[英语]动词不定式的“省略与保留”2007-8-9 15:14:00　阅读 次 参与讨论()

一、不定式符号的省略与保留

1. 在had better, would rather, would rather...than, would sooner...than, cannot but, why (not)等结构后面的不定式符号to通常被省略。如:    You’d better tell her the truth. 你最好告诉她真相。
   
2. 动词不定式短语作介词but, except, besides的宾语,且介词之前有行为动词do或它的其它形式时,不定式符号to通常被省略。如:
   
What do you like to do besides swim?
   
除了游泳,你还喜欢干什么?

My mother could do nothing but wait for the doctor to arrive.
  
妈妈只好等着医生的到来。

Now he had given himself no choice but to tell her. (本句中不定式符号to不可省略)
  
当时他毫无选择的余地,只好告诉她了。

3.两个或多个不定式短语表示并列关系时,后面不定式短语的不定式符号to通常被省略;如果表示对比关系,则不定式中的不定式符号to通常要保留。如:

They didn’t tell me whether to go on or to stop.(对比关系)
   
他们没有告诉我是继续下去还是停止。

She told the child to stay there and wait till she came back.(并列关系)
   
她让孩子待在那里等她回来。

4.在某些感官动词或使役动词(如 hear, listen to, notice, observe, see, watch,

make等)之后充当宾语补足语的不定式中,不定式符号to总是被省略,但在被动语态的句子中,不定式符号to通常要保留。如:

They made that man work all the morning.
   
他们让那个人干了一个早晨。

That man was made to work all the morning.
   
那个人被要求干了一个早晨。

5. 不定式短语作表语,不定式符号to常常要保留,但当what引导的名词性从句作主语,或all, everything等后接定语从句作主语,从句谓语部分含有动词do或do的其他形式时,作表语的不定式可以保留也可省略不定式符号to。如:
    
The greatest happiness is to work for the happiness of all.
   
最大的幸福就是为大家的幸福而工作。

The only thing I can do now is (to)go on by myself.
   
我现在唯一能做的就是*自己继续进行下去。

二、不定式符号后面动词的省略与保留

1. 为了避免重复,在hope, wish, want, like, love, decide, plan, mean, prefer,want, have to, be able to, be going to, used to, ought to等动词及习语后面出现与上文相同的不定式时,常保留不定式符号to,而把其它部分省略。如:

Ms King lied to us because she had to.
   
金女士跟我们撒了谎,因为她不得不这样做。

－I heard that you would go to Dalian for your holiday.
     
我听说你要去大连度假。

－I planned to, but I have some important business to deal with.
     
我原计划去的,但有重要的事情要处理。

2.当不定式在ask, advise, persuade, wish, allow, permit, tell, expect, force, invite, beg等动词后面充当宾语补足语时,为了避免重复,常保留不定式符号,而把后面的动词省略。如:

She wants to come but her parents won’t allow her to.
   
她想来,但她的父母不允许。

If he doesn’t want to go there, don’t force him to.
   
如果他不想去那里,别强迫他。

He didn’t come, though we had invited him to.
   
虽然我们邀请了他,但他没来。

－Did your husband give up smoking?
      
你丈夫戒烟了吗?

－No. He was advised to, but he wouldn’t listen.
   
没有。有人劝过他,但他就是不听。

3. 在特定的上下文中,为了避免重复,如果不定式为一般式to be...或完成式to have done时,则不定式符号to和be或have常一并保留,be或have之后的部分通常要省略。如:

－Aren’t you the headmaster? 

你难道不是校长吗?

－No, and I don’t want to be.
  
我不是,而且我也不想当。

－Hasn’t he finished writing the report?
   
难道他还没写完报告吗?

－No, but he ought to have.
   
是的,但他本来应该写完。