City University of Hong Kong CLASS CLASS
Making Sense of Grammar
0 like 0 dislike
750 views
asked Oct 29, 2020 in Questions about English Grammar by Ariel (34,480 points)
retagged Oct 29, 2020 by Ariel | 750 views

1 Answer

0 like 0 dislike

一般的分词构句常使用进行貌,表示“共时发生”的关系。这和叙述结构分为前景焦点(foreground)与背景说明(background)有关。通常作为前景的主要事件会有清楚的时间标记(过去、现在、未来、或习惯),而作为背景的次要事件即可用进行貌,表示同一时间发生的“共时”事件:

I mopped the floor and cleaned the bathroom, listening to the Bee Gees.

I mopped the floor and cleaned the bathroom while listening to the Bee Gees.

主要句子带有过去式标记的动作,用来说明主线内容,表达前景焦点;而进行中的现在分词是附属子句,交代“共时发生”的背景事件。

进行貌表动作“进行”,进行的动作必然“存在”,因此动名词也用进行-ing的形式。本书前面提到开始/结束及享受/感谢类动词要求进行貌的补语,表达如同名词般存在或进行的动作:

He started listening to Bee Gees.

He stopped listening to Bee Gees.

I enjoyed meeting with you.

I look forward to meeting with you.

进行式也表达“持续”进行,ongoing的事件通常与某个时间重叠,只适用于“有限的”一段时间内,很难长久不变一直进行。以下两个问答一个用习惯式,一个用进行式,含义明显不同:

Q: What does he do for a living?

A: He works at a gas station.

→习惯式表明他长期在加油站工作,是较稳定长久的工作。

Q: What’s he doing these days?

A: He’s working at a gas station.

→进行式表明他这一阵子在做的事,只是目前的工作。

同理,以下两句的意思也不一样:

The sun rises in the east. →习惯式:每天如此

The sun is rising in the east. →进行貌:此刻正在发生

那要如何表达“习惯性的进行”?在时间上重复出现的条件下,进行式也可用于表达“某情况下重复进行的习惯”,试比较这两个句子:

片刻进行:She is watching TV right now. →此刻正在看电视

习惯性进行:Whenever I came in, she would be watching TV. →屡次重复发生

——劉美君. (2012). 英文文法有道理! 重新認識英文文法觀念. 聯經.

answered Oct 29, 2020 by Ariel (34,480 points)
edited Oct 29, 2020 by Ariel

1,613 questions

1,882 answers

207 comments

15,645 users

1,613 questions
1,882 answers
207 comments
15,645 users