首先,“seem” 永远是动词,意思是 “似乎,好像” 或 “看来”,但它在句子中的用法有很多。下面,就来看一看 “seem” 在不同句子结构中的用法。
先来看 “seem” 后接形容词的用法。“Seem” 后的形容词既可以是原级,如 “tired(累了),seem tired…”,也可以是比较级,如 “better(更好的),seem better…”,还可以是由副词修饰的形容词,如 “particularly happy(特别地开心),seem particularly happy”。分别听三个使用了这类结构的例句。
Examples
We should go, my daughter seems tired.
(我们该走了,我女儿好像累了。)
Have you recovered from your cold? You seem better.
(你感冒好了吗?你看起来好多了。)
Connor just left, and he didn't seem particularly happy.
(康纳刚走,他看上去不怎么高兴。)
当 “seem” 后面跟形容词时,“seem” 和形容词之间可能会出现 “to be”。这里,“to be” 是可以省略的,且不改变句子的整体含义,它只是用来让说话人与所提出的假设保持一定的距离,突出了不确定。听一听前面的三个例句,这次,例句中的 “seem” 和形容词之间出现了 “to be”。
Examples
We should go, my daughter seems to be tired.
(我们该走了,我女儿好像累了。)
Have you recovered from your cold? You seem to be better.
(你感冒好了吗?你看起来好多了。)
Connor just left, and he didn't seem to be particularly happy.
(康纳刚走,他看上去不怎么高兴。)
现在,大家了解了 “seem” 和形容词搭配时的两种结构,但 “seem” 还有其它的用法。我们还可以在 “seem” 和形容词之间使用 “as if、as though” 或 “like”。与前面讲的 “to be” 一样,这些附加词并不改变句子的基本含义,而是用来暗示说话人不太确定自己所说的话。记住,“seem as if”、“seem as though” 以及 “seem like” 后要加上主语和系动词 “be”,再加形容词。请听例句。
Examples
Have you recovered from your cold?
(你感冒好了吗?)
You seem as if you're better.
You seem as though you're better.
You seem like you're better.
(你看起来好多了。)
接下来,再看 “seem” 后接 “to” 加上动词或动词搭配的用法:第一种是 “seem” 接不定式 “to do”,如 “seem to know”;第二种是改变 “seem to” 后面的时态,要想谈论此时此刻发生的事情,可以用现在进行时 “be doing”,如 “seem to be taking”;第三种是谈论过去某个不确定的时间发生的事情,可以在 “seem to” 后加上现在完成时,如 “seem to have forgotten”。听三个例句。
Examples
Why don't we ask Dom? He seems to know more than anyone else.
(我们为什么不问问多姆?他似乎比任何人知道得都多。)
They seem to be taking a long time. Where are they?
(他们似乎花了很长时间还没来。他们在哪里?)
Lucy seems to have forgotten about our meeting.
(露西似乎忘了我们要开会。)
“Seem” 的另一个常见用法是句子以 “It seems…” 开头。当不想让自己对某件事情的评价听上去像是指责或批评时,就用这个句式谈论对事情的整体看法,意思接近汉语里的 “看来”。 “It seems…” 的后面可接 “that”,也可以省略,但 “It seems…” 后面必须要跟从句。听两个使用了这类句式的例句。
Examples
It seems that Peter can't come for dinner tomorrow.
(看来彼得明天不能来吃晚饭了。)
It seems we've run out of milk. Shall I get some?
(好像我们的牛奶喝完了。我要买点吗?)
最后,再来介绍 “seem” 的一个用法,那就是在句子的后半部分使用它。这时,“seem” 通常放在 “as” 或 “not all” 的后面。我们在想表现神秘感、悬念或强调情况比看上去更复杂的时候使用这个结构。在这类用法中,句子通常以单词 “things” 开头,泛指 “一般情况”。听三个例句。
Examples
My grandfather always says 'things are rarely as they seem'.
(我的祖父总说:“事情鲜少表里一致。”)
Everyone thought they were the perfect couple before they broke up. Things are never as they seem!
(在他们分手之前,人人都认为他们是完美的一对。事情从来都不像看起来的那样!)
It's a great book! You think you know who committed the crime but you soon realise things aren't all they seem.
(这是一本好书!你以为自己知道罪犯是谁,但很快你就会意识到事情并不是表面看上去的那样。)
总结一下,单词 “seem” 的用法很多,但它本身的含义不变,表示 “似乎,好像;看上去”。“Seem” 用在不同的结构中,为说话人想要表达的内容提供更多的背景信息。
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