英语动名词用法剖析

杨正仁

摘 要：非谓语动词是中学英语语法学习之重点和难点。非谓语动词就是由动词变来但不能作谓语的一种特殊形式，但非谓语动词可以带自己的宾语或状语，构成非谓语动词短语。非谓语动词有分词、动名词和动词不定式三种。本文主要分析动名词作主语、宾语、表语和定语的句法功能，动名词的时态语态、否定式以及动名词复合结构等用法，旨在更好地引导学生掌握动名词的用法。

关键词：动名词；句法功能；时态语态；否定式；复合结构

一、动名词的功能

动名词具有名词的特征，但仍保留动词的性质，因此可以带自己的宾语、状语以及逻辑主语，构成动名词短语，在句中作主语、宾语、表语和定语。

1.作主语

动名词及动名词短语作主语时，谓语动词通常用单数；当动名词短语较长时通常用it作形式主语，而动名词短语放置其后作真正主语，经常连用的词有use， useful， useless， good等，如：

Reading English newspapers is a good way to improve English reading comprehension.

It is no use arguing with such an uneducated woman.

It is good getting up early and playing table tennis every morning.

It is a waste of time playing computer games from morning till night.

2.作宾语

（1）作动词宾语。有些动词后只能跟动名词作宾语，常见的动词有：admit， allow， appreciate，advise，avoid，risk，celebrate，complete，consider， excuse，deny，escape，enjoy，suggest，forbid，miss，finish，imagine，keep， practice， mind，put off，insist on，give up，permit，keep on，be worth等。

如：

Our school doesnt allow smoking and drinking at any time.

She practiced playing the piano yesterday and didnt go out for a whole day.

The movie is well worth seeing for a second time.

（2）作介词宾语。动名词也可作介词宾语，当作介词宾语时，要注意含有介词to的短语，因为这些短语经常容易与动词不定式混淆。常用短语有：lead to， devote to， look forward to， get down to， be used to， object to， stick to等。

另外还有一些固定用法中，介词经常省略，像have difficulty ＼ trouble ＼ problem ＼ pleasure ＼ fun ＼ a good time ＼ a bad time （in） doing ；prevent ＼ stop sb. （from） doing；protect ＼ guard ＼ save＼ defend sb.（from ＼ against）doing；spend ＼

waste…（in）doing； be busy （in） doing等。

如：

She is not very good at dancing or singing but she plays basketball quite well.

The discovery of new evidence led to the highwayman being caught.

The great African woman devoted her whole life to studying and protecting wild animals.

Its time for us to get down to doing some research about our methods.

The driver had no difficulty （in） finding the place because of his good sense of direction.

We must take measures to prevent people （from） polluting the environment.

Youd better protect yourself （from） being attacked by some insects.

Students in China usually spend more than three hours （in） finishing their homework every day.

My teacher is busy writing a book these days， so he seldom comes to see us in the classroom.

（3）有些动词后跟动名词和不定式作宾语意义相同，区别仅仅在于：动名词表示概念或者习惯性， 而动词不定式则往往表示具体动作和过程，有时候也表示即将发生的动作。

如：

I like reading books， but I dont like to read with him in the library right now.

The young man loves swimming， but he doesnt love to swim in the small pool this afternoon.

She prefers playing basketball， but she prefers to play indoors rather than play outdoors.

（4）有些动词后跟动名词和不定式意义不同。常用动词有：remember， forget， regret， try， mean， stop， go on， cant help等。

如：

I remember meeting her somewhere， but I am not sure where it was. （对做过的事还记得）

Please remember to turn off the lights whenever you leave the room. （记住将去做某事）

I forgot criticizing you when you were at school. （忘记做过之事）

I forgot to lock the car when I parked it yesterday. （忘记而没做；车门开着）

She regretted marrying him after she was introduced to him in such a short time. （对做过之事感到后悔）

I regret to say ＼ tell ＼ inform ＼ declare ＼ announce that we didnt pass the exams again. （遗憾地要说……）

