大胆地动词吧：不定式

The third kind of verbal is easy to recognize, but a bit tricky when you analyze its function in a sentence. 第三种动词性形式很容易识别，但分析它在句中的功能时却有点棘手。

INFINITIVES

不定式

As we said in Chapter 14, an infinitive verb is usually the present form of the verb preceded by the particle to: to laugh, to be, to seem, to break, to pontificate, to discombobulate. There’s an infinitive for every verb in English, except the modal auxiliaries. 正如我们在第14章所说，不定式动词通常是动词的原形，前面加上小品词 to：to laugh, to be, to seem, to break, to pontificate, to discombobulate。英语中每个动词都有一个不定式，情态助动词除外。

But infinitive verbs are never used as a main verb or as an auxiliary verb. Like the other verbals, infinitives perform the functions of other parts of speech, and infinitives are particularly versatile. Infinitives can be used nominally, adjectivally, and adverbially; but, like ordinary verbs, they can still take complements and be modified by adverbs. 但不定式动词从不作为主动词或助动词使用。像其他动词性形式一样，不定式承担着其他词性的功能，而且不定式特别灵活。不定式可以名词性、形容词性或副词性地使用；但和普通动词一样，它们仍能带补语，并被副词修饰。

First, infinitives can be used nominally, in any way that you’d use a noun: 首先，不定式可以名词性地使用，即以你使用名词的任何方式：

To quit now would be a mistake. [a subject] （现在放弃将是一个错误。[主语]）

He likes to run. [a direct object] （他喜欢跑步。[直接宾语]）

His intention, to explain the law, is reasonable. [an appositive] （他的意图，解释法律，是合理的。[同位语]）

Our goal is to win. [a predicate nominative] （我们的目标就是获胜。[谓语名词/表语]）

His intention was to make friends. [another predicate nominative] （他的意图是结交朋友。[又一个谓语名词/表语]）

To know her is to trust her. [a subject and a predicate nominative] （了解她就是信任她。[主语兼谓语名词]）

Notice that sometimes you can recognize nominal infinitives with this simple test: You can often replace them with gerunds without changing the meaning of the sentence: 注意，有时你可以用这个简单的测试来识别名词性不定式：你常常可以用动名词替换它们，而不改变句子的意思：

To quit now would be a mistake. Quitting now would be a mistake. （现在放弃将是一个错误。现在放弃将是一个错误。）

He likes to run. He likes running. （他喜欢跑步。他喜欢跑步。）

This test won’t work in every instance. It won’t work, for example, in To know her is to trust her. (We can’t say Knowing her is trusting her.) 这个测试并非在每个例子中都有效。例如，它在 To know her is to trust her. 中就不适用。（我们不能说 Knowing her is trusting her.）

Second, infinitives can be used as adjectives, following a noun or certain linking verbs: 其次，不定式可以作形容词，跟在名词或某些系动词之后：

I need a book to read. [a modifier of book] （我需要一本书来读。[book 的修饰语]）

An opportunity to succeed is a wonderful thing. [a modifier of opportunity] （一个成功的机会是件美妙的事。[opportunity 的修饰语]）

I’d like a chance to explain. [a modifier of chance] （我想要一个解释的机会。[chance 的修饰语]）

Notice that in these examples, the infinitives specify the purpose of the nouns they modify: I need a book. Why? I need a book to read. 注意，在这些例子中，不定式指明了它们所修饰名词的目的：I need a book. 为什么？I need a book to read.

The following adjectival infinitives follow linking verbs, and they’re both predicate adjectives, describing the subject of the sentence. 下列形容词性不定式跟在系动词之后，且都是谓语形容词，描述句子的主语。

He appears to have some money. They seem to be jerks. （他似乎有些钱。他们似乎是些混蛋。）

Notice that, in sentences like these, you can often replace the entire infinitive phrase with a roughly synonymous adjective: 注意，在这类句子中，你常常可以用一个大致同义的形容词替换整个不定式短语：

