動詞不定式
意義、形式和特征
1)基本概念和形式動詞不定式(infinitive)是一種非限定動詞,由不定式符號to加動詞原形所構(gòu)成。動詞不定式有動詞的特征,同時也有名詞、形容詞和副詞的特征。
2)動詞不定式的動詞特征
a)如果動詞不定式是及物的,須有賓語。如:
He wants to study Japanese.他想學(xué)習(xí)日語。(動詞不定式to study后面有賓語Japanese)
b)動詞不定式可以被狀語修飾。如:
The rain continued to fall heavily.雨繼續(xù)下得很大。(動詞不定式to fall后面有狀語heavily)
動詞不定式加賓語或狀語構(gòu)成動詞不定式短語,如上二例中的to study Japanese和to fall heavily。
3)動詞不定式的非動詞特征
用法動詞不定式具有名詞、形容詞和副詞的特征,所以它在句子中可用作主語、表語、賓語、定語和狀語。
1)主語
To lean out of the window is dangerous.把身子伸出窗外是危險的。
To talk with him is a great pleasure.和他談話是一件非常愉快的事。
To die for the people is a glorious death! 為人民而死,雖死猶榮。
動詞不定式短語作主語時,往往放在謂語動詞的后面,而在句首用引詞"作語法上的主語。上述兩句即可改為:
It is a great pleasure to talk with him.
It is a glorious death to die for the people.
注意也常用"It is+形容詞+動詞不定式短語"這樣的句型:
It is necessary to make a plan for this course of study.必須訂一個學(xué)習(xí)這門課程的計劃。
It is not difficult to learn a foreign if you spend time and effort on it. 小只要你花時間下功夫,學(xué)好一門外國語并不難。
It's just impossible to see that and not weep.看見那種情景而不哭是根本不可能的。(注意weep之前省去了to,以免重復(fù))
2)表語
Her wish is to become an astronaut.她的愿望是成為一名宇航員。
Our plan is to finish the work in two weeks.我們的計劃是在兩周內(nèi)完成這項工作。
His only desire was to be useful to the country.他唯一的愿望是做一個對國家有用的人。
3)賓語有些及物動詞常用動詞不定式作賓語。這些動詞有want(想要),wish(想望),like(喜歡),decide(決定),help(幫助),pledge(保證),begin(開始),forget(忘記),learn(學(xué)習(xí)),ask(要求)等等。動詞不定式一般不作介詞的賓語。如:
He wants to be a village school teacher in a mountain area.他要做個山村教師。
Do you like to watch football matches? 你喜歡看足球賽嗎?
Learn to walk before you run.先學(xué)走后學(xué)跑。
We decided to make changes in our plan.我們決定把計劃做些修改。
動詞不定式也可以用來作某些形容詞的賓語。這些形容詞通常只有ready(準(zhǔn)備好,愿意),eager(急于),anxious(急于)等,但為了學(xué)習(xí)上的方便,也可以包括able(能夠),sure(一定),glad(高興),sorry(難過),afraid(怕),free(隨意),pleased(高興),determined(決心),willing(愿意)等。如:
He is sure to succeed.他肯定會成功。
How do you do? I'm glad to meet you. 你好?見到你很高興。
The boys and girls are anxious to learn how to skate.這些男孩子和女孩子渴望學(xué)會滑冰。
4)定語動詞不定式作定語時,須放在被修飾的名詞或代詞之后。如:
He is always the first one to get up.他總是第一個起床。
I have a few words to say on this question。關(guān)于這個問題我有幾句話要說。
They are discussing ways to guarantee high output.他們正在討論保證高產(chǎn)量的辦法。
After the Ching Ming Festival it is time to sow sorghum,millet and corn.清明節(jié)一過,正是播種高梁、谷子和玉米的時節(jié)。
5)狀語動詞不定式作狀語時,一般放在它所修飾的動詞之后。
a)表示目的
He went to Beijing to study in 1988.一九八八年他去北京學(xué)習(xí)。
He went to Paris to learn French.他去巴黎學(xué)法文。
[注一]強(qiáng)調(diào)動詞不定式所表示的目的時,動詞不定式可變?yōu)閕n order to (為了)或so as to(以便)加動詞原形。如:
We often listen to English broadcasts in order to get more practice in training our ears.我們經(jīng)常聽廣播,以便加強(qiáng)聽力訓(xùn)練。
In order to learn acupuncture,she practiced on herself every day.為了學(xué)習(xí)針灸,她每天在自己身上試驗。(注意in order to可放在句首)
We must have good soil so as to grow roses.種玫瑰花要有好的土壤。
[注二]動詞不定式可以放在句首,使其所表示的目的更加明顯突出。如:
To be a good teacher one must use good teaching methods.要成為好的教師一定要有好的教學(xué)方法。
To de fend our country we must strengthen ourselves.為了保衛(wèi)祖國,我們必須自強(qiáng)不息。
[注三] 注意有些用作句子獨(dú)立成分的習(xí)慣語,如to begin with(首先),to conclude(最后),to be sure(當(dāng)然),to tell you the truth(老實對你說)等。
b)表示結(jié)果
My grandmother lived to see the birth of my little daughter.我的祖母活到親眼看到我的小女兒出生。
A few years later he came home to find that his hometown had greatly changed.幾年后他回到家里,發(fā)現(xiàn)故鄉(xiāng)的面貌大大地改變了。
[注一] 有時可以用too...to(太…而不能)結(jié)構(gòu)來表示"結(jié)果辦不到"。如:
He is too young to join the army.他太年輕了,不能參軍。
