黃靜香

一、使役動詞與 to 的省略

當(dāng)不定式用于 let, make, have 等使役動詞后作賓語補(bǔ)足語,不定式必須省略 to。如:

Let me have another cup of tea. 給我再來一杯茶。

She had him dig away the snow. 她讓他把雪挖走。

They made him tell them everything. 他們強(qiáng)迫他把一切全告訴他們。

但是,當(dāng)使役動詞用于被動語態(tài)時(shí),其后的不定式則必須要帶to。如:

他被迫一天工作20小時(shí)。

誤:He was made work twenty hours a day.

正:He was made to work twenty hours a day.

注意,表示使役意義的 let 和 have 很少用于被動語態(tài)。

另外注意,force, oblige 等雖然也表示“使”,但它們后用作賓語補(bǔ)足語的不定式必須帶 to。如:

They forced her to sign the paper. 他們強(qiáng)迫她在文件上簽字。

The law obliged parents to send their children to school. 法律要求父母送子女上學(xué)。

二、感覺動詞與 to 的省略

當(dāng)不定式用于表示感覺的動詞 feel, hear, notice, observe, see, watch, look at, listen to 等作賓語補(bǔ)足語時(shí),不定式必須省略 to。如:

We all felt the house shake. 我們都感覺這房子在震動。

I heard him go down the stairs. 我聽見他下樓了。

Did you notice her leave the house?她離開屋子你注意到了嗎?

I watched her get into the car. 我看著她上了車。

但是,當(dāng) feel 后用作賓語補(bǔ)足語的不定式為 to be 時(shí),則不能省略 to。如:

They all felt the plan to be unwise. 他們都認(rèn)為這個(gè)計(jì)劃不明智。

注意,當(dāng)這些動詞變?yōu)楸粍诱Z態(tài)時(shí),不定式的 to 不能省略。如:

They were heard to break a glass in the next door. 聽見他們在隔壁打破了一個(gè)玻璃杯子。

另外,若用作賓語補(bǔ)足語的不定式為完成式,則通常應(yīng)帶 to。如:

I noticed her to have come early. 我注意到她來得很早。

三、why (not) 與 to 的省略

在 why (not)...?之后的不定式不能帶 to。如:

Why argue with him? Hell never change his mind. 為什么要跟他爭論?他永遠(yuǎn)不會改變自己的看法。

Why not try going by boat for a change?為什么不試著坐船去,這樣也可以換換花樣?

Why not wait till the winter sales to buy a new coat? 為什么不等到冬季大賤賣時(shí)再買一件新外衣呢?

四、介詞 except / but 與 to 的省略

當(dāng)不定式用作介詞 except 或 but 的賓語時(shí),該不定式有時(shí)帶 to,有時(shí)不帶 to,情形比較復(fù)雜,大致原則是:其前有 do,不定式不帶 to;其前沒有 do,不定式通常帶 to。如:

He likes nothing except to watch TV. 除了看電視外,他什么都不喜歡。

It had no effect except to make him angry. 除惹他生氣外,沒產(chǎn)生任何效果。

Theres little we can do except wait. 除了等待,我們沒有什么辦法。

I could do nothing except agree. 我除了同意,沒有別的辦法。

五、help 與 to 的省略

當(dāng)動詞 help 后跟一個(gè)不定式用作賓語或賓語補(bǔ)足語時(shí),不定式可以不帶 to,也可以帶 to。如:

Can you help (to) carry this table upstairs? 你能幫忙把桌子搬到樓上去嗎?

I have lost my watch. Will you help me (to) look for it?我把表丟了,你能不能幫我找找?

但是,當(dāng) help 用于被動語態(tài)時(shí),其后的不定式必須帶 to。如:

Millie was helped to overcome her fear of flying. 米利在別人的幫助下克服了飛行恐懼。

另外,當(dāng)不定式為否定式時(shí),其中的 to 通常不宜省略。如:

How can I help my children not to worry about their exams?我怎樣才能幫助我的孩子們不為他們的考試著急呢?

