眾所周知,英語動詞有時(shí)態(tài)。在理論上,每個(gè)動詞都可以有不同時(shí)態(tài);事實(shí)上,并不如此。特別要注意的是,有些動詞通常不以“進(jìn)行式時(shí)態(tài)”(continuous tenses)出現(xiàn),不管這進(jìn)行式時(shí)態(tài)是現(xiàn)在的、過去的、現(xiàn)在完成的等等。
這樣的動詞是指哪些呢?
㈠ 與“情緒”有關(guān)的,如“want, desire, prefer, love, hope, hate, like, dislike, wish, forgive”等。
㈡ 與“五官”有關(guān)的,如“see, hear, smell, feel, notice, taste”等。
㈢ 與“擁有”有關(guān)的,如“owe, own, belong, possess”等。
㈣ 與“思考”有關(guān)的,如“understand, realise, mean, know, remember, forget, believe, suppose, agree, think imagine, recall, recognise, mind”等。
㈤ 接系動詞,如“appear, seem, become, get, grow, turn, remain, look, sound”等。
㈥ 助動詞,如“be, have”等。
㈦ 其他,如“equal, contain, deserve, need, depend, result, consist, care, doubt, differ, find”等。
因此,避免用(a)這樣的句子;可用像(b)或(c)這樣的句式:
①a. We are noticing a stranger entering the shop.
b. I noticed him stand near the cashier.
c. Have you noticed anything wrong with him?
②a. I am liking to be honest.
b. You don’t like to be a liar, do you?
c. Yes, we all dislike liars.
③a. You have done something wrong. Are you realising your mistake?
b. Yes, I realise it.
c. It’s really good for you to have realised your wrong-doing.
雖然在習(xí)慣上,上述幾類動詞不以進(jìn)行式時(shí)態(tài)出現(xiàn),但在特殊情況下或動詞的意思轉(zhuǎn)變時(shí),有關(guān)的動詞也可以用進(jìn)行式的。例如:
⒈當(dāng)主語意識強(qiáng)烈時(shí)或緊密地運(yùn)用某感官時(shí),與這感官有關(guān)的動詞這時(shí)便可以進(jìn)行式出現(xiàn),如:
④ Don’t disturb your parents. They are listening to the news.
⑤ Why are you smelling the fish like that? Do you think it has gone wrong?
⑥ The police are watching the house to make sure that nobody leaves it.
⑦ The doctor is feeling the boy’s forehead with his eyes closed.
⑧ Mother was tasting the soup to make sure if it was nice.
⒉當(dāng)意思轉(zhuǎn)變時(shí),感官動詞可以是進(jìn)行式時(shí)態(tài),如:
⑨ The Selection Committee is seeing the shortlisted applicants now.(面試)
⑩ We have been hearing about his problems. What can we do to help?(獲悉)