想改善英文文法,可以每次學一個有用模式,用完整句子練習,再用英文文法練習測試,之後放返入自己講嘢或者寫作入面。呢份初學者英文文法指南會講詞序、時態同體貌、問句、冠詞、介詞、子句同常見學習者錯誤;英式、美式、正式同非正式用法有影響時都會標明。
有樣嘢大部分英文教材唔會直接講:最難捉摸嘅英文部分——冠詞、片語動詞、重音模式——正正最難用一條乾淨規則教。母語人士係靠多年大量接觸吸收返嚟,唔係靠明確教學。如果你背過「特定嘅用 the,泛指嘅用 a」而喺真實句子仲係會錯,唔代表條規則講得差。呢部分英文真係要靠大量模式辨認先會建立到,好似泰文或者普通話嘅聲調辨認,或者西班牙文嘅性別一致。你唔係漏咗一個人人都知嘅秘密技巧。
不過有個令人安心嘅另一面:英文動詞變化相對簡單。大部分動詞只係有幾個形式——walk、walks、walked、walking——唔使追性別一致,名詞亦冇格尾要背。如果你本身學緊俄文、德文或者芬蘭文呢類屈折變化多嘅語言,冇名詞格表真係會輕鬆好多。英文真正要花功夫嘅地方更似詞彙式文法:冠詞、介詞、片語動詞,同埋大量固定模式;唔係每個動詞都要背法文、西班牙文或者意大利文嗰類大變位表。
呢份指南係按你實際會點用去編排:係一本你會不時返嚟查嘅參考資料,而唔係一本要一口氣由頭讀到尾嘅書。用上面目錄直接跳去今個星期卡住你嘅部分。每一節會先講清楚點解嗰部分英文會令人有嗰種感覺,再用真實例句仔細教;適合嘅地方亦有一眼睇得明嘅表格。如果你心入面問緊「點解我明英文文法都仲係會犯錯?」呢一頁只記住一樣都夠:冠詞用錯,或者應該用現在完成式時慣性用咗一般過去式,唔代表你英文差。只係代表你正經歷每個學習者喺呢個階段、呢個位置、呢種語言都會有嘅內在取捨。
冠詞
就算你時態、詞彙、讀音都掌握得好,冠詞仍然可以令你喺講過好多次嘅句子入面漏咗或者擺錯 "the"。呢個唔係粗心:無論母語係咩,冠詞都係成年學習者最慢吸收嘅英文特徵之一。日文、韓文、普通話、俄文、波蘭文、泰文等好多語言都冇直接對應冠詞;你唔係只學一條規則,而係由零開始建立一個新嘅心智分類。
英文會標示每個名詞短語嘅三種狀態:新介紹嘅資訊用 a/an;聽者已知嘅事物用 the;名詞泛指而且係複數或不可數時,就唔用冠詞。
| 冠詞 | 幾時用 | 例句 |
|---|---|---|
| a / an | 第一次介紹某樣嘢,或者泛指任何一個例子 | I saw a dog in the park. She's an engineer. |
| the | 聽者已知係邊一個:之前提過、共同情境入面,或者只有一個 | The dog [頭先講過] ran away. The sun is bright today. |
| (唔用冠詞——「零冠詞」) | 泛指複數或不可數名詞;大部分專有名詞;作形容詞嘅語言/國籍 | Ø Dogs are loyal. Ø Water is essential. She speaks Ø French. |
最有用嘅理解唔係「特定對泛指」,因為「特定」本身好模糊;而係:聽者已經知你講緊邊一個未?