It was too cold,to go out last night.昨晚太冷,無法出去。
[注二] 動詞不定式和only連用時,常表示未預(yù)料到的結(jié)果。如:
I went to see him only to find him out.我去看他,不料他出去了。
I hurried to the post office,only to find it was closed.我匆忙趕到郵局,不料已經(jīng)關(guān)門了。
[英語語法手冊]非限定動詞 C
含有動詞不定式的復(fù)合賓語
動詞不定式可用作復(fù)合賓語中的賓浯補(bǔ)足語。可有這種復(fù)合賓語結(jié)構(gòu)的動詞有g(shù)et(請),ask(請求),order(命令),persuade(說服),advise(勸告),like(喜歡),want(想要),tell(叫),know(知道)help(幫助),call on(號召,請求),等等。如:
He got someone to repair the door.他請人修理門。
I persuaded my brother to change his mind.我說服我弟弟改變了主意。
The doctor advised him to take a good rest.大夫勸他好好休息。
在某些及物動詞的復(fù)合賓語中,動詞不定式須省掉too這些動詞有:make(使),let(讓),see(見),
watch(望),hear(聽),have(使),feel(覺得)等。動詞help后不定式的to可以省掉,也可以保留。如:
Make the past serve the present and foreign things serve China.古為今用,洋為中用。
He let me go home.他讓我回家。
We must have someone repair the refrigerator.我們必須叫人來修電冰箱。
I heard him speak in the next room.我聽到池在隔壁房間里講話。
Mother is helping pat (to) clean her shoes.媽媽正幫蓓蒂刷鞋子。
[注一]上述句子變成被動語態(tài)時,動詞不定式的to仍須保留。如
[英語語法手冊]非限定動詞 D
動詞不定式的否定結(jié)構(gòu)
動詞不定式的否定結(jié)構(gòu)由在不定式符號to之前加上not而成。如:
He decided not to go home.他決定不回家。
The teacher warned the pupils not to go skating on thin ice.教師警告學(xué)生不要在薄冰上滑冰。
I told him not to open the door.我叫他不要開門。
疑問詞 + 動詞不定式
疑問代詞who,what,which和疑問副詞when,where,how等后加動詞不定式,構(gòu)成一種特殊的動詞不定式短語,可在句子中作主語、賓語、表語等成分。如:
When to start has not been decided.何時動身尚未決定。(作主語)
They told her where to find her little brother.他們告訴她到哪里找她的小弟弟。(作賓語)
The teacher showed the students how to do the exercise.老師教學(xué)生如何做練習(xí)。(作賓語)
He thought a lot about how to improve his English pronunciation.他對如何提高英語語音想得很多。(作介詞的賓語)
動詞不定式復(fù)合結(jié)構(gòu)"for + 名詞(或代詞賓格) + 動詞不定式"
在這種結(jié)構(gòu)中的for本身無意義。名詞(或代詞賓格)形式上是for的賓語,但在邏輯上可以說是動詞不定式的主語。這種不定式復(fù)合結(jié)構(gòu)在句子里可作下列成分:
1)主語
For us to learn foreign languages is important.學(xué)習(xí)外語對我們來說是重要的。
在句中,for us在邏輯上是to learn foreign languages的主語。這種結(jié)構(gòu)作主語時,和簡單的動詞不定式結(jié)構(gòu)一樣,一般都用引詞訌來代表并放在句首,"for + 名詞 (或代詞賓格) + 不定式"則放在句末。如:
It is important for us to learn foreign languages.
It is necessary for us to learn from each other.我們必須相互學(xué)習(xí)。
2)表語
It is for you to decide.這得由你決定。
3)賓語
Can you arrange for a car to take us there?你能安排一輛汽車送我們到那里去嗎?
4)定語
There is a lo to work for us to do.有很多工作要我們?nèi)プ觥?br>
5)狀語
The policeman blew his whistle for the carts to stop.警察吹哨要那幾輛大車停下來。(作目的狀語)
[英語語法手冊]非限定動詞 E
動詞不定式一般式所表示的時間關(guān)系
1)動詞不定式一般式表示的動作與謂語動詞表示的動作同時發(fā)生。如:
I saw him go out.我看見他出去了。(saw與go out兩個動作同時發(fā)生)
Would you help me put things in order before we leave?在我們離開之前,你幫我整理一下東西好嗎?(would help和put同時發(fā)生)
2)但在很多情況下,動詞不定式一般式表示的動作發(fā)生在謂語動詞表示的動作之后;如:
I hope to see you again.我希望再見到你。(to see這個動作發(fā)生在hope之后)
The boy said he wanted to be a scientist.這男孩說他想做一個科學(xué)家。(to be在wanted之后)
動詞不定式的時態(tài)形式
動詞不定式通常有三種時態(tài)形式,現(xiàn)以write為例:
一般式to write進(jìn)行式to be writing
完成式 to have written
動詞不定式完成式的用法
動詞不定式完成式表示的動作發(fā)生在限定動詞表示的動作之前。如:
I am sorry to have kept you waiting.對不起,叫你久等了。(to have kept發(fā)生在am所表示的時間之前)
She seems to have read the book before.她好像看過這本書。(to have read發(fā)生在seems所表示的時間之前)
The battery appears to have run down.這組電池好像已經(jīng)用完了。(to have run down發(fā)生在appears所表示的時間之前)
但在下面句子中,動詞不定式表示"動作沒有完成":
We were to have met at ten.我們本來是約定十點鐘見面的。(結(jié)果未見面)
動詞不定式進(jìn)行式的用法
動詞不定式進(jìn)行式表示動作正在進(jìn)行,與謂語動詞表示的動作同時發(fā)生。如:
He see ms to be recovering.他看來在康復(fù)。
When he came in,I happened to be lying on the bed,reading. 他進(jìn)來的時候,我碰巧正躺在床上看書。