He appears wealthy. They seem arrogant. （他似乎很富有。他们似乎很傲慢。）

Third, infinitives can be used as adverbs**,** modifying verbs or adjectives. Modifying verbs, the infinitive is often moveable and indicates how or why the action is performed: 第三，不定式可以作副词**，**修饰动词或形容词。修饰动词时，不定式通常可移动，并表明动作是如何或为何进行的：

She plays hard to win. [Why does she play hard?] （她拼命打球以求获胜。[她为何拼命打球？]）

To succeed, he studies every day. [Why does he study?] （为了成功，他每天学习。[他为何学习？]）

To listen well, you need a quiet place. [Why do you need that quiet place?] （为了听清楚，你需要一个安静的地方。[你为何需要那个安静的地方？]）

The adverbial infinitives above, like many adverbs and adverbials, are moveable: 上面的副词性不定式，像许多副词和状语一样，是可移动的：

To win, she plays hard. He studies every day to succeed. （为了获胜，她拼命打球。他每天学习以求成功。）

Modifying adjectives, the adverbial infinitive appears after the adjective and gives you information about the intent or purpose associated with the modified adjective: 修饰形容词时，副词性不定式出现在形容词之后，并提供与该形容词相关的意图或目的信息：

He was ready to study. [For what was he ready?] （他准备好学习了。[他准备好干什么了？]）

I’m happy to help. [What are you happy to do?] （我很乐意帮忙。[你乐意做什么？]）

Eager to please, the new employees arrived early. [What are they eager to do?] （渴望讨好，新员工们早早到了。[他们渴望做什么？]）

Notice that the adverbial infinitives in these last three examples are not movable. 注意，最后这三个例子中的副词性不定式是不可移动的。

In a few cases, infinitives are used without the to particle. All of the underlined phrases below are infinitive phrases, but some don’t contain the particle: 在少数情况下，不定式不带 to 小品词使用。下面所有下划线短语都是不定式短语，但有些不含该小品词：

I want him to win the race. I saw him win the race. I allowed him to win the race. I let him win the race. I’ll ask him to go. I’ll have him go. I’ll force him to leave. I’ll make him leave. （我想让他赢得比赛。我看见他赢了比赛。我允许他赢得比赛。我让他赢了比赛。我会请他走。我会让他走。我会强迫他离开。我会逼他离开。）

The absence of the to particle is determined by the verb that precedes the infinitive phrase: A small number of transitive verbs (such as saw, let, make, and have) make the to unnecessary—you simply cannot insert to into those sentences. 是否省略 to 小品词，取决于位于不定式短语之前的动词：少数及物动词（如 saw, let, make, 和 have）使 to 成为多余——你根本无法在这些句子里插入 to。

Following most verbs, however, the infinitive must have to. (In the exercises in these chapters, we will always use infinitives with the to particle.) 然而，在大多数动词之后，不定式必须带 to。（在这些章节的练习中，我们总是使用带 to 小品词的不定式。）

By the way, some grammarians call an infinitive that is missing to a bare infinitive (which is about as risqué as grammarians ever get). 顺便一提，一些语法学家把省略 to 的不定式称为光秃不定式（bare infinitive）（这大概是语法学家能说出的最大胆的俏皮话了）。

Like gerunds and participles, infinitives can be used with direct objects, with adverbs, and with other grammatical entities associated with the verb. (See the examples above wherein the race is a direct object.) 像动名词和分词一样，不定式可以与直接宾语、副词，以及动词相关的其他语法成分连用。（见上面 the race 作直接宾语的例子。）

Infinitives can even have subjects, which perform the action of the infinitive: 不定式甚至可以带有主语，即执行该不定式动作的成分：

I like my children to read every day. [My children is the subject of the infinitive; they do the reading. Every day is an adverbial phrase.] （我喜欢我的孩子们每天读书。[My children 是不定式的主语；他们读书。Every day 是状语短语。]）

I like Kelly to enjoy these nightly readings. [Kelly is the subject of the infinitive verb; she does the enjoying. These nightly readings is the direct object of to enjoy.] （我喜欢凯莉享受这些每晚的阅读。[Kelly 是不定式动词的主语；她享受。These nightly readings 是 to enjoy 的直接宾语。]）

