动名词短语可以作定语,放在名词的后面,称为
后置定语。但这种后置定语前面一定有介词。如果是动词的-ing形式直接跟在一个名词的后面的话,这是
现在分词,而不是动名词。
动名词由动词原形加词尾-ing而成,其构成方法与现在分词一样。
动名词既有动词性质,又有名词性质。
1)动名词的动词性质表现在:可有宾语和状语从而组成动名词短语。如:
I hope you don’t mind my saying it. 我希望你别介意我说的话。(有宾语it)
Are you for or against staying here? 你赞成还是反对留在这里?(有状语here)
2)动名词的名词性质表现在:在句中可用作主语、宾语等。如:
Traveling abroad can be very exciting. 出国旅行会是很激动人心的。(用作主语)
At Lent he gives up smoking and drinking. 在大斋期,他戒烟酒。(用作宾语)
动名词在句中可用作主语、
表语、宾语、定语、
同位语、补语等。
1)用作主语。如:
Seeing is believing. 百闻不如一见。
Saving is having. 节约即是收入。
在一些句子中,常用it作形式主语,将用作真实主语的动名词放在句未。it is可后接no use,no good,fun等名词。如:
It is no use crying over spilt milk. 覆水难收。
It is no good objecting. 反对也没有用。
It’s great fun sailing a boat. 扬帆驾舟是十分有趣的。
it is亦可后接useless,nice,good,interesting等形容词。如:
It is useless speaking. 光说没有用。
It’s so nice sitting here with you. 和你坐在一起真是愉快。
It’s good hearing English spoken. 听到人讲英语,我很高兴。
2)用作表语。如:
The main thing is getting there
in time. 首要的事是及时到达那里。
His main extravagance is smoking. 他的主要嗜好是吸烟。
This is not playing the game. 这样做就不公正诚实了。
动名词作表语时与进行时态中的现在分词形式相同,但其所属结构迥异,二者不可混淆。试比较:
Her job was washing clothes. 她的工作是洗衣裳。(washing是动名词,用作表语)
She was washing clothes. 她在洗衣裳。(washing是现在分词,与was构成
过去进行时,用作谓语)
3)用作宾语。如:
Have you finished reading the book? 你读完那本书了吗?
I suggest doing it in a different way. 我建议换一种方法做此事。
A person certainly loses when he gives up trying. 一个人放弃了努力就肯定一无所得。
动名词作为宾语,亦可用在复合宾语中。如:
The pain in my throat made speaking difficult. 我的
喉咙痛,造成说话困难。
Do you find living here interesting? 你觉得住在这里有意思吗?
动名词亦可用作介词的宾语。注意,介系词后面一般只能接动名词做宾语,只有but、except后面可以用
动词不定式来作宾语,如:
He has a strong objection to leaving early. 他极力反对早动身。
She is afraid of going out along. 她怕单独一个人出去。
Are you interested in buying second-hand books? 我对买旧书有兴趣吗?
介词有时可以省去。如:
He meant to go hunting. 他要去打猎。(省去on)
I have been some time answering this question. 我想了一些时间之后才回答这个问题。(省去in)
She spends a lot of money housing a family. 她给一家人提供房屋,要花很多钱。
What can prevent us getting married? 有什么能阻止我们结婚呢?(省去from)
4)用作定语。如:
Everybody was at his fighting post. 每一个人都守在自己的战斗岗位上。
They set up an operating table in a small temple. 他们将手术台架设在一座小庙。
He may be in the reading room, for all I know. 他说不定在阅览室里。
有些复合名词亦可用作定语。如:fact-finding committee 调查委员会 peace-keeping troops 维持和平部队
5)用作补语。如:
I call this robbing Peter to pay Paul. 我管这叫做拆东墙补西墙。(robbing用作
宾语补语)
This is called turning things upside down. 这叫做把事物颠倒了。(turning是主语补语)