦应用动名词 going。
but 之后有时确是不可用动名词,而须用不定式,但这时 but 则已不是介词而是连词了,如:
(3)He did nothing but laugh .(but 后省去了 he did)
(4)I have no choice but to accept the fact.(but 相当于 but that I have the choice)
20 for doing与to do
有读者问这样一句话:
The athletes come from the different countries for taking part in the games.
为何用for taking...而不用to take...呢?
二者皆可用,区别不大,只是for taking...着重笼统地表示一件事,to take...较为具体,着重表示一特定事件而已。
21 being able to与to be able to
有读者问一道选择题:
Real wealth is_________avoid doing what one would rather not.
A. being able to B. to be able to
为何应选A而不选B?
A是动名词,没有时间概念,B是不定式,指未来。这是一个表一客观真理的句子,无时间概念,故应选A。
22 have trouble 在此应后接(in)reading
有读者问这样一道选择题:
(1)Sometimes the students have some_________my handwriting.
A. trouble to read B. difficulties in reading
C. difficulty to read D. trouble reading
答案选D,但我认为A也对,因为我见过这样的句子:
(2)I have much trouble to keep out of debt.
(3)I haven't any trouble to finish the work within two days.
不知我的看法对否?
have trouble 之后可跟“(in)+动名词”,亦可跟不定式,但二者的含义不同:前者表时间,后者表目的。句(1)显然应选D。因为 reading (或in reading)实际上相当于 while reading。
23 关于动词regret后接动名词或不定式问题
有读者问: 我曾见过这种说法:“当regret作‘后悔’解,而后面的动词所表达的时间先于regret所表达的时间时,宾语只能是动名词;当regret作‘遗憾’解而后面的动词所表示的时间和regret相同或在其后时,其宾语应为不定式。”我认为这样说欠妥,我平时接触过北京大学编写的《大学英语语法与练习》第二册第46页上的说法:“在forget, regret等动词后面,动词-ing形式表示已经发生的动作,不定式表示将要发生的动作。”
又有这样一道选择题:
(1)John regretted_________to the meeting last week.
A. not going B. not to go
C. not having been going D. not to be going
答案是A。我则认为当regret的宾语所表示的动作为否定结构时就不存在发生的时间问题,故正确答案应是B。是否正确,请指正。
让我们先谈你提出的第一个问题,即你所引述的两种说法哪个较为妥当的问题。我们觉得上述两种说法都不算错(第一种说法中的“动词”似应改为“动作”),但都不够全面。第二种说法未指出regret后接不定式(如to say等)可表二者发生在同时,实例如:
(2)I regret to say the job has been filled.
(3)British Airways regret to announce the cancellation of flight BA 205 to Madrid.
上述两种说法都未提到“regret+动名词”有时亦可表二者发生在同时,实例如:
(4)I regret being unable to come. (=I'm sorry that I cannot come.)
(5)I really regret leaving the party so early like this.
现在再谈第二个问题,即上述句(1)的答案是否错了? 我们认为答案没有错。regret不但可后接动名词的肯定结构,而且也可后接动名词的否定结构,再如:
(6)I have always regretted not having studied harder at school.
(7)For a moment he regretted not having gone to Adderley Street.
顺便提一下,regret后接动名词时,动名词既可用一般式,亦可用完成式,例如:
(8)I regret telling (或having told )you that story.
(9)George regretted giving (或having given )Dick any money.
上述句中的动名词一般式与动名词完成式的区别不大,但如果动名词一般式所表的动作有可能与regret同时发生,则须用动名词完成式表已完成的动作。如无此种可能,用动名词一般式显然较为简洁。
24 不可说 I saw his going upstairs.吗?
有读者问:
(1)I saw him going upstairs.
上面一句也可改为 I saw his going upstairs.吗?
不可。I saw his going upstairs.在语法上虽然没有错误,但习惯上没有人会这么说。这种常后接“代词宾格+-ing形式”结构的动词除see外,还有watch, notice, hear, have, want, hate, dread 等,实例如:
(2)He was watching it coming out of the burrow.
(3)I heard her singing .
(4)I won't have you smoking here.
(5)I hated him poking his nose in my concerns.
(6)We dread him returning to us.
当然这是指一般而言。有些动词,如 hate, 则有时也可后接“代词所有格+-ing形式”结构,实例如:
(7)Mother hates my cutting potatoes with a knife.
有的语法家说 imagine 一词也不宜后接“代词所有格+ -ing形式”结构,他认为下一句中的 your 应改作 you:
(8)I cannot imagine your loving such a girl.
但在不少情况下,imagine 之后用代词宾格或代词所有格则似乎都是可以的,如:
(9)Can you imagine them/their becoming more friendly with each other?
为什么上述动词常常后接“代词宾格+-ing形式”结构呢?其原因可能有二:一是由于-ing形式表示正在进行的动作,故是现在分词,如上述句(1)、(2)、(3)、(4)等;二是由于在人们的心目中,及物动词之后总是应该用一宾语,于是就将这里的代词宾格当作了宾语,而不用代词所有格了。
25 walking在此是动名词抑或现在分词?
有一读者问词组walking tractor中的walking是动名词抑或分词?
词组walking tractor = tractor guided by a person walking,所以walking是动名词, 不是现在分词。它和a walking dictionary不同。前者的walking与tractor在逻辑上没有主谓关系,因为walking指操纵手扶拖拉机的人,非指拖拉机本身;后者的walking与dictionary则在逻辑上有主谓关系,确实指一部会走路的字典,即活字典,故walking在此是现在分词。自然,如果没有区分的必要,你也可以将上述两例的walking统称作-ing形式。
26 现在分词与“by+动名词”均作方式状语时之不同
有读者问: 现在分词用作方式状语和by+v-ing用作方式状语二者有何区别?