I need you to go to the store today. [You is the subject; to the store and today are adverbial, modifying the infinitive.] （我需要你今天去商店。[You 是主语；to the store 和 today 是状语，修饰不定式。]）

I want her to enjoy reading. [Her is the subject of the infinitive; reading, a gerund, is the direct object of the infinitive.] （我想要她享受阅读。[Her 是不定式的主语；reading 是动名词，作不定式的直接宾语。]）

Notice the last example above: When a pronoun precedes the infinitive as the subject of that infinitive, it will (strangely) be in the objective case: 注意上面最后一个例子：当代词作为不定式的主语出现在不定式之前时，它（奇怪地）会采用宾格形式：

I like them to read every day. I need him to go to the store today. I want us to enjoy reading. （我喜欢他们每天读书。我需要他今天去商店。我想要我们享受阅读。）

PASSIVE INFINITIVES

被动不定式

All the infinitives we’ve seen so far are linking or intransitive, or they are transitive and active. But there are other forms. 到目前为止我们看到的所有不定式，要么是系动词或不及物动词，要么是及物且主动的。但还有其他形式。

A less often used but important variant is the passive infinitive, constructed with the infinitive of be (i.e., to be) followed by the past participle of a main verb (to be recognized, to be known, to be continued). 一个较少使用但重要的变体是被动不定式，由 be 的不定式（即 to be）加上主动词的过去分词构成（to be recognized, to be known, to be continued）。

In these examples, nominal passive infinitives follow transitive verbs and function as direct objects: 在这些例子中，名词性被动不定式跟在及物动词之后，充当直接宾语：

I’m nervous about my surgery, so I prefer to be driven to the hospital. （我对自己的手术感到紧张，所以我更愿意被开车送去医院。）

I needed to be helped, but no one was nearby. （我需要被人帮助，但附近没有人。）

He has longed to be recognized by his colleagues for his contributions. （他一直渴望自己的贡献得到同事的认可。）

He did not expect to be apprehended by the authorities for his misdeeds. （他没料到会因恶行被当局逮捕。）

These passive infinitives are subjects: 这些被动不定式是主语：

To be recognized for his contributions was his goal. To be apprehended was his fear. （因贡献得到认可曾是他的目标。被逮捕曾是他的恐惧。）

Passive infinitives can also be predicate nominatives and appositives: 被动不定式也可以作谓语名词和同位语：

His goal was to be recognized for his efforts. He never achieved his goal, to be recognized for his work. （他的目标因努力而得到认可。他从未实现他的目标——因作品得到认可。）

And there are also adverbial passive infinitives. In the following examples, the adverbial passives are moveable: 此外还有副词性被动不定式。在下列例子中，这些副词性被动不定式是可移动的：

To be prepared for your finals, study throughout the semester. To be found, the lost hiker built a fire on the hill. （为了期末考试做好准备，整个学期都要学习。为了被人发现，迷路的徒步者在大山上生起了火。）

And in the next examples, the adverbial passive infinitives modify the adjectives preceding them: 而在接下来的例子中，副词性被动不定式修饰它们前面的形容词：

She was ready to be tested. They were eager to be heard. （她准备好接受测试了。他们渴望被人倾听。）

PERFECT INFINITIVES

完成不定式

The infrequently used perfect infinitive is constructed with the auxiliary have (never has or had) followed by the past participle of a main verb (to have known, to have seen, to have continued), as in these examples of nominal perfect infinitives used as subjects: 较少使用的完成不定式由助动词 have（绝不可能是 has 或 had）加上主动词的过去分词构成（to have known, to have seen, to have continued），如下面这些用作主语的名词性完成不定式例子：

To have known Lincoln would be remarkable. （曾认识林肯会是件了不起的事。）

To have heard him deliver the Gettysburg Address would be thrilling. （曾听他发表葛底斯堡演说会是件激动人心的事。）

To have continued performing the play after the announcement was impossible. （在宣布之后还继续演出那出戏是不可能的。）