六、know 與 to 的省略

不定式用于動詞 know 之后作賓語補(bǔ)足語主要見于以下兩類句型。

一是用于“know + 賓語 + to be”:當(dāng) know 為現(xiàn)在式時(shí),其中的 to 不能省略;當(dāng) know 為過去式或完成式時(shí),其中的 to 可以省略也可以保留。如:

I know him to be a fool. =I know(that) he is a fool. 我知道他是個(gè)傻瓜。

Ive never known her(to) be late before. 我以前從不知道她遲到過。

二是用于“know + 賓語 + to do”:當(dāng) know 為現(xiàn)在式時(shí),其中的 to 不能省略;當(dāng) know 為過去式或完成式時(shí),其中的 to 可以省略也可以保留。如:

They know him to have been a spy. 他們知道他過去當(dāng)過間諜。

I never knew him (to) do such a thing. 我從未見過他干那種事。

Ive never known it (to) snow in July before. 我以前從未聽說過七月份會下雪。

注意,在被動語態(tài)中,不定式必須帶 to。如:

He has never been known to tell a lie. 從未有人聽說過他說謊。

另外,當(dāng)其中的不定式為完成式時(shí),to 也不可省略。如:

They knew the man to have been a thief. 他們發(fā)現(xiàn)此人曾是個(gè)小偷。

I have never known her to have failed. 我從來沒發(fā)現(xiàn)她失敗過。

七、bid 與 to 的省略

當(dāng) bid 表示“吩咐”時(shí),用于其后作賓語補(bǔ)足語的不定式可以帶 to 也可以不帶 to。如:

She bade me (to) come in. 她叫我進(jìn)來。

He bade me (to) do the work. 他吩咐我去做那項(xiàng)工作。

但是,在當(dāng) bid 為被動語態(tài)時(shí),其后的不定式必須帶 to。如:

I was bidden to do the work. 我被囑咐去做那項(xiàng)工作。

八、不定式作表語與 to 的省略

當(dāng)不定式用作表語時(shí),其中的 to 原則上是不能省略的。如:

His aim is to do two years work in one. 他的目標(biāo)是一年干兩年的工作。

This wall is to keep people out of the garden. 這堵墻為的是不讓人到花園里來。

但有一種例外,那就是當(dāng)主語部分有動詞 do 的某種形式時(shí),用作表語的不定式可以省略 to。如:

What you first do is (to) mix the egg with flour. 你先得把雞蛋和面粉和好。

All I did was (to) touch the window, and it broke. 我只不過碰了一下窗戶,玻璃就碎了。

九、并列不定式與 to 的省略

當(dāng)兩個(gè)或多個(gè)作用相同的不定式并列時(shí),通常只需在第一個(gè)不定式前用 to,其余不定式前的 to 可以省略。如:

Id like to lie down and (to) go to sleep. 我想躺下睡覺了。

Will you go to see the film or (to) dance?你要去看電影還是要去跳舞?

Ill go to see him myself and (to) ask him about it. 我將親自去看望他并問一問那件事情。

但是,如果兩者有對比關(guān)系,則后面不定式前的 to 不可省略。如:

To try and fail is better than not to try at all. 嘗試而失敗總比不嘗試好。

十、固定搭配與 to 的省略

1. let 類固定搭配:let fall (無意中說出),let fly(發(fā)射、攻擊), let go (放開), let slip (放走), live and let live (自己活也讓別人活)等。如:

He aimed carefully and then let fly. 他仔細(xì)瞄準(zhǔn)之后便開了槍。

She let slip a chance to work abroad. 她錯(cuò)過了出國工作的機(jī)會。

The dogs got a stick between his teeth and he wont let go. 那狗叼著一根棍兒不松口。

I guessed what was happening from a few words she let fall. 我從她說的幾句話中猜出發(fā)生什么事了。

2. make 類搭配:make believe (假裝), make do (湊合著用)等。如:

The boys made believe (that) they were astronauts. 男孩子們假扮成航天員。

We were in a hurry so we had to make do with a quick snack. 我們時(shí)間很緊,只好胡亂吃了頓小吃。

(編輯 周貞雄)