規則其實好簡單,但好多人將佢套喺拼寫而唔係聲音。開頭係元音聲音就用 an;開頭係子音聲音就用 a,唔理佢第一個字母係咩。
| 模式 | 例子 | 原因 |
|---|---|---|
| 元音字母、元音聲音 | an apple, an umbrella | 真係由元音聲音開始。 |
| 子音字母、元音聲音 | an hour, an honest man, an MBA | hour 同 honest 嘅 h 唔讀;MBA 讀成 em-bee-ay,由元音聲音開始。 |
| 元音字母、子音聲音 | a university, a European, a one-time offer | university 由 y 聲開始;one 由 w 聲開始。 |
| 子音字母、子音聲音 | a book, a car | 一般情況。 |
好多錯誤都源於以為 the 一定要喺 a 第一次出現之後先用。其實情境入面嘅唯一性、大家共有嘅世界知識、同最高級,都毋須前一句先出現。
母語干擾喺呢度最明顯。某些類別喺日常泛指時從來唔用冠詞,就算講者感覺佢好特定。
| 類別 | 唔用冠詞 | 對比(用冠詞) |
|---|---|---|
| 大部分專有名詞 | Ø France, Ø Mount Everest, Ø Lake Michigan, Ø Central Park | 複數國名同某些地理類別要用 the:the Netherlands, the United States, the Alps, the Pacific Ocean. |
| 作主語名詞或形容詞嘅語言 | She studies Ø Spanish. He speaks Ø Mandarin fluently. | 講完整名詞短語時可以講 "The Spanish language",但日常通常省略。 |
| 泛指嘅餐 | We had Ø breakfast at seven. | "The breakfast [酒店供應嗰一餐] was excellent" 指嗰一餐。 |
| 機構作本來用途 | He's in Ø school. She went to Ø bed. They're at Ø work. | "I walked past the school" 指建築物。 |
| by 加交通工具 | I came Ø by train / Ø by car / Ø by bus. | "I was on the train when you called" 指特定一程。 |
有啲冠詞用法已經係固定慣用語:The movies 但 Ø television;英式英文講 the hospital,美式英文講病人住院通常用 Ø hospital;a hundred、a thousand,但 the first hundred;in the morning / afternoon / evening,但 at Ø night。冇捷徑;當詞彙咁記,靠反覆接觸先會自然。
冠詞靠接觸模式多過套規則,所以最有用係留意,而唔係死背。讀或者聽真實英文時,短暫留意令你意外嘅 the、a 或零冠詞點解出現。每星期收集五至十個令你意外嘅完整句子,再當整塊語言複習;半年後對冠詞嘅幫助會多過任何一張規則紙。就算程度好高都要好耐先自動,呢個完全正常。
名詞
英文名詞冇文法性別,亦唔似德文或俄文咁按格變化;名詞本身唔需要為主語、賓語、所有格另學形式(代詞例外,下一節會講)。真正複雜嘅地方係名詞可唔可以數、唔規則複數同所有關係。若果你母語唔喺文法上分物質名詞同可數名詞,呢個分法要有意識咁學,唔能夠只靠直覺。
可數名詞係可以逐件數:one book, two books, three chairs。有單數同複數,可以跟 a/an、many 同數字,複數時用複數動詞。
不可數名詞(又叫物質名詞)將物質、抽象概念或者類別當一個整體:water, rice, information, advice, furniture, homework, equipment。佢哋冇複數,唔可以直接跟 a/an,配 much 唔配 many,而且永遠用單數動詞。
| 可數名詞 | 不可數名詞 | |
|---|---|---|
| 單數/複數 | a book / two books | furniture(冇複數:furnitures 錯) |
| 配 a/an | a chair | 唔可以:an information 錯 |
| 數量詞 | many books, a few chairs | much water, a little advice |
| 動詞一致 | The books are here. | The information is correct. |
令人煩惱嘅地方係英文可數/不可數唔一定合邏輯,亦未必同其他語言一樣。furniture、luggage、advice、information、news、equipment 同 homework 喺英文全部不可數,唔可以講 "furnitures"、"an advice" 或 "many homeworks"。呢個係封閉清單,逐個學,好似不規則動詞一樣;遇到就加落主動複習,唔好假設模式會自己推得出。
有啲名詞會隨意思轉類別:"I'd like a coffee"(可數:一杯、一次點單)對 "I don't drink coffee"(不可數:泛指飲品)。"There was a light in the window"(一盞燈)對 "There wasn't enough light to read by"(光線呢個現象)。
大部分英文名詞有可預測嘅複數串法同讀音;-s 尾音會隨名詞最後一個音變,呢個係藏喺串法規則入面嘅語音規則,影響聽同講。
| 尾音 | 複數尾音 | 例子 |
|---|---|---|
| 清子音(p, t, k, f) | /s/ | cats, books, cups, laughs |
| 濁子音或元音 | /z/ | dogs, cars, bees, boys |
| 咝音(s, z, sh, ch, j, x) | /ɪz/(多一個完整音節) | buses, boxes, churches, judges |
串法亦會變:子音 + y 變 -ies(city → cities),元音 + y 只加 -s(boy → boys)。-o 結尾唔一致(tomatoes、potatoes;但 pianos、photos、videos),逐個記。-f 或 -fe 通常變 -ves(leaf → leaves),但唔係永遠(roof → roofs),都係封閉清單。
不規則複數係高頻小清單;冇生產性規則,直接記最實際:
| 單數 | 複數 | 類型 |
|---|---|---|
| man | men | 元音變化 |
| woman | women | 元音變化(讀作 "wimin") |
| child | children | 歷史 -en 複數 |
| foot | feet | 元音變化 |
| tooth | teeth | 元音變化 |
| mouse | mice | 元音變化 |
| goose | geese | 元音變化 |
| person | people | 完全補充嘅另一個字 |
| sheep | sheep | 零複數 |
