In the past year, I have seen The Titanic three times.
对读者而言,最重要的是〝现在完成式〞和〝过去式〞不同究竟在那里?最重要的不同在于,一旦在句子中讲一件过去发生的事,而且指定特定的时间,就一定要用〝过去式〞,而不能用〝现在完成式〞。比方说,〝我曾经看过「铁达尼号」〞,可以用现在完成式,因为这句话没有指明任何特定的时间,假如说,〝我昨天晚上去看「铁达尼号」〞,就一定用过去式,读者不妨看看以下的比较:
(a)I went to America last year.
I have been to America.
(b)I saw The Titanic last year.
I have seen The Titanic twice.
(c)I finished my homework late last night.
I have finally finished my homework.
(d)I studied English when I was a small child.
I have studied English since I was a child.
(e)I went to church yesterday.
I have never been to church.
以下的句子是错的,请特别注意:
*(1)I have seen the movie last year.
*(2)I have never been to America last year.
*(3)He has never finished his work last night.
现在完成式常和since、for、already、never、ever等字一起使用,以下都是这类的例子:
(1)I have already had dinner.
(2)Since this summer began, we have already had two storms.
(3)It has not rained for a long time.
(4)I have never talked to this man before.
(5)I have never met your father.
(6)Have you ever been to America?
(7)He has already won three awards.
(8)I have stayed here since June.
Never 和 ever 也常是我们弄不清楚如何使用的字,一般说来, never 有否定的意思,ever则只有在问句中才会出现。
【练习十一】
将以下句子译成英文,全部用现在完成式:
1.自从1980年,我就每天早上游泳。
2.我已收到了你的信。
3.我从未去过美国。
4.从他是一个小孩开始,他就是一个基督徒(Christian)。
5.我见过你的祖父。
6.你的弟弟一直住在这里。
7.他学钢琴已经很久了。
8.我已写了三封信给他,他都没有回。
9.过去三年我都在开这部车。
10.自从1975年以来,他一直是一位老师。
11.他教英文很久了。
12.我曾经看过乱世佳人(Gone with the Wind)。
13.我已吃过饭了。
14.今年我去过海滩三次。
15.我终其一生都爱你的。
【练习十二】
将以下句子译成英文,有的用过去式,有的用现在完成式
1.昨天我去看〝乱世佳人〞(Gone with the Wind)。
2.我从未看过〝乱世佳人〞。
3.去年,我住在美国。
4.自从1985年,我就一直住在美国。
5.他从未去过英国。
6.他已经完成了报告。
7.我昨天晚上完成了报告。
8.昨夜,我见到了你的父亲。
9.我已经见过你的父亲好几次了。
10.我终生都住在台中。
【练习十三】
填充
1. I (become) a Christian when I was a child.
2. I (be) a Christian all my life.
3. He (live) here since 1939.
4. Stop eating now. You (eat) too much.
5. It (rain) last night.
6. John is a writer. He (written) thirteen novels.
7. Last night, I (see) your father for the first time in my life.
8. I (talk) to my father last night.
9. Since 1961, I (be) a teacher. Before that, I (be) a student.
10. I (read) many novels written by Charles Dickens.
4§2现在完成进行式(Present Perfect Progressive Tense)
在上一节,我们知道,如果有一个行动,从过去发生后,就一直延续到现在,我们可以用现在完成式。举例来说,以下的例子都应该用现在完成式:
(1) 自从1974年,我就在学校学英文。
Since 1974, I have studied English at school.
(2) 自从我大学毕业以后,我就在这里工作。
Since I graduated from college, I have worked here.
以第一句话为例,假如我们要强调我一直在练习游泳,而且没有间断,我们可以用现在完成进行式(present perfect progressive tense)。所谓现在完成进行式,形式如下:
verb to have + been + present participle
verb to have 是为了完成式,been 和 present participle 都是为了进行式。
以下是现在完成进行式的例子:
I have been studying English since 1974.
I have been working here since I graduated from college.
I have been living here since I was a child.
He has been acting like a fool lately.(他最近一直在做傻事)
They have been dancing since seven o’clock.
It has been snowing since yesterday.
I have been taking music lessons since last year.
