许多语言靠格尾变化标明词的语法角色,因此语序比较自由。英语没有这类词尾,靠的是位置。挪动一个词,意思就会改变,或者句子直接不通。
基本结构:主语——谓语——宾语
The dog (S) bit (V) the man (O).
The man bit the dog.
同样的词,意思却相反。区别只在于顺序。
动词和宾语之间不能插入任何成分
这是最常被打破的规则。
❌ I like very much this film. ✅ I like this film very much.
❌ She speaks well English. ✅ She speaks English well.
宾语紧跟在动词后面,副词要排在后面。
两个宾语:谁在前?
像 give, send, show, offer, tell, buy 这类动词既能带人又能带物。两种语序都成立,但形式不同:
- She gave me the book.(先说人,不用介词)
- She gave the book to me.(先说物,再用 to)
如果物是用代词形式表达的,只有第二种说法听起来自然:She gave it to me,而不是「She gave me it」。
其余成分的常规顺序
动词后面如果有多个成分,顺序是:方式——地点——时间。
She sang beautifully(怎样) at the concert(哪里) last night(何时).
为了强调,时间状语也可以提到句首:
Last night, she sang beautifully at the concert.
形容词排在名词前,且顺序固定
英语把形容词放在名词前面,多个形容词连用时要遵循固定顺序:
评价——大小——年龄——形状——颜色——来源——材料——用途
a lovely little old round brown French wooden table
没有人会刻意去套用这个规则,但母语者一听到顺序错了就会立刻察觉:a red big car 听起来就是不对。
疑问句要倒装,间接问句不倒装
Where is the station?(直接疑问句——倒装)
Could you tell me where the station is?(间接疑问句——正常语序)
在间接问句里又加回倒装,是 B1 水平最常见的错误之一。I wonder、I don't know、Do you know 之后同样如此:
- ❌ Do you know where is the station?
- ✅ Do you know where the station is?
介词可以留在句末
英语允许把介词留在短语末尾,这是正常用法,不是随意为之。
- ✅ Who did you speak to?(更正式的说法:To whom did you speak?)
- ✅ What are you looking for?
- ✅ That's the house we used to live in.
短语动词:宾语放在哪里
可分离的短语动词,名词宾语可以放在两边,但代词必须放在中间。
- ✅ Turn on the light. / Turn the light on.
- ✅ Turn it on. · ❌ Turn on it.
否定词与副词的位置
I have never been there.(助动词和实义动词之间)
She is always late.(be 动词之后)
自测一下
下面的测验完全围绕位置展开。