现在分词与过去分词不同,本文主要内容关键词为:分词论文,此文献不代表本站观点,内容供学术参考,文章仅供参考阅读下载。
中国人学英语有许多难点,分词便是其中之一。它不能单独在句中作谓语动词用,但却可以在句中用作定语、宾语补足语、表语和状语;它还可带有自己的宾语或状语,构成分词短语。分词从形式上可以分为现在分词和过去分词。这二者之间有什么不同呢?
首先,二者的构成不同。其次,二者在句子中所表达的意义不同。下面主要从意义上作一比较说明。
1.作定语
过去分词中,有的来自及物动词,有的来自不及物动词。充当前置定语的过去分词通常来自及物动词,含有被动意义和完成意义;充当前置定语的现在分词中,有的来自及物动词,有的来自不及物动词,通常含有主动意义和未完成意义。比较:
polluted air被污染过的空气
flying fish飞鱼
printed question papers印出来的试卷
living things有生命的东西
来自不及物动词的过去分词可作前置定语的仅限于下面几个。这种情况下,过去分词只表示完成意义,不表示被动意义:
a retired worker=a worker who has retired一个退休工人
an escaped prisoner=a prisoner who has escaped一名逃犯
a faded/withered flower=a flower that has faded/withered一朵凋谢的花
fallen leaves=leaves that have fallen落叶
an expired lease=a lease that has expired一份到期的租契
the risen sun=the sun that has just risen升起来的太阳
a returned student=a student who has returned from abroad一位归国留学生
the vanished treasure=treasure that has vanished失落的珍宝
a grown man=a person who has grown into a man一个成年人
有些过去分词不能单独作前置定语,但若加前缀un-或与某些副词构成复合形容词,便可作前置定语。不能说told sufferings,a behavedboy或a travelled businessman,但却可以说untold sufferings(=sufferings not able to be counted or measured),well-behavedchildren(=children who behaved well),a widely-travelledbusinessman(=a businessman who has travelled widely)。
由过去分词短语充当的后置定语在意义上相当于定语从句。例如:
(1)This is one of the houses built last year.
(=This is one of the houses which were built last year.)这是去年建成的房子之一。
(2)The largest collection ever found in England containedabout 200,000 silver pennies.
(=The largest collection that had ever been found in England contained about 200,000 silver penies.)在英国迄今所发现的最大的收藏是约200,000枚银币
有时单个的过去分词也可以作后置定语。这时,过去分词的动词性质更加突出,在意义上仍然起定语从句的作用。例如:
Things seen are mightier than things heard.
(=Things which are seen are,mightier than things which areheard.)看见的东西比听说的东西更具有说服力。
现在分词也可以在句子中作定语用。单个现在分词多放在被修饰的名词或代词之前。带有宾语或状语的现在分词,多放在被修饰的名词或代词之后。这时,分词与被其修饰的名词或代词之间多是主谓关系,表达的动作多属尚未完成。单个的现在分词作后置定语时,被修饰的词多为代词。例如:
a sleeping boy=a boy who is sleeping一个睡觉的男孩
a waiting taxi=a taxi which is waiting一辆等人租用的出租车
working people=people who work劳动人民
The people smoking are not welcome here.(=The people who are smoking are not welcome here.)吸烟的人在这里不受欢迎。
A parcel weighing half a ton has just been delivered.
(=A parcel that weighs half a ton has just been delivered.)一个半吨重的包裹刚刚递送出去。
The man driving the car did not see the old lady crossingthe street.
(=The man who was driving the car did not see the oldladywho was crossing the street.)开车人没有看见过马路的老太太。
2.作宾语补足语
用作宾语补足语的过去分词也大都来自及物动词。凡是已经形容词化了的过去分词,大都既可以作定语,又可以作宾语补足语。例如:
I found the door locked.我发现门锁住了。
I found a locked door.我发现一扇落锁的门。
I found him disappointed.我发现他很失望。
He was the most disappointed man of all在所有的人中,他最感到失望。
后面可以用过去分词作宾语补足语的动词有:
1)see,hear,feel,find,think等表示感觉或心理状态的动词。例如:
I saw the bottle broken.我看见瓶子破了。
Everybody thought the battle lost.人人都以为仗打败了。
2)make,get,have,keep等表示“致使”意义的动词。例如:
1 have my hair cut every twenty days.我20天理一次发。
He was trying to make himself understood.他一直在努力让别人理解自己。
注:在“have+宾语+过去分词”结构中,have有三种不同意义。比较:
We had the problem solved.(had意为“致使”,属有意行为)
She had her arm broken in an accident.(had意为“遭受”,属非有意行为)
I have no money left.(have意为“有”)
3)like,want,wish,order等表示希望、要求、命令等意义的动词。例如:
I don't want any of you(to be)involved in the scandal.我不想让你们任何人卷入丑闻。
He won't like such questions(to be)discussed at the meeting.他不愿意在会议上讨论这样的问题。
不及物动词的过去分词在个别情况下也能用作宾语补足语。例如:
They found the guests gone.
由上述各句可知,作宾语补足语的过去分词与宾语之问呈逻辑上的动宾关系,且动作已经完成或状态已经结束。在句子中作宾语补足语的现在分词与宾语呈逻辑上的主谓关系且表示动作尚未完成或状态尚未结束。例如:
I found them planting trees.我发现他们在植树。
I saw her standing in front of our classroom.我看见她站在我们教室的前面。
3.作表语
作表语用的过去分词,也大多来自及物动词。例如:
The door remains locked.门仍然锁着。
The man looked disappointed.这人看起来很失望。
go,come,assemble等少数不及物动词的过去分词,可以在句中作表语,表示完成意义,不表示被动意义。例如:
They are come.他们来了。
Gone forever are the days when the imperialists could rideroughshod over the Chinese people.帝国主义骑在中国人民头上作威作福的日子一去不复返了。
由上述例句可知,当分词在句子中作表语时,若与句子的主语在逻辑上是动宾关系或表示动作已经完成,则多用过去分词。但若与句子的主语在逻辑上是主谓关系或表示动作尚未完成,则多用现在分词。例如:
The glass is broken.玻璃杯碎了。
Our achievements in science are very striking.我们在科学方面取得的成就非常惊人。
4.作状语
过去分词和现在分词都可以在句子中作状语。这时,它们在意义上相当于一个状语从句。若分词与句子的主语在逻辑上是动宾关系或分词表示的动作已经完成或状态已经结束,则用过去分词;若分词与句子的主语在逻辑上是主谓关系或分词表示的动作尚未完成或状态尚未结束,则用现在分词。例如:
Punished,they will not cooperate.
=When/If they are punished,they will not cooperate.
United,we stand;divided,we fall.
=When/If we are united,we stand;when/if we are divided,wefall.
Not knowing what to do,the woman telephoned the police.
=Because the woman didn't know what to do,she telephoned the police.
Having finished their homework,the students went home.
=After the students had finished their homework,the went home.
综上所述,我们可以知道:若要判断是用过去分词还是用现在分词,首先要找到与分词有关系的那个关键词,然后再根据分词与关键词的关系,来决定该用过去分词还是现在分词。这个关键词是由分词在句子中所作的句子成分所决定的:作定语时,关键词是被分词所修饰的名词或代词;作宾语补足语时,关键词是宾语;作表语和状语时,关键词是句子的主语。掌握了这些,我们在运用分词的过程中,就可以少出错误。