樊德成

《牛津初中英語》教科書對反意疑問句的構(gòu)成方法只作了些基本的概括性的說明,筆者在此基礎(chǔ)上再作以下幾點(diǎn)說明,與同行們共同探討。

一、反意疑問句中,如果后面的簡短問句為否定形式,則be動詞、情態(tài)動詞、助動詞一定要與not采取縮寫形式。如:

正:You can sing many English songs, cant you?

誤:You can sing many English songs, can not you?

二、英語習(xí)慣上在簡短問句中采用與前面陳述句部分人稱相對應(yīng)的適當(dāng)代詞充當(dāng)主語。如:

正:The children cant swim, can they?

誤:The children cant swim, can the children?

三、There be句式的反意疑問句

There isnt water in the bottle, is there?

There were many students in the classroom, werent there?

四、祈使句的反意疑問句的構(gòu)成

1.祈使句是肯定形式時,后面的簡短問句既可用肯定形式,也可用否定形式。如:

Close the window, will(wont) you?

Let us go home, will(wont) you?

提醒大家注意的是:以Let us的縮寫形式(Lets)開頭的祈使句的反意疑問句中,后面的簡短問句用“shall we?”。如:

Lets go to school, shall we?

2.祈使句是否定形式時,簡短問句要用肯定形式。如:

Dont read in the sun, will you?

五、陳述句中含有never/no/nobody/nothing/nowhere/hardly/seldom/few/little/neither…nor等否定詞或含有否定意義的詞時,形式上是肯定的,但意義上是否定的,所以后面的簡短問句用肯定形式。如:

Tom could hardly tell the story in Chinese, could he?

但陳述句中帶有否定詞綴的詞時,后面的簡短問句仍要用否定結(jié)構(gòu)。如:

She is unhappy, isnt she?

The boy is hopeless, isnt he?

六、當(dāng)陳述句為“第一人稱+think/believe/suppose/expect…+(that)賓語從句”結(jié)構(gòu)時,后面的簡短問句應(yīng)根據(jù)“賓語從句”進(jìn)行變換;如主句中的主語不是第一人稱,則后面的簡短問句與主句保持一致。如:

I believe he will be back in the month, wont he?

We didnt think you had done it, had you?

They thought Tom was a thief, didnt they?

七、當(dāng)陳述句中含有have一詞并表示“有”解時,后面的簡短問句中英國人多用have的適當(dāng)形式,美國人則用do的適當(dāng)形式;如have表示一般動作,則后面的簡短問句只能用do的適當(dāng)形式。如:

Wang Hai has a new watch, hasnt/doesnt he?

Li Pings father had lunch at home yesterday, didnt he?

八、當(dāng)陳述句中的謂語動詞前有have/has(had) to時,則后面的簡短問句用do的適當(dāng)形式。如:

They have to wait for the next bus, dont they?

九、當(dāng)陳述句中含有had better時,后面的簡短問句用had的適當(dāng)形式。如:

Youd better go and find him now, hadnt you?

十、當(dāng)陳述句中出現(xiàn)dare/need時,如它們當(dāng)作情態(tài)動詞用時,后面的簡短問句用情態(tài)動詞的適當(dāng)形式;如它們作實(shí)義動詞用時,則后面的簡短問句用do的適當(dāng)形式。如:

They dare not walk through the forest alone, dare they?

She needs help, doesnt she?

十一、當(dāng)陳述句部分是“I am…”時,后面的簡短問句常用“arent I?”。如:

I am a student, arent I?

十二、當(dāng)陳述句部分主語是someone/somebody/everyone/everybody/nobody等不定代詞時,后面的簡短問句中的主語用they;而當(dāng)陳述句部分主語是something/everything/nothing等不定代詞時,后面的簡短問句中的主語用it。如:

Nobody came in, did they?

Everything is all right, isnt it?

十三、當(dāng)must出現(xiàn)在陳述句中時,如must表示“必須、應(yīng)當(dāng)”之意時,后面的簡短問句用must的適當(dāng)形式;如must表示推測和判斷,后面的簡短問句須與must后的那個動詞的適當(dāng)形式相適應(yīng)。如:

We must help each other, mustnt we?

He must be at home because the light in his room is on now, isnt he?