| fish | fish (usually) | 零複數;講多個物種先會有 fishes |
| deer, moose, series, species | deer, moose, series, species | 零複數 |
| criterion | criteria | 借自希臘文 |
| phenomenon | phenomena | 借自希臘文 |
| datum | data | 借自拉丁文;非正式場合 data 常當單數 |
| cactus | cacti / cactuses | 借自拉丁文;兩種都接受 |
英文主要有三種方式表示所有,揀邊種多數關乎自然程度,唔係死規則。
一般傾向(唔係絕對規則)係 's 較自然咁接人、動物、機構、時間表達同國家;of 較自然咁講物件部分、抽象關係同正式寫作。好多情況兩種都文法正確,係流暢度同語域選擇;讀得愈多就愈自然。
代詞
代詞係英文名詞冇格變化嘅唯一反面:代詞會隨文法角色改形式。學習者早期常會發現自己講 "Me and him went to the store",而標準形式係 "He and I went to the store";主語/賓語分別喺代詞入面仍然存在。
| 主語 | 賓語 | 所有格形容詞 | 所有格代詞 | 反身代詞 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | me | my | mine | myself |
| you | you | your | yours | yourself / yourselves |
| he | him | his | his | himself |
| she | her | her | hers | herself |
| it | it | its | its(罕見) | itself |
| we | us | our | ours | ourselves |
| they | them | their | theirs | themselves |
"They/them/their" 亦係性別不詳、未知,或者個人使用 they 嘅標準單數代詞:"Someone left their umbrella — I hope they come back for it." 呢種用法喺近年受注目之前已經用咗幾百年,依家大部分正式風格指南亦接受。
好多語言將兩者譯成同一個所有形式,所以容易混淆。所有格形容詞直接放喺名詞前,唔可以獨立:"This is my book." 所有格代詞代替成個名詞短語,可以獨立:"This book is mine." 唔可以講 "This book is my" 或 "This is mine book"。
反身代詞有兩份唔同工作,中階學習者好常因為過度修正而混淆。
常見過度修正係 "I feel myself tired";正確係 "I feel tired",因為呢個意思嘅 feel 根本唔需要賓語。英文比好多學習者預期更常省略反身代詞。
佢哋標示數量(單/複)同距離(近/遠)。
| 近(空間或時間) | 遠(空間或時間) | |
|---|---|---|
| 單數 | this book(我手上嗰本) | that book(喺嗰邊嗰本) |
| 複數 | these books | those books |
指示詞亦會追蹤對話距離:"This is a great idea" 指啱啱提出、仲喺眼前嘅想法;"That was a great idea" 指之前提出、時間線上較遠嘅想法。
英文用四個前綴(some-、any-、no-、every-)同三個尾綴組成有規律嘅不定代詞:人用 -one/-body,事物用 -thing,地方用 -where;some-/any- 選擇跟下一節否定句講嘅肯定/問句/否定邏輯。
| 人 | 事物 | 地方 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| some- | someone, somebody | something | somewhere |
| any- | anyone, anybody | anything | anywhere |
| no- | no one, nobody | nothing | nowhere |
| every- | everyone, everybody | everything | everywhere |
所有呢啲不定代詞都接單數動詞,即使 everyone 同 everybody 概念上似複數:"Everyone is here",唔係 are;"Somebody has left their bag",亦展示上面講嘅單數 they。
時態同體貌
好多人驚訝嘅係:技術上英文只有兩個真正時態——現在同過去。你聽過嘅「將來時」或「現在完成時」其實係其中一個時態配體貌(簡單、進行、完成、完成進行),或者配 will 呢類情態動詞。大家慣常仍然叫佢「十二時態」,呢度都會咁叫;不過理解成 2 個時態 × 4 種體貌(將來由情態動詞建立)會比背十二樣互不相關嘅嘢清楚得多。
如果你母語唔似英文咁將體貌文法化,而係靠語境或副詞分「進行中」同「完成咗」,呢個可能係你最大嘅時態調整,而且真係要時間。母語人士會無意識即時喺 "I lived there" 同 "I have lived there" 之間揀;差距會靠大量對比真實例句慢慢縮窄,唔係多背規則。
| 體貌 | 過去 | 現在 | 將來 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 簡單 | I walked | I walk | I will walk |
| 進行 | I was walking | I am walking | I will be walking |
| 完成 | I had walked | I have walked | I will have walked |
| 完成進行 | I had been walking | I have been walking | I will have been walking |
簡單體將動作當作完整單位,而唔係睇住佢展開;用嚟講事實、習慣、時間表,同單次已完成(或將會發生)嘅事件。
| 時態 | 形式 | 主要用途 | 例子 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 一般現在 | 原形動詞(he/she/it 加 s) | 事實、習慣、日常、固定時間表、普遍真理 | Water boils at 100°C. She works from home on Fridays. The train leaves at 6pm. |
| 一般過去 | 動詞 + -ed(或不規則形式) | 特定、已完結過去時間嘅完整動作 | I visited Peru in 2019. She called me yesterday. They didn't come to the party. |
| 一般將來(will) | will + 原形動詞 | 預測、即興決定、承諾、主動提議 | It will rain tomorrow. I'll help you with that. I promise I will call you tonight. |