He has been drinking heavily since last year.(他去年起,就一直在酗酒)
【练习十四】
将以下的句子译成英文,全部用现在完成进行式:
1. 自从我们是小孩子起,我们就一直努力工作。
2. 从去年起,他就在念英文。
3. 从昨天起,就一直在下雨。
4. 从五时起,他就在做功课(do homework)。
5. 从三岁起,我就一直住在台中。
4§3 过去完成进行式(Past Perfect Progressive Tense)
过去完成式的形式如下:
had + past participle
过去完成式是不能单独用的。我们用的时候,必须有另一个事件。也就是说,假如我们有两件事 A 和 B,两件事都发生在过去,但 A 发生在 B 以前,A 应该用过去完成式,B 则用过去式。以下是几个例子:
(1) 他到台湾以前,曾学过中文。
He had studied Chinese before he came to Taiwan.
(2) 他念大学以前,曾前工作过。
He had worked before he decided to go to college.
(3) 我写这篇有关爱尔兰的小说以前,曾去过爱尔兰。
I had been to Ireland before I wrote this book about Ireland’s people.
(4) 我在上大学以前,已经学过微积分。
I had studied calculus before I got into college.
(5) 周一以前,已经下过雪了。
It had already snowed before Monday.
如果我们要强调较早发生事件的连续性,我们可以用过去完成进行式。占去完成进行式和现在进行式惟一不同的地方是 verb to have 的地方一定要用had 。以下是一些过去完成进行式的例子:
1. I had been watching TV before you called me.
2. I had been working hard in a company for many years before I went to college.
3. He had been studying before he went to class.
4. He had been driving all day before he went to sleep.
【练习十五】
将以下中文句子译成英文,每一句都要用过去式和过去完成式:
1.我十四岁以前,就曾见过你的母亲。
2.我1974年以前,曾去过美国。
3.六年前,他曾念过圣经(the Bible)。
4.我念大学以前,曾经是个工程师(engineer)。
5.你来以前,我曾打电话给你。
6.在我昨天晚上吃饭以前,曾和李先生见过面。
7.在他辞职(resign)以前,他是个好校长(president)。
8.在他去世(die),他是个好医生。
9.在他到教堂以前,他一直在练习唱歌。
10.在今天早上八时以前,天一直在下雨。
【练习十六】
将以下的中文句子译成英文,选适宜的时态。
1.他昨天去看你的时候,你在唱歌。
2.他从前是个好孩子。
3.他们都喜欢打篮球。
4.我们正在看电视。
5.你在台湾住了很久了。
6.我已经看完了这本书。
7.他们一直都住在这里。
8.我来以前,曾去过教堂。
9.他喜欢看日出。
10.他喜欢游泳。
11.他自从六岁起,就一直在学钢琴(piano)。
12.他过去是个强壮的孩子。
13.在他生病以前,他曾是个非常健康(healthy)的人。
14.当火车进站时,人们在跳舞。
15.在战争爆发(break out)以前,他曾是个音乐家(musician)。
16.我曾见过你。
17.我去年见过你。
18.我已经将信写好了。
19.自从1974年以来,我就是一个军人(soldier)。
20.我读了很多英文书。
【练习十七】
将正确的动词填入以下各句的空白:(有的地方可能有多种答案)
1. He (love) his country.
2. He (love) his country, but now he does not.
3. I (be) a teacher since 1975.
4. I (be) a teacher before I went to college.
5. I (read) Shakespeare ever since I was a little girl.
6. When I went to see her yesterday, she (watch) TV.
7. I (see) your father before I saw you.
8. He (read) many detective stories.
9. He (go) to church every Sunday.
10. It (be) a cold day yesterday.
11. It (rain) for the last two days.
12. I (eat) too much. I am full now.
13. You (be) a nurse before the war broke out.
14. I (have) never (see) you in my life.
15. He (be) a teacher since 1980.
16. It (be) good to eat vegetables every day.
17. It (be) so nice to meet you last night.
18. She (be) such a nice girl before she died.
19. Peter (go) to America many times.
20. He (work) hard since last year. He (hope) to succeed in the college entrance examination this time.
第五章 未来式
5§1 未来式的基本规则
如果我们在句子中,有需要提到未来的事情,就可以使用未来式,举例来说,以下的句子都用未来式。
I will go to America tomorrow.
He will dance tonight.
Peter will finish his work next month.
如果不用〝will〞,我们可以用〝verb to be +going to+ verb〞,如果我们如此做,以上的三个句子就变成了以下的句子
I am going to go to America tomorrow.
He is going to dance tonight.
Peter is going to finish his work next month.
以下是一些未来式的例子:
1. I will call you tonight.
I am going to call you tonight.
2. He will graduate next June.
He is going to graduate next June.
3. Mr. Lee will teach us English soon.
Mr. Lee is going to teach us English soon.
4. He will help you.
He is going to help you.
5. The war will break out soon.
The war is going to break out soon.
6. It will rain tonight.
It is going to rain tonight.