一般说来,现在分词用作方式状语时,强调方式,具有描写性,如:
(1)She stared unseeing at the wall.
(2)He died a glorious death fighting the bandits.
而by+-ing(动名词)则强调手段,动名词表一动作,如:
(3)Most people live by working .
(4)I solved the problem by accusing the man of being corrupt.
但有时现在分词亦可表手段,如:
(5)She lives about half an hour away walking .(现在分词walking在此显然表手段,但其前并未用by)
27 being told与to be told
有读者问一道题:
For nearly three hours we waited for the decision, only_________to come again the next day.
A. being told B. to be told
C. we were told D. were told
答案为A,为何不选用B呢?
A和B都不错。A往往只笼统地指被告诉一件事,而B则往往比较具体,后可接by somebody等词语。
28 既可看作现在分词亦可看作动名词
有读者问这样一句话:
He spent a miserable day in bed thinking of all the fun he was missing.
参考书上说thinking短语作方式状语,本人认为它也可以看做是伴随状语,不知二者有何区别?
将thinking...看作现在分词用作方式状语是现代语法的看法。按照传统语法,则应视之为动名词短语,其前省去了介词in。
29 现在分词和不定式用作后置定语时之不同
有读者问:不定式作定语用与分词作定语用有哪些主要区别?
首先让我们假定你所说的分词作定语乃指作后置定语用的分词而言。又为了将问题简化一些,让我们将分词仅限于现在分词来讨论。必须指出,在许多情况下,用作定语的不定式是无法与用作后置定语的现在分词进行比较的,因为它不能为相应的现在分词所替换,如:
(1)We have no time to lose .
(2)It's time to start .
(3)She has no patience to hear me to the end.
(4)That is not the way to settle such questions.
(5)I haven't got a ticket to see the temple?
(6)Who was the first to finish ?
(7)He has the ability to make a big plan.
反之,比如下列句中的现在分词也无法与相应的不定式互换:
(8)Oh, it's the cake burning .
(9)The book lying on the table is mine.
(10)There's little I could do for the time being .
(11)The man speaking to us the other day has gone to Japan.
(12)Houseplants requiring constant attention are not suitable for couples with little spare time.
(13)We admired the stars twinkling in the sky.
但在一定情况下,二者倒是可比较的。二者用作后置定语(不定式作定语时一般皆须后置)时的区别主要表现在时间与语义上。在时间上,不定式着重表未来,现在分词着重表“当时正在或经常”。在语义上,不定式着重表潜在可能与结果,现在分词着重表事实或真实情况。
现举几例比较如下:
(14)There is nothing to do . (to do 意味着“可做”)
(15)There is nothing doing . (doing 在此等于 being done, going on,意味着“正在被做”)
(16)There is a house to be built here. (to be built意味着“将要或计划要建造”)
(17)There is a house being built here. (being built意谓“现在正在建造”)
(18)Here is a leaflet to give full particulars of the plan. (to give 意味着会或可能提供)
(19)Here is a leaflet giving full particulars of the plan. (giving 在时间上表经常,意味着“事实上提供”)
(20)One firm to close down was Shenzhen Baomin United Company. (to close down 表结果)
(21)One firm closing down was Shenzhen Baomin United Company. (closing down 表“正在倒闭”)
有时,二者似乎无甚区别,如:
(22)The Tianjin company is the only one using (或 to use )a complete imported production line, which is got from Italy.
最后,不妨提一下,用作定语的不定式往往有情态意义,如上述句(14)中的 to do 即有“可以做”或“值得做”的含义。
30 这里常用现在分词 hoping
有读者问这样一道选择题:
(1)We walked as fast as we could _____.
A. to hope to catch the 9:30 train
B. hoping to catch the 9:30 train
C. to hope catching the 9:30 train
D. hoping catching the 9:30 train
有人说应选A, to hope to...是目的状语,但我认为应选B, 作为伴随状语,望赐教。
我们也会选B,因为在这种情况下,用“作伴随状语的现在分词短语 hoping+不定式”结构较为常见,但其前最好有一逗号。再如:
(2)I sat down, hoping to remain unnoticed.
这种现在分词亦可后接介词 for,如:
(3)He paused, hoping for evidence of interest.
31 keep on后接现在分词,不接不定式
有一读者问:高中英语第一册有这样一句话:
(1)In the years that followed, Marx kept on studying English and using it.
我们这里有一位长者说 keep on 后既可接动名词,也可接不定式。但
我在某些参考书中却看到: keep on 可当作一个及物动词使用,后面接表示动作的动名词。请问究竟哪种看法正确?
上述两种说法都欠妥。第一种说法将 keep on 与 go on 相混淆了。 go on 之后是既可接不定式,如上述《高中英语》第一册第一课即有一例:
(2)However, he went on to explain that he was not too sure about two things — the grammar and some of the idioms.
亦可后接-ing 形式,如:
(3)He made up his mind to go on working at the wireless pictures. (亦摘自《高中英语》第一册)
但 keep on 之后则须后接-ing 形式。
第二种说法错认为 keep on 之后只可接动态动词的-ing 形式。事实上,keep on 亦可后接静态动词的-ing 形式,如:
(4)Isn't it best to keep on hoping ?
最后,尚须指出,keep on doing 结构中的 keep 是不及物动词,on 是副词,-ing形式是现在分词而不是动名词。
32 这里的 reading 是现在分词抑或动名词?
有一读者问: 请问 She spent a lot of time reading bestsellers.一句中的 reading 是分词还是动名词?
这里的 reading 按照传统语法,应是动名词,其前省去了介词 in。但现在则有人认为它是现在分词,表示方式。更有人一律将现在分词和动名词唤作-ing 形式,这样就无所谓二者的不同了。
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