早期常見錯係用一般現在講而家進行緊嘅事:想講 "I am eating dinner" 卻講 "I eat dinner"。一般現在講習慣("I eat dinner at seven every night"),進行緊嘅動作屬於下一節嘅進行體。
進行體(progressive 亦係同義名稱)將動作放喺參照時間中,表示進行中、暫時或未完,形式係 be 加動詞 -ing。
| 時態 | 形式 | 主要用途 | 例子 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 現在進行 | am/is/are + verb-ing | 而家發生;暫時情況;定好嘅將來安排 | She's studying for her exam right now. I'm living with my parents this year. We're meeting them at noon tomorrow. |
| 過去進行 | was/were + verb-ing | 某過去時刻進行中,常畀另一動作打斷 | I was cooking dinner when the phone rang. They were watching a movie all evening. |
| 將來進行 | will be + verb-ing | 某個將來時刻會進行中 | This time next week, I'll be lying on a beach. Don't call at 8 — I'll be driving. |
過去進行加一般過去係自然講故事最有用嘅模式:進行體交代背景,一般過去加入打斷事件。"I was walking home when it started to rain." "She was sleeping when the earthquake hit." 打斷動作係短而完整,所以用一般過去。
唔係每個動詞都自然有進行式。狀態動詞(know, believe, want, need, love, hate, own, belong, understand, seem)通常抗拒進行式:"I am knowing the answer" 錯,"I know the answer" 正確。有啲動詞意思轉咗先可以用進行式:"I think it's a good idea"(意見)對 "I'm thinking about moving to Berlin"(而家進行緊嘅思考);"I have a car"(擁有)對 "I'm having a great time"(經歷)。
完成體最難,因為佢將一個時間點連去較後嘅時間點;好多語言改用時間副詞或語境表達。形式係適當時態嘅 have 加過去分詞。
| 時態 | 形式 | 主要用途 | 例子 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 現在完成 | have/has + 過去分詞 | 過去動作同現在相關:未完時間、結果而家重要、未指明時間、人生經驗 | I have lived here for ten years (而家仲住緊)。 She has already left (所以佢而家唔喺度)。 Have you ever been to Japan? |
| 過去完成 | had + 過去分詞 | 另一個過去動作或時間之前完成,即「過去嘅過去」 | By the time we arrived, the movie had already started. I had never seen snow before I moved to Canada. |
| 將來完成 | will have + 過去分詞 | 某特定將來點之前會完成 | By next June, I will have finished my degree. She'll have already left by the time you get there. |
如果你可以用明確過去時間標記講出事情幾時發生(yesterday、in 2020、last week、when I was ten),英文要一般過去。如果重點係同而家嘅關係——仲成立、時間段未完、確切時間唔重要,或者結果相關——英文要現在完成。好多中高階學習者,包括用英文工作多年嘅人,都會喺呢度混淆,所以覺得飄忽好正常。
| 一般過去(時間完咗) | 現在完成(連到而家) |
|---|---|
| I lived in Berlin for two years. (我而家唔再住;嗰段時間完咗。) | I have lived in Berlin for two years. (我而家仲住;嗰段時間未完。) |
| I saw that movie last week. | I have seen that movie. (喺某個冇指明嘅時候——重點唔係「幾時」。) |
| She lost her keys yesterday. (一件特定、已完結嘅事。) | She has lost her keys. (所以佢而家入唔到——重點係眼前結果。) |
| Did you finish the report? (中性、指已完結時間嘅問句。) | Have you finished the report? (問而家嘅情況——而家做完未?) |
一個實用測試:如果句子可以自然加特定過去時間("...in 2019"、"...last Tuesday"),幾乎肯定要一般過去,唔係現在完成。母語人士唔會自然講 "I have visited Paris in 2019";日期會拉去 "I visited Paris in 2019",而冇日期、講經驗嘅 "I have visited Paris" 保持現在完成。
兩者都將過去連到而家;完成體著重結果或完成,完成進行著重活動本身仍進行,或者啱啱停止。
完成進行結合兩種意思:完成體嘅「同較後時間相關」加進行體嘅「動作進行中」,用 have been 加 -ing。
| 時態 | 形式 | 主要用途 | 例子 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 現在完成進行 | have/has been + verb-ing | 過去開始而家仍然繼續,或者啱停而有可見結果 | I've been studying English for three years. She's been crying — her eyes are red. |
| 過去完成進行 | had been + verb-ing | 持續到另一過去點之前嘅動作 | He was tired because he had been working all day. They had been waiting for an hour when the bus finally came. |
| 將來完成進行 | will have been + verb-ing | 到某個將來點已經持續咗一段時間 | By December, I will have been living here for five years. |