These perfect infinitive phrases are direct objects: 这些完成不定式短语是直接宾语：

The police did not expect to have apprehended the criminal by this time. （警方没料到此时已经逮捕了罪犯。）

We had hoped to have seen our new nephew by this time. （我们本希望此时已经见到了我们的新侄子。）

Perfect infinitives can be adverbial, too: 完成不定式也可以作副词：

They are known to have lived here for many years. （众所周知，他们曾在这里住了许多年。）

We seldom encounter the passive and perfect infinitives because we usually express the idea in some simpler way: People know that they lived here for many years. 我们很少遇到被动和完成不定式，因为我们通常用更简单的方式表达这个意思：People know that they lived here for many years.（人们知道他们曾在这里住了许多年。）

There are still other, even rarer, forms of the infinitive: They can be perfect progressive (to have been speaking) and passive perfect (to have been shown), but we had hoped to have been finished with this topic by now. 不定式还有更罕见的其他形式：它们可以是完成进行式（to have been speaking）和被动完成式（to have been shown），但我们本希望此时已经完成这个话题了。

POINTS FOR WRITERS

写给作者的要点

1. The split infinitive.

1. 分裂不定式。

One of the best-known rules of prescriptive grammar says that we must not split infinitives. That is, we must not put an adverb between to and the verb: 约定俗成语法中最著名的规则之一说，我们绝不能分裂不定式。也就是说，我们不能在 to 和动词之间插入副词：

He wants to quickly finish college. He wants to finish college quickly. （他想快点读完大学。他想快点读完大学。）

Work hard to gradually improve your writing. Work hard to improve your writing gradually. （努力写作，逐步改进你的文笔。努力写作，逐步改进你的文笔。）

As the second example in each pair demonstrates, it’s usually easy to fix a split infinitive. In some contexts, however, many writers occasionally and judiciously do the splits. As in all good writing, tread carefully. 如每对中第二个例子所示，分裂不定式通常很容易修正。然而在某些语境中，许多作者会偶尔且审慎地使用分裂结构。和所有好的写作一样，务必小心行事。

2. Go dangle your infinitives elsewhere, bub.

2. 去别处吊着你的不定式吧，老兄。

There can be dangling infinitives, which, like dangling participles, do not clearly or logically work with the rest of the sentence. A passive verb elsewhere in the clause often creates this problem: 也可能出现悬垂不定式，它像悬垂分词一样，不能清楚或合乎逻辑地与句子其余部分搭配。从句中别处的被动动词常常造成这个问题：

To get to the market today, your chores should be done early. （为了今天能去市场，你的杂务应该早早做完。）

To be heard in this large room, the microphone must be adjusted. （为了在这个大房间里被人听见，麦克风必须被调整好。）

Make the independent clause active, and the infinitive phrase usually makes better sense: 把独立分句改成主动语态，不定式短语通常就通顺了：

To get to the market today, you should do your chores early. To be heard in this large room, we must adjust the microphone. （为了今天能去市场，你应该早早做完杂务。为了在这个大房间里被人听见，我们必须调整好麦克风。）

Respectable people never dangle their infinitives (at least, not in public). 体面的人从不让他们的不定式悬垂（至少不会在公开场合）。

EXERCISES

练习

18a. Identify the function of the nominal infinitives in these sentences: 18a. 指出下列句子中名词性不定式的功能：

1. To become a star was her adolescent dream.
2. 成为明星曾是她青春期的梦想。
3. She wants to become a star.
4. 她想成为明星。
5. Her dream, to become a star, may never come true.
6. 她的梦想，成为明星，也许永远不会实现。
7. To live is to dream.
8. 活着就是梦想。
9. To know him is to love him.
10. 了解他就等于爱他。
11. I’d like him to do the project.
12. 我想让他来做这个项目。
13. He’ll ask her to help.
14. 他会请她帮忙。
15. I’m hoping for them to succeed.
16. 我期望他们成功。

18b. Locate the nominal infinitive phrases in these sentences and identify their functions: 18b. 找出下列句子中的名词性不定式短语，并指出它们的功能：

