動詞不定式因其在句中的功能多,變化復雜,一直是學生英語學習過程中的難點.本文旨在提供一些學生常易出錯或難易掌握的注意事項,從而幫助老師及學生在教與學的過程中,對不定式的使用有更好的把握.
一.注意某些句子成分對不定式的要求
1.最高級,序數詞或有最高級,序數詞及only修飾的詞后,非謂語動詞中只能用不定式作定語.如:
He is the oldest athlete ever to win an Olympic gold medal.
2.非謂語動詞中只能用不定式作目的狀語.如:
I came here to see you last night.
3.表示令人失望或驚訝的結果狀語,須用不定式,其前可加only,but或never來加強語氣.如:
He hurried to the school (only) to find nobody there.
4.作表語形容詞的狀語應用不定式,說明產生這種情緒的原因或是在哪方面存在謂語所表示的情況等.如:.
We are proud to be young people of China.
二.注意不定式的動作時間表示方式
1.不定式的一般式可用來表示動作與謂語動詞的動作(狀態)同時(或幾乎同時)發生,這種用法通常體現在不定式在感官動詞后作賓語補足語;其它情況則表示不定式的動作在謂語動詞所表示的動作之后發生.如:
Who heard him say that
I plan to attend the meeting to be held tomorrow.
2.如果謂語表示的動作(情況)發生時,不定式表示的動作正在進行,這時不定式應用進行式.如:
I am glad to be working with you.
3.如果不定式的動作發生在謂語動詞之前,應用完成式.
They knew the man to have been a spy.
三.注意不定式被動意義的表示方式
1.當不定式邏輯上的主語是其動作的承受者時,不定式一般要用被動形式.如:
He didn't like his intention to be laughed at.
2.作定語時,要特別注意以下情況:
(1)當不定式動作的發出者是句子的主語時,雖然不定式與所修飾的詞是動賓關系,我們習慣采用不定式的主動形式來作定語.如:
You need something to eat.
(2)當不定式的動作發出者不明確時,不定式既可以用主動式,也可以用被動式,其語義上并沒有什么區別.如:
Give me a list of the people to invite/to be invited..
(3)當不定式的動作發出者明確不是句子主語時,不定式應用被動形式.試比較:
Have you anything to send 你有什么東西要寄嗎 (動作發出者為you)
Have you anything to be sent 你有什么要(我或別人)寄的東西嗎
(4)當用不定式作定語來對所修飾的名詞進行價值判斷時,一般用不定式的被動式.如:
He is a man to be depended on. 他是一個可以信賴的人.
3.作表語時,當不定式和句中主語構成邏輯上的動賓關系時,不定式多用主動形式.這是因為人們往往認為形容詞后省去了for one或for people.如:
The fish is fit (for people) to eat.
當不定式是對主語進行價值判斷時,通常用其被動式.如:
Your behavior is to be encouraged.
四.注意作賓語時不定式與動名詞在用法上和意義上的區別
若干動詞之后既可以跟動名詞也可以跟動詞不定式作賓語,但它們當中有些詞在運用時,或是在特定的條件下有特別的用法要求,或是存在意義上的區別,列舉如下:
(1)當動詞need, want, require作"需要"解,且句子的主語與作賓語的非謂語動詞是被動關系時,其后必須用動名詞的主動形式表示被動意義,或用不定式的被動式作賓語.如:
The window needs (requires, wants) cleaning.
The window needs (requires, wants) to be cleaned.
(2)在should (would) like/love/prefer/hate后,習慣上用不定式作賓語.如:
"Can I give a lift " "No, thanks. I'd prefer to walk."
(3)在begin和start的進行式之后,要用不定式.如:
I'm beginning to learn French.
另外,當作它們賓語的動詞為一些表示心理活動的識知動詞時,應用不定式.如:
I began to understand the importance of English.
(4)forget, remember, go on, mean, regret, stop, try等動詞后可帶動名詞或不定式作賓語,但意義上有較為明顯的區別.試比較:
① I remember reading the book. (記得過去曾有過的經歷)
I must remember to read the book. (別忘記屆時去做某事)
② I'll try to improve my spoken English. (是"努力""力圖"的意思)
Try knocking at the back door if nobody hears you at the front door.(是"嘗試"的意思)
③ Stop talking. (動名詞即停止的內容)
He stopped to talk. (不定式是停止的目的,即停下來去做某事)
④ I mean to come early today. (表示"打算")
Missing the train means waiting for another hour. (表示"意味著")
⑤ I regret not having accepted your advice. (是對已做過的事表示后悔)
I regret to say I haven't given you enough help. (表示對將要做的事表示遺憾,主要用于宣布壞消息.)
⑥ Let's go on discussing the question. (討論的是同一個問題)
Let's go on to discuss another question.(討論的是另外的一個問題)
五.注意不定式與現在分詞作賓語補足語時的區別
1.在feel, hear, listen to, look at, notice, observe, see, watch等感官動詞后作賓語補足語時,不定式為不帶to的一般式的主動形式(不含be動詞),表示不定式的動作已發生(即動作的全過程已結束),若強調謂語動詞的動作發生時,不定式的動作正在進行,應用現在分詞.如:
I often hear him sing the song.
When I passed his house, I heard him singing the song.
2.在have, let, make后的賓語補足語中, let和make不能用現在分詞作賓語補足語,只有have既可跟不定式也可跟現在分詞作賓語補足語,兩者的區別只須記住:表示動作正在或一直在發生時用現在分詞,其余的情況用不定式.如:
I won't have you speaking so rudely to me. 我不允許你這樣粗暴地對我講話.
She had us working day after day. 她讓我們天天干活.
I won't have you say such things. 我絕不會讓你說這樣的話.
六.注意與不定式搭配使用的介詞問題
不及物動詞的不定式作定語時,且它與所修飾的詞是動賓關系,或者不定式所修飾的詞是不定式動作的地點,工具等,不定式后面須用相應的介詞來保證這種動賓關系以及結構上的完整.如:
There is nothing to worry about.
He is looking for a room to live in.
Please give me a knife to cut with.
但若不定式所修飾的名詞是time, place或way時,不定式后面的介詞習慣上可省去.如:
He had no money and no place to live (in).
七.注意不帶to的不定式
1.不帶to的不定式
(1)在feel, hear, listen to, see, look at, watch, notice, observe, make, let, have等感官動詞和使役動詞后,動詞不定式作賓語補足語時不帶to,若句子為被動語態,不定式則應帶to.help后可帶也可不帶to.
(2)在had better, had best, would rather, would rather…than, rather than等結構后面用不帶to的不定式.如:
He insisted on going back to his work rather than stay in hospital.
(3)在以why引導的簡短疑問句中不帶to.如:
Why worry about it
(4)在cannot choose but, cannot (help)but之后的不定式不帶to.如:
I cannot(help)but admire his courage.
(5)介詞but, except之前有行為動詞do,其后的不定式不帶to,否則要帶to.如:
She could do nothing but cry.
I have no choice but to accept the fact.
(6)不定式作表語,若主語部分(含修飾主語的定語從句)已有行為動詞do,可省略do.如:
What a fire-door does is (to) delay the spread of a fire.
What you need to do now is (to) have a good rest.
另外,help后的不定式無論作賓語還是作賓語補足語,均可省to.