如果你發現自己用一般過去或一般現在遠多過進行或完成,呢個非常常見,亦有充分記錄,唔係個人不足。進行同完成體包含講者判斷:係咪進行中?而家係咪相關?好多語言會留畀語境或副詞,而唔會放入動詞文法。由 "I worked on this for hours" 建立到自然講 "I've been working on this for hours",係較後期技巧,靠大量吸收母語說話同留意對比,唔係孤立操變位表。B1 或 B2 仲常用簡單時態正正係大部分學習者嗰個階段,唔代表你方法有問題。
英文冇單一將來時;至少有四個常見講法,分別在確定程度、計劃同時間,唔只係文體。
| 形式 | 用途 | 例子 |
|---|---|---|
| will + 原形動詞 | 冇證據嘅預測、即興決定、承諾、提議 | I think it will be sunny tomorrow. I'll get the door. |
| be going to + 原形動詞 | 已決定嘅計劃/意圖,或有目前證據嘅預測 | I'm going to visit my parents next month (之前已經決定)。 Look at those clouds — it's going to rain. |
| 現在進行 | 固定安排,尤其時間/地方已確認 | I'm meeting the dentist at 3pm on Thursday. |
| 一般現在 | 固定時間表(火車、航班、官方活動) | The flight leaves at 9am. The semester starts on September 4th. |
最值得先內化嘅係 will 同 going to:will 常喺即刻決定,或者冇具體證據而預測時用("I'll have the pasta",而家睇餐牌先決定);going to 常講之前已決定嘅計劃,或者有眼前證據嘅預測("I'm going to have the pasta",早就決定;"she's going to fall",而家見到佢失平衡)。
情態動詞
情態動詞係一小組封閉嘅助動詞:can、could、may、might、must、shall、should、will、would,加上近似情態嘅 "have to"、"ought to" 同 "used to"。佢哋加喺主要動詞之上,表達可能、義務、許可、能力同建議。文法上佢哋好特別:he/she/it 都唔加 -s;後面動詞前唔加 to(ought to 同 have to 例外);問句同否定句亦唔使 do。講咗 "he cans swim" 或 "she musts go",就係將情態動詞當普通動詞變位咗。
真正難處唔係形式,而係多數情態動詞會隨語境有多於一個意思;揀錯會改變意思,字典直譯未必捉到。例如 "You must be tired" 係有把握嘅推斷,"you must finish this today" 就係義務。
| 情態動詞 | 主要意思 | 例句 |
|---|---|---|
| can | 現在能力;非正式許可;一般可能 | I can speak three languages. Can I leave early today? It can get very cold here in winter. |
| could | 過去能力;禮貌請求;可能(比 can 冇咁肯定) | I could swim when I was five. Could you help me, please? It could rain later. |
| may | 正式許可;可能 | May I ask a question? She may be running late. |
| might | 可能(比 may 更弱) | I might go to the party — I haven't decided yet. |
| must | 強烈義務;有把握邏輯推斷 | I must finish this report today. You've been traveling for 20 hours — you must be exhausted. |
| shall | 正式將來(多數英式 I/we);提議 | Shall we begin? I shall return by five o'clock. |
| should | 建議;輕度義務;預期 | You should see a doctor about that cough. The package should arrive tomorrow. |
| will | 將來預測/決定;意願;一般真理 | I will call you later. I'll help you carry that. |
| would | 禮貌請求/提議;假設;過去習慣 | Would you like some tea? I would help if I could. Every summer, we would visit my grandmother. |
| ought to | 建議/輕度義務,比 should 正式少少 | You ought to apologize to her. |
| have to | 外在規則或要求造成嘅義務 | I have to wear a uniform at work. |
| used to | 已不再成立嘅過去習慣或狀態 | I used to live in Madrid. She used to hate coffee. |
呢個分別微妙但有用:must 多數係講者自己施加,或者個人感到好強烈嘅義務;have to 多數係規則、其他人或環境加落嚟。"I must call my mother tonight" 係個人責任感;"I have to submit this form by Friday" 係外在限期。否定時兩者完全分開,尤其要記:"you mustn't" 係禁止;"you don't have to" 係唔需要,但想做都得。"You mustn't tell anyone" 同 "you don't have to tell anyone" 意思真係唔同。
英文用情態動詞將邏輯猜測嘅信心由幾乎肯定到只係可能分級,呢個系統相當有規律。
| 確定程度 | 現在推斷 | 過去推斷 |
|---|---|---|
| 非常肯定(正面) | must + 原形動詞 — She must be at work. | must have + 過去分詞 — She must have left already. |
| 可能 | may/might/could + 原形動詞 — She may/might/could be at work. | may/might/could have + 過去分詞 — She may/might/could have left already. |
| 非常肯定(負面) | can't + 原形動詞 — She can't be at work; I just saw her at home. | can't have + 過去分詞 — She can't have left; her car is still here. |
注意 mustn't 唔係推斷嘅否定;有把握嘅負面推斷要用 can't。"He must be lying" 配 "he can't be lying",唔係 "he mustn't be lying."