1. I need to get some water.
2. 我需要去弄点水。
3. To succeed requires hard work.
4. 成功需要艰苦的努力。
5. To discipline yourself means to make sacrifices. [Hint: means is a linking verb here.]
6. 约束自己意味着作出牺牲。[提示：means 在这里是系动词。]
7. He explained his goal, to become fluent in German.
8. 他解释了他的目标，说一口流利的德语。
9. He wants to see me in the morning.
10. 他想在早上见我。
11. It won’t be hard for him to see me then.
12. 那时他要见我并不难。
13. Would you like to see me, too?
14. 你也想见我吗？
15. There’s time for me to see you.
16. 我有时间见你。

18c. Identify the functions of the adjectival infinitives in these sentences: What words do they modify? 18c. 指出下列句子中形容词性不定式的功能：它们修饰哪些词？

1. I have the tools to get the job done.
2. 我有把活干完的工具。
3. Time to use the tools is what I need now.
4. 使用这些工具的时间是我现在所需要的。
5. Something to open the tool packages would be handy now.
6. 现在有个能打开工具包的东西会很方便。
7. A scissors to open this would be helpful.
8. 一把能剪开这个的剪刀会很有帮助。
9. I could help if I had some dynamite to open this.
10. 如果我有炸药能炸开这个，我就能帮忙。
11. I need a screwdriver to loosen this.
12. 我需要一把螺丝刀来松脱这个。
13. A screwdriver to loosen this would help.
14. 一把能松脱这个的螺丝刀会有帮助。
15. The tool I need, a screwdriver to loosen this, is not here.
16. 我需要的工具，一把能松脱这个的螺丝刀，不在这里。

18d. Locate the adjectival infinitives in these sentences and identify the words they modify: 18d. 找出下列句子中的形容词性不定式，并指出它们修饰的词：

1. Every day we send urgent messages to complain about the service.
2. 我们每天发送紧急消息来抱怨这项服务。
3. She bought me a carry-on bag to take on my trip.
4. 她给我买了一个随身包，让我旅途中携带。
5. Someone to guide me on the way would be helpful.
6. 路上有人给我引路会很有帮助。
7. I found someone to guide you.
8. 我找到了一个能给你引路的人。
9. To relax, he needed a book to interest him.
10. 为了放松，他需要一本能让他感兴趣的书。
11. All she asked for was a book to read, a place in which to stay warm, and something to eat.
12. 她所求的，只是一本可读的书、一个可以保暖的地方，以及一点吃的东西。

18e. Identify the functions of the adverbial infinitives in these sentences: What words do they modify? 18e. 指出下列句子中副词性不定式的功能：它们修饰哪些词？

1. To relax, he sang.
2. 为了放松，他唱了歌。
3. He read the book to please his daughter.
4. 他读这本书是为了取悦女儿。
5. To please his daughter, he read the book.
6. 为了取悦女儿，他读了这本书。
7. To become a fireman, the young man studied and trained.
8. 为了成为一名消防员，那个年轻人学习和训练。
9. The young man studied and trained to become a fireman.
10. 那个年轻人学习和训练，为了成为一名消防员。
11. He was eager to become a fireman.
12. 他渴望成为一名消防员。
13. We were happy to help him.
14. 我们很高兴能帮助他。
15. He was careful to speak with me beforehand.
16. 他小心翼翼地事先与我谈过。

18f. Yet again, locate the adverbial infinitives here and identify the words they modify: 18f. 再一次，找出这里的副词性不定式，并指出它们修饰的词：

1. You need a telescope to be an astronomer.
2. 你需要一架望远镜才能成为天文学家。
3. He was ready to be an astronomer.
4. 他准备好成为一名天文学家了。
5. She was determined to be an astronomer.
6. 她决心成为一名天文学家。
7. Eager to play ball, the team waited.
8. 渴望打球，队员们等待着。
9. Happy to see her friend, Julie cried.
10. 见到朋友很高兴，朱莉哭了。
11. Reluctant to go, the children fidgeted.
12. 不愿离开，孩子们坐立不安。
13. We were sorry to leave.
14. 我们很遗憾要离开。
15. She rose to leave.
16. 她起身离开。

