附加疑问句在口语英语里随处可见,规则是机械的,学起来不难,但也很容易在细节上说错。
基本规则:符号相反
肯定句 → 否定的"尾巴"。否定句 → 肯定的"尾巴"。
It's cold today, isn't it?
It isn't cold today, is it?
You've finished, haven't you?
You haven't finished, have you?
用哪个助动词?
重复句子里已有的助动词。如果句子里没有助动词,就用 do / does / did。
| 句子 | 尾巴 |
|---|---|
| She is ready | isn't she? |
| They have left | haven't they? |
| He can swim | can't he? |
| You like it | don't you? |
| She works here | doesn't she? |
| They went home | didn't they? |
| You must go | mustn't you? |
| We used to live there | didn't we? |
| You'd better ask | hadn't you? |
用 there is / there are 这种结构时,尾巴要保留 there,把它当成主语一样对待:
- There's a problem, isn't there?
- There weren't many people, were there?
值得记住的例外
- I am late, aren't I?(不是 amn't I)
- Let's go, shall we?
- Open the window, will you?(用在祈使句之后)
- Nobody called, did they?(像 nobody, no one, someone 这样的词,尾巴里用 they)
- Nothing happened, did it?
小心隐藏的否定。 never, hardly, rarely, nobody 这些词本身已经让句子带有否定意味,所以尾巴要用肯定形式:
He never calls, does he?
同号附加疑问句
肯定句配上肯定的尾巴,并不是错误:这种用法表示你刚刚才意识到某件事。语气可能是感兴趣、怀疑,或者讽刺,取决于说话的语调。
- So you're the new manager, are you?
- You think that's funny, do you?
要小心使用:如果语气平淡地说出来,可能会显得挑衅。
如何回答附加疑问句
回答的是事实,而不是尾巴的形式。英语不会像俄语那样,为了附和一个否定句而把 yes 和 no 反过来用。
- You haven't eaten, have you? — No, I haven't.(意思是:我没吃)
- You haven't eaten, have you? — Yes, I have.(意思是:我吃了)
语调改变含义
这一点在真实对话里非常重要。
- 降调 → 你不是在提问,而是在等对方附和。
Lovely day, isn't it? ↘(闲聊——只需附和一句)
- 升调 → 这是真正的问题,你并不确定答案。
You locked the door, didn't you? ↗(我真的需要知道)
把降调的附加疑问句当成真正的问题去回答,会让对话卡住。
附加疑问句真正的作用——它们能软化一个断然的陈述,把它变成一句可以回应的话。That's expensive 是一个判断;That's expensive, isn't it? 则是邀请对方表示同意。
每个附加疑问句都有自己的角色
A: Long queue, isn't it? ↘
B: Awful. You've been waiting a while, haven't you? ↗
A: Half an hour. They don't open the second desk, do they.
B: Never. So you come here often, do you?
第一句是闲聊,第二句是真正的问题,第三句是疲惫的抱怨,第四句是带着几分好奇的同号附加疑问句。
自我检测
下面的测验考察这套机制和其中的例外情况。