兩者都可講已不再發生嘅重複過去動作,但 used to 仲可以講過去狀態;would 只可以講重複動作,唔可以講狀態。"I used to live in a small town" 正確;表示過去持續狀態嘅 "I would live in a small town" 唔正確。would 需要動作動詞:"Every winter, we would build a snowman" 可以,"I would be shy as a child" 唔可以;要講 "I used to be shy as a child."
情態動詞 + have + 過去分詞,令你可以評論一件過去冇按所講方式發生嘅事;對表達後悔、批評同過去猜測特別有用。
條件句
條件句將條件("if...")同結果連起,英文會按情況有幾真實或假設、以及發生喺現在/將來定過去,分成一小組命名模式。並排睇時比想像中機械化;難嘅係揀啱你真正想講嘅意思,唔係記動詞形式。
| 類型 | If 子句 | 主句 | 意思 | 例句 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 零 | 一般現在 | 一般現在 | 永遠成立嘅普遍真理、事實、科學結果 | If you heat ice, it melts. |
| 第一 | 一般現在 | will + 原形動詞 | 真實、好有可能嘅將來 | If it rains tomorrow, I will stay home. |
| 第二 | 一般過去 | would + 原形動詞 | 不真實或唔大可能嘅現在/將來 | If I had more time, I would travel more. |
| 第三 | 過去完成 | would have + 過去分詞 | 不真實過去,太遲改變 | If I had studied harder, I would have passed. |
| 混合(過去→現在) | 過去完成 | would + 原形動詞 | 不真實過去條件造成現在結果 | If I had taken that job, I would be living in Berlin now. |
| 混合(現在→過去) | 一般過去 | would have + 過去分詞 | 永久現在/一般事實影響過去結果 | If I weren't so afraid of flying, I would have visited you last year. |
零條件句講條件一成立就永遠為真嘅事:科學事實、自然規律或固定習慣。兩邊都用一般現在,而且 if 通常可以換成 when 而意思不變,係判斷零條件句嘅實用測試:"If/When you mix red and blue, you get purple." "If/When the sun sets, it gets dark."
第一條件句講一個具體、合理嘅將來情況同可能結果,唔係幻想。"If it rains tomorrow, I will stay home" 表示聽日落雨真係有可能。主句亦常用其他情態動詞改變確定度:"If you finish early, you can leave." "If she calls, tell her I'm busy." "If the traffic is bad, we might be late."
常見錯係將 will 放入 if 子句:"If it will rain tomorrow, I will stay home" 錯。即使係講將來,if 子句都用一般現在;will 只喺結果子句。
第二條件句想像而家不真實、唔大可能或者純假設嘅現在或將來,例如中六合彩、有另一份工、係另一種人。"If I had more time, I would travel more" 表示你而家冇更多時間。"If I won the lottery, I would buy a house" 表示機會唔大,未必係絕對唔可能。
正式或小心嘅英文,第二條件句 if 子句任何主語都用 were,連 I、he、she、it 都一樣;係只喺呢個位置保留嘅虛擬式。"If I were you, I would apologize" 係標準形式;"if I was you" 喺口語常見,但正式寫作同固定句式 if I were you 入面較唔恰當。
第三條件句講冇發生嘅過去情況,同想像但而家同樣不可能嘅結果;常用嚟講後悔、批評同過去 "what if"。"If I had studied harder, I would have passed" 直接表示你冇更努力讀書,亦冇合格——兩邊都已經永久改唔到。
結果子句亦常用 should have、could have、might have 取代 would have 來加語氣:"If you had told me, I could have helped." "If she had left earlier, she might have caught the train."