18g. Identify all the infinitive phrases, with complements and modifiers, in these sentences and classify them as nominal, adjectival, or adverbial: 18g. 找出下列句子中的所有不定式短语（含补语和修饰语），并将它们归类为名词性、形容词性或副词性：

1. That child needs me to look after her.
2. 那个孩子需要我来照顾她。
3. To succeed, you have to work hard.
4. 为了成功，你必须努力。
5. I’m looking for a place to sit down.
6. 我在找一个可以坐下来的地方。
7. To be blunt, I will say that I’m angry at you.
8. 坦白说，我要说我对你很生气。
9. He is trying to impress his boss.
10. 他正试图给老板留下印象。
11. I am not here to impress anyone.
12. 我在这里不是为了给任何人留下印象。
13. His reason, to impress his boss, is sufficient.
14. 他的理由，给老板留下印象，是充分的。
15. His goal is to impress his boss.
16. 他的目标是给老板留下印象。
17. We want her to come to the party.
18. 我们希望她来参加派对。
19. We hope she’d like to come to the party.
20. 我们希望她愿意来参加派对。

18h. In the following pairs of sentences, read the first sentence and then, using the first sentence as a clue, analyze the grammar in the underlined verbal phrase in the second sentence. 18h. 在下列成对的句子中，先读第一句，然后以第一句为线索，分析第二句中下划线动词性短语的语法。

An example: 一个例子：

Randolph likes Italian food. Randolph likes to eat Italian food. （伦道夫喜欢意大利菜。伦道夫喜欢吃意大利菜。）

Because likes is a transitive verb, we can reason that, in the first sentence, Italian food is a direct object. So the infinitive phrase in the second sentence must also be a direct object. 因为 likes 是及物动词，我们可以推断出，在第一句中，Italian food 是直接宾语。所以第二句中的不定式短语也必定是直接宾语。

1. He likes mystery novels. He likes to read mystery novels.
2. 他喜欢悬疑小说。 他喜欢读悬疑小说。
3. He reads them before school. He likes reading them before school.
4. 他在上学前读它们。 他喜欢在上学前读它们。
5. She is quite ready. She is ready to sing.
6. 她相当准备好了。 她准备好唱歌了。
7. She is very happy. She is happy to sing.
8. 她非常高兴。 她高兴地唱歌（她乐意唱歌）。
9. The smiling opera star took center stage. Singing the aria loudly, the opera star took center stage.
10. 那位微笑的歌剧明星走到了舞台中央。 大声唱着咏叹调，那位歌剧明星走到了舞台中央。
11. He annoys us. His singing arias at 6 a.m. annoys us.
12. 他惹恼了我们。 他早上6点唱咏叹调惹恼了我们。
13. I don’t enjoy opera at 6 a.m. I don’t enjoy listening to opera at 6 a.m.
14. 我不喜欢早上6点的歌剧。 我不喜欢早上6点听歌剧。
15. I want music at any time. I want to listen to opera at any time.
16. 我随时都想要音乐。 我随时都想听歌剧。

18i. Identify the underlined verbals as gerunds, participles, or infinitives. Then identify the function that the verbal performs in each sentence. 18i. 将下划线的动词性形式识别为动名词、分词或不定式。然后指出该动词性形式在各句中发挥的功能。

1. He likes to read.
2. 他喜欢阅读。
3. He likes reading novels.
4. 他喜欢读小说。
5. Running quickly, he soon arrived at home.
6. 飞快地跑着，他很快到了家。
7. His singing annoyed us.
8. 他的唱歌声惹恼了我们。
9. Known to the entire community, the mayor is respected.
10. 为整个社区所熟知，那位市长受人尊敬。
11. The silent film star, seen but never recognized, lived in our neighborhood.
12. 那位默片明星，被人看见却从未被认出，曾住在我们附近。
13. He wants to earn money.
14. 他想赚钱。
15. He writes to learn.
16. 他写作以学习。
17. They were prepared to fight.
18. 他们准备好了战斗。
19. To succeed, you must be prepared to work hard.
20. 为了成功，你必须准备好努力工作。