另外,tell, advise, show, teach, find out, decide, discuss, learn, forget等動詞,常用一個帶連接代(副)詞的不定式作賓語:
They will teach us how to repair farm tools. 他仍將教我們怎樣修農具。
We must decide whether to go or stay. 我們得決定去還是留。
He didn’t know whether to laugh or to cry when he heard the words. 聽了這話他是啼笑皆非。
No one could tell me where to get the book. 沒有人能告訴我哪里能找到這本書。
I hope you’ll advise me what to do. 我希望你給我出主意怎么辦好。
The book explains how to solve the problem. 這本書解釋如何回答這個問題。
Don’t forget how to unlock it. 別忘了如何開鎖。
You can learn how to type there. 在那里你可學習怎樣打字。
She considered how to answer the question. 她考慮如何回答這個問題。
另外,在某些復合賓語中,我們常常先用一個it代表不定式,而把不定式放到后面去,如:
They found it impossible to get everything ready in time. 他們發現不可能把一切按時準備好。
She thought it unnecessary to argue with him about it. 覺得沒有必要和他辨論。
I consider it better not to go. 我認為還是不去為好。
這種結構很有用處,例如下面這類句子就都可以這樣翻譯:
你難道不覺得這樣譯好些嗎? Don’t you think it better to translate it this way?
這種種煩惱使她不能專心工作。 All these worries made it impossible for her to concentrate on her work.
他規定堂上只能講英語。 He made it a rule only to speak English in class.
她感到有責任指出這一點。 She felt it her duty to point that out.
間或可以看到下面這種句子:
I have long had it in mind to answer your letter. 我一直在想給你回信。
She took it on herself to apologize for me. 她親自出面替我道歉。
He regards it as important to help his friends. 他認為幫助朋友是很重要的。
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注: 在個別的介詞后可用"連接代(副)詞+不定式"這種結構作賓語,如:
Everyone has his own idea of how to do it. 如何做這件事各人都有不同的看法。
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不定式有時也可用以用作表語:
The problem is to find a solution. 問題是得找出一個解決辦法。
Her wish was to become an artist. 她的志愿是成為一個藝術家。
The greatest happiness is to work for the happiness of all. 最大的幸福就是為大家的幸福而工作。
His job was to make contacts with the local people. 他的任務是聯系當地群眾。
To do this would be to cut the foot to fit the shoe. 這樣做是削足適履。
The most important thing is to put theory into practice. 最重要的是把理論變為實際。
What I like is to swim in the sea and then to lie on the warm sand. 我喜歡的是在海里游泳,然后躺在暖和的沙上。
有時,在一個漢語句子中,如果主語很長而表語很短,在譯為英語時,我們可以把兩者顛倒過來,用上述結構來表示:
培養學生的獨立工作能力是我們現在的主要任務。 Our main task now is to develop the students’ ability to carry on independent work.
仔細分析當前的形勢并從而制定我們的政策,是我們最迫切的任務。 Our most urgent task is to make a careful analysis of the present situation and form our policy on the basis of such an analysis.