真實對話常需要條件同結果喺兩個唔同時間框架。英文唔會強行塞入一個盒,而係將第二同第三條件句模式混合。
幾個連接詞可以唔直接用 if 都造到條件句,各自有少少意思差異。
| 字/片語 | 意思 | 例句 |
|---|---|---|
| unless | "if...not":令結果唔發生嘅唯一例外 | I won't go unless you come with me.(意思即係:I won't go if you don't come with me.) |
| provided (that) / providing (that) | "only if":必須條件,稍正式 | You can borrow the car, provided that you fill it up with gas. |
| as long as | "only if":必須條件,比 provided that 口語 | As long as you finish your homework, you can watch TV. |
| in case | 為可能發生嘅事預防;唔係 if 嘅同義詞 | Take an umbrella in case it rains.(無論最後有冇落雨,而家都帶;唔同於 "if it rains, take an umbrella",後者係真係開始落雨先返去攞。) |
被動語態
被動語態唔係另一個時態,而係用另一方法組織同一份資訊:由「邊個做」轉移焦點到「某樣嘢發生咗乜」。上面十二個時態全部都有被動對應,每次都用同一條規則:將 be 用喺正確時態,再加主要動詞嘅過去分詞。明咗呢條機械規則,被動語態就唔係十二件新嘢,而係一條規則套十二次。
| 時態 | 主動 | 被動 |
|---|---|---|
| 一般現在 | The chef cooks the meal. | The meal is cooked (by the chef). |
| 一般過去 | The chef cooked the meal. | The meal was cooked (by the chef). |
| 一般將來 | The chef will cook the meal. | The meal will be cooked (by the chef). |
| 現在進行 | The chef is cooking the meal. | The meal is being cooked (by the chef). |
| 過去進行 | The chef was cooking the meal. | The meal was being cooked (by the chef). |
| 現在完成 | The chef has cooked the meal. | The meal has been cooked (by the chef). |
| 過去完成 | The chef had cooked the meal. | The meal had been cooked (by the chef). |
| 將來完成 | The chef will have cooked the meal. | The meal will have been cooked (by the chef). |
| 情態(can) | The chef can cook the meal. | The meal can be cooked (by the chef). |
刻意冇列將來進行同兩種完成進行;"the meal will have been being cooked" 雖然文法上可以砌出嚟,真實英文幾乎唔會用,因為太多助動詞疊埋唔自然。實際上會改寫成另一句,而唔係勉強用尷尬被動。
英文講者會喺幾個反覆出現情況用被動;認得佢哋,可以自然咁用,而唔會因為唔肯定而避開,或者因為想正式而濫用。
要留意有啲學習者因為覺得被動較高級或正式而過度使用;日常英文口語仍然絕大多數用主動。冇必要嘅被動("The ball was thrown by me to my friend",而唔係 "I threw the ball to my friend")聽落僵硬,唔係成熟。
非正式英文常用 get 代替 be,特別係突然、無計劃或者戲劇性事件:"He got fired last week" 比 "he was fired" 更口語生動;"I got caught in the rain." "She got promoted." 呢個 get-passive 喺說話同非正式寫作常見,但正式或學術寫作通常避免,應該用標準 be 被動。
只有及物動詞——有直接賓語嘅動詞——可以變被動,因為被動係將賓語提升成新主語。冇賓語嘅不及物動詞(arrive、happen、sleep、exist、occur)根本冇被動:"The accident happened" 唔可以變成 "was happened by",因為冇賓語可提升。有啲動詞雖然技術上有賓語都抗拒被動,尤其描述擁有或關係嘅狀態動詞(have、resemble、lack、fit):"She resembles her mother" 幾乎唔會寫成 "Her mother is resembled by her."
