【英語學習】的進階(1):語塊

【英語學習】這個系列的文章,共99篇,這是第7篇!

連詞成句:

解題:

1. 根據【英語學習】的基本功(3),句子核心成分為SVO(名動名),情態動詞後接動詞原形做謂語動詞V,所以can make(唯一的動詞)先組合;

2. 名詞有四個(pupils, school, arrangements, needs),顯然can make arrangements 組合更合理;

3. 根據固定搭配 make arrangements for,可以確定謂語動詞 can make arrangements for;

4. 再來確定 S 和 O,顯然 school can make arrangements for pupils 意思更合理;又因為school為可數名詞,不可「裸奔」,所以 the school;

5. 剩下with special needs這個介賓短語(其中special形容詞修飾needs這個名詞);

6. 根據意思,這個介賓短語來限定pupils更合理(介賓短語做定語位於名詞後);

7. 最終句子:The school can make arrangements for pupils with special needs.

1

以上解題過程,若沒有語法基本功以及對語塊(固定搭配)的熟悉,我們不太容易組合準確。語法是基本功,在語法基礎上再學會make arrangements for 這樣的固定搭配會讓你的英文更地道自然,這樣的固定搭配在英文中叫做collocation。

A collocation is a pair or group of words that are often used together.

舉例:fast food (不是quick food);a quick meal(不是a fast meal);watch TV(不是look at TV)等等。

知道collocations這個概念之後,我們平時在學習英文過程中,需格外注意這樣的搭配,把它們當成整體來記憶和運用,而不再孤立地背誦單詞(乏味無效)。

常見的語塊collocations有以下六類:

Adjectives and nouns(形容詞+名詞)

如【英語學習】的基本功(3)所講,形容詞通常修飾名詞,所以它們可以看成一個整體。

舉例:

1. Jean always wears red or yellow or some other bright colour.

2. We had a brief chat about the exams but didnt have time to discuss them properly.

3. Unemployment is a major problem for the government at the moment.

注意事項:名詞除了用形容詞修飾之外,前面通常還會有限定詞,如句1中的some,句2和句3中的a,所以我們把a brief chat看成一個整體。句子中出現可數名詞「裸奔」通常都是錯誤的,所謂「裸奔」,是指既沒有複數形式又沒有限定詞,如開篇the一定是限定可數名詞school(否則school會裸奔),而不是限定pupils或者needs。此類錯誤是中國學生寫作或口語中最常見的錯誤之一(因為中文無需考慮單複數)。

Noun + noun (名詞+名詞)

名詞前面除了可以用形容詞修飾外,還可以用名詞來限定,我們也把它們看成整體來記憶。

舉例:

1. The reading room seems to be always well ocuppied.

2. Every parent feels a sense of pride when their child does well or wins something.

3. I felt a pang of nostalgia when I saw the old photos of the village where I grew up.

注意事項:

1. 句1中reading為動名詞,限定room,告訴讀者這是閱覽室,而不是其他room。此處,部分同學會認為reading是現在分詞來修飾room,這涉及到語法中的非謂語動詞中的動名詞和現在分詞的區別,後期進階語法會有詳解,此處暫不贅述。

2. 句2中是類似a lot of的結構,類似的還有:a wealth of knowledge,loads of work,piles of paper等,與句2中的a sense of pride一樣,把它們看成整體來記憶。

3. 句3中有兩個of結構,前一個與句2類似,後一個為A of B結構,AB均為名詞,核心名詞是A,B是限定成分。

Verbs and expressions with prepositions (動詞+介詞)

動詞後接介詞,構成動詞短語,以此來接賓語。

舉例:

1. As Jack went on stage to receive his gold medal for the judo competition you could see his parents swelling with pride.

2. I was filled with horror when I read the newspaper report of the explosion.

3. When she spilt juice on her new skirt the little girl burst into tears.

注意事項:

1. 句1中swell with(充滿)這個動詞短語中的swell為主動形式,而句2中be filled with為被動形式,直譯為「被填滿」,但句2語境中也可譯為「充滿」。所以有時中文主被動均可理解,但英文中卻不可主被動隨意換,swell with就是主動形式的collocation,而be filled with就是被動形式的collocation,記憶時還需格外注意。

2. 句3中burst into tears表示嚎啕大哭,類似也可說成burst into laughter(放聲大笑)。但還是提醒各位讀者,不可隨意編造,務必查詢詞典審核,如下:

有很多這樣的例句支撐,才能證明它是常用的片語,且務必要注意單複數等細節的準確性。

添加s之後,用必應詞典則搜索不出例句。所以務必注意正確形式為burst into laughter,而burst into tears是需要加s的。細心,是學習英語的必備品質。

Nouns and verbs (名詞+動詞)

此處不是名詞修飾動詞(顯然不可以),而是名詞和動詞構成常見的主謂結構。

舉例:

1. The economy boomed in the 1990s.

2. The two companies merged in 2003 and now form one very large corporation.

3. The company launched the product in 2002.

4. The price increase poses a problem for us.

注意事項:

1. 句1中,boom的意思很多,其中有一個是「繁榮」,常與economy構成主謂結構,還可以與trade(交易,貿易)構成主謂結構。

2. 句2中merge表示合併,主語是two companies(顯然,一個公司無法合併,兩個公司才能發出「合併」這個動作),所以寫作時務必思考主謂之間的合理性,平時閱讀中不斷積累主謂結構。

3. 句3中,launch表示發起、發行,the company可以發出這個動作;需要注意的是launch the product是動賓短語(也是常見collocation),launch常見動賓搭配還有launch a compaign(發起一場運動), launch a new model(推出新型號)等。

4. 句4中主語是the price increase(不是the price),動詞是pose,構成主謂結構。pose常見意思有「姿勢」、「擺姿勢」,此處做及物動詞,表「構成」(相當於 is 或者 present),常用動賓短語為pose a problem, pose a threat to, pose a challenge等。

Verbs and adverbs(動詞+副詞)

副詞修飾動詞,做狀語成分。

舉例:

1. He placed the beautiful vase gently on the window ledge.

2. I love you and want to marry you, Derek whispered softly to Marsha.

3. She smiled proudly as she looked at the photos of her new grandson.

注意事項:句2中,whisper softly為動詞+副詞結構,但也不要忘記上面第3種所講whisper to這個動詞+介詞結構,所以就直接做為整體來記憶和運用。

Adverbs and adjectives(副詞+形容詞)

副詞修飾形容詞,做狀語成分。

舉例:

1. They are happily married.

2. I am fully aware that there are serious problems.

注意事項:

1. 句1中,married為marry這個動詞的過去分詞形式,上期講過分詞統一看成形容詞,所以happily married自然是屬於副詞+形容詞這個結構。

2. 句2中aware為形容詞,多數學生把它當成動詞使用,導致使用錯誤。這便是上期語法中強調的詞性是語法的根基,這也是當前【英語學習】的問題(3)中國學生輸出能力弱的主要原因。

2

平時我們在積累collocations還需要注意區分哪些是用在Spoken English?哪些是用在Formal English?

舉例:美劇中經常聽到pretty awful(相當壞)和pretty good(相當好),屬於上面提及到的副詞+形容詞搭配。但此類搭配用在正式書面寫作(如雅思寫作)就會顯得不得體,而應使用fairly good,顯得更正式。

另外,在新聞報紙中,也會使用特有的collocations來達到簡短又吸引人的目的;在商務英語中,也有其特定的collocations,這兩點與我們常規英語學習者相關性不大,故此處不做贅述。

3

平時,我們會遇到很多由make, do, get, come等常用辭彙組成的collocations,我們若能準確使用,也會顯得更地道自然,而不必刻意追求所謂高大上的片語。

Go ( not get )

Go is used for changes in peoples personality, appearance and physical abilities:

People go mad/bald/grey/blind/deaf.

Go is often used for sudden, usually negative, changes:

He was very embarrassed and his face went red.

Suddenly the sky went very dark and it started to rain.

Go can also be used for slower colour changes:

The pages of the book had gone yellow over the years.

Turn ( not get )

Turn often collocates with colours:

The sky turned gold as the sun set.

When the tomatoes
turn red, the farmers pick them and sell them.

The news gave his mother such a shock that her hair
turned white overnight.

Get and become

Get and become can often be used with the same collocations, but become is more formal and is therefore more appropriate in essays:

She gave up smoking when she became pregnant.

I would like to
become involved in raising money for charity.

The same is true for collocations with adjectives such as angry, bored, excited, depressed, upset, impatient, violent:

He became depressed after his wifes death.

Become, not get, is used with the following: extinct, (un)popular, homeless, famous.

Our local bakers has become famous for its apple tarts.

Alternatives to get and become:

She fell ill and was taken to hospital.

Everyone fell silent when they heard the shocking news.

As my father
grew older, he spent less time working.

The noise
grew louder and soon we realised it was a plane approaching.

Overusing and misusing get

Here are some sentences from students essays where get is wrongly used.

A year ago, he got a heart attack.

更恰當的版本:A year ago, he had/suffered a heart attack.

I was getting crazy.

更恰當的版本:I was going crazy.

參考書籍:

書籍(電子版)下載地址:

鏈接: pan.baidu.com/s/1CJDYBl

提取密碼: ppm8

總結

語文中,很多字詞都有常見的搭配,比如「繼承傳統」、「展望未來」、「培養感情」。在這一點上,英文和中文相似,也有常見的語塊,我們需要看成整體來記憶和運用。


【英語學習】系列文章:

第一篇:當前【英語學習】的問題(1)

第二篇:當前【英語學習】的問題(2)

第三篇:當前【英語學習】的問題(3)

第四篇:【英語學習】的基本功(1)

第五篇:【英語學習】的基本功(2)

第六篇:【英語學習】的基本功(3)

weixin.qq.com/r/-E1jeyT (二維碼自動識別)


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