Why not try opening the back door instead of the front door？ （试验做某事）

We tried to please her by doing everything carefully， but we couldnt. （企图做某事）

Missing a bus in some remote places means waiting for another day. （意味着做某事）

I didnt mean to hurt you by saying that， but actually it did. （打算做某事）

The baby girl stopped crying as soon as she heard her mothers voice. （停止所做之事）

We stopped to have a rest when we finished half of the work.（作状语，停下来去做某事）

After a short break， she went on doing her homework . （继续做同一件事）

After we finished reading the story， we went on to practice writing. （接着做另一件事）

Hearing the wonderful and exciting news， we couldnt help dancing with joy. （情不自禁地做某事）

I am so busy that I cant help sweep the floor and clean the windows. （不能帮着做某事）

（5）动词need， want， require后跟动名词主动形式或动词不定式被动式，表示“某事需要做一下”，这时候主语一般是物，也可以是人。

如：

My hair needs ＼ wants ＼ requires cutting.

His bicycle needs ＼ wants ＼ requires to be repaired now. （不定式更侧重动作）

These students need ＼ want ＼ require educating （to be educated）.

3.作表语

动名词作表语时，相当于一个名词，表达主语的内容，通常可以把主语和表语互换位置；但现在分词作表语表示主语的特性，相当于一个形容词，因此前面可以加very， quite， extremely等副词修饰，但主语和表语不能互换位置。

如：

My favorite hobby is singing and dancing.= Singing and dancing is my favorite hobby.

His job is teaching Chinese children English.= Teaching Chinese children English is his job.

The movie that I saw several days ago is very exciting. （现在分词）

The job that I am doing every day is quite boring and tiring. （现在分词）

4.作定语

动名词作定语只有单个形式，放在被修饰的词之前，表示被修饰词的用途，通常可以用介词for去改写；而现在分词作定语表示被修饰词和分词之间逻辑上的主谓关系，相当于一个定语从句；分词作定语时，分词和被修饰词都重读，但动名词作定语时，只重读被修饰词，如：

a sleeping car = a car for sleeping （动名词）

a sleeping girl = a girl who is sleeping （分词）

a swimming-pool=a pool for swimming （动名词，可加连字符）

a swimming girl= a girl who is swimming （分词，不可以加连字符）

a running track=a track for running （动名词）

running water=water which is running （分词）

二、动名词的时态、语态及否定形式

动名词的时态有一般式和完成式；动名词的语态有主动和被动之分；动名词的否定形式是在最前边加not。以动词do为例，见下表：

动名词一般式表示与谓语动词动作同时或稍后发生；而动名词完成式表示动作在谓语动词动作之前就已经完成；如果逻辑主语是动名词的执行者就用主动形式，如果逻辑主语是动名词的承受者就用被动形式。

如：

He often enjoys playing table tennis either in the morning or in the evening.

In shops some people， esp. women cant help being persuaded to buy some unnecessary articles that they will never use.

I admit having told him the bad news without much thinking.

He denied having been brought up by his uncle in the rural countryside.

三、动名词复合结构

动名词复合结构由动名词加上自己的逻辑主语构成，这个逻辑主语通常用形容词性物主代词、名词所有格或者人称代词宾格、名词普通格充当。在句首和正式场合要用物主代词或名词所有格；如果逻辑主语是无生命物体、在句中或非正式场合多用人称代词宾格或名词普通格。动名词复合结构在句中通常作主语、宾语、表语等。

如：

Toms （His） attending the meeting himself made us very happy and excited.

Can you imagine Peters （Peter） crossing the Pacific Ocean within six days？

At the beginning of the class， we could hear the noise of desks being opened and closed.

His greatest excitement is his daughter being admitted into the famous university in US.

What worried him most was his not being allowed to go to America for further education.

参考文献：

[1]薄 冰.薄冰：英语语法[M].北京：开明出版社，2007.

[2]张道真.张道真实用英语语法[M].北京：外语教学与研究出版社，2002.