轉述說話
轉述說話(又叫間接說話)係唔逐字引用,而係將另一個人講過嘅嘢講返畀人聽。最容易卡住人嘅機械部分係退時(backshift):當轉述動詞係過去式("she said"、"he told me"),轉述子句入面嘅時態通常會再退一步,同時配合代詞同時間/地方字詞嘅改動。
| 直接說話(原本時態) | 轉述說話(退咗嘅時態) | 例子 |
|---|---|---|
| 一般現在 | 一般過去 | "I am tired." → She said she was tired. |
| 現在進行 | 過去進行 | "I am working." → He said he was working. |
| 一般過去 | 過去完成 | "I left early." → She said she had left early. |
| 過去進行 | 過去完成進行 | "I was sleeping." → He said he had been sleeping. |
| 現在完成 | 過去完成 | "I have finished." → She said she had finished. |
| 過去完成 | 過去完成(唔再變——已經係最早嘅形式) | "I had already eaten." → He said he had already eaten. |
| will | would | "I will call you." → She said she would call me. |
| can | could | "I can help." → He said he could help. |
| may | might | "It may rain." → She said it might rain. |
| must(義務) | had to(或者保留 must) | "I must go." → He said he had to go. |
本身已經帶「過去感」或者固定嘅情態動詞——could、would、should、might、ought to——唔會再退,因為英文冇更早嘅形式可以退:"I could help tomorrow" 會保持為 "she said she could help tomorrow."
退時係傾向,唔係絕對規則。幾個可預測情況英文會跳過:所講嘅事實仲係真或者係普遍真理("She said the earth is round"——唔會因為轉述動詞係過去就將科學事實退時);所講情況到轉述一刻仍然持續或未改(如果佢仲住喺多倫多,"He said he lives in Toronto");同埋日常口語中,原話啱啱先講完("She just said she's on her way")。
轉述唔只改動詞時態;代詞、所有格、時間同地方指示都要改成由轉述者新角度理解到。
| 直接說話 | 轉述說話 |
|---|---|
| "I like your jacket." | She said she liked my jacket.(代詞轉換) |
| "I'll see you tomorrow." | He said he'd see me the next day / the following day.(遲啲轉述先改時間) |
| "I was here yesterday." | She said she had been there the day before.(here → there,yesterday → the day before) |
| "I'll do it now." | He said he would do it then / immediately. |
| "This is my favorite restaurant." | She said that was her favorite restaurant. |
只有原話同轉述之間真係有時間或位置距離,先要做呢啲轉換。如果同一間房、三十秒前先講,tomorrow 同 here 通常照用,因為參照點其實未變。
轉述問句要刪問號、刪直接問句嘅助動詞—主語倒裝,然後返去普通陳述句詞序。呢個「將問句反倒裝」感覺違反直覺,所以程度唔錯嘅學習者都會出錯。
| 直接問句 | 轉述問句 |
|---|---|
| "Where do you live?" | He asked me where I lived.(冇 do、正常詞序、冇問號) |
| "Are you coming?" | She asked if/whether I was coming.(是非問句用 if 或 whether 連接) |
| "What time is it?" | He asked what time it was. |
| "Have you finished?" | She asked if I had finished. |
命令同請求用不定式結構轉述——"told/asked + object + to + 原形動詞"——唔係退時,因為原本祈使句冇時態可以退。
say 同 tell 係兩個基本轉述動詞,分別純粹係結構:tell 一定要有聽者做直接賓語("he told me that...");呢個模式下 say 唔可以有直接人稱賓語("he said that...",唔可以 "he said me that...")。英文仲有好多較精確嘅轉述動詞,會加上講法語氣:admit、deny、suggest、recommend、warn、promise、complain、insist、refuse、offer、agree、threaten、advise。用得好係更高階流暢度嘅標記;而且每個常常有自己固定後接結構——"he suggested going to the beach"(動名詞)、"she warned me not to touch it"(賓語 + 不定式)、"he denied stealing the money"(動名詞)——要按動詞逐個學,唔可以由一般規則推出,好似下面動名詞同不定式章節講嗰啲動詞模式。
片語動詞
片語動詞將動詞同介詞或副詞(喺呢個角色叫小品詞,particle)合埋,形成往往同兩個單字本身冇關嘅意思。佢係最似詞彙、最唔似文法嘅英文部分:你唔可以靠邏輯由 give 加 up 推出 give up(放棄);只可以喺語境遇到夠多次先記得。如果初期你偏向用單字替代(用 postpone 唔用 put off,investigate 唔用 look into),呢個好常見而且完全可行。片語動詞偏向輕鬆口語;正式寫作用拉丁語源嘅單字同義詞反而通常更自然,唔使覺得尷尬。
片語動詞分兩種結構,分別在賓語可唔可以放喺動詞同 particle 中間。英文冇視覺標記,要逐個動詞記,所以係常見中階錯誤。
| 類型 | 規則 | 例子 |
|---|---|---|
| 可分(賓語可放中間或後面) | 名詞賓語兩個位置都得;代詞賓語一定放中間。 | Turn off the light. / Turn the light off. / Turn it off.(唔可以講 "turn off it") |
| 不可分(賓語永遠放後面) | 無論名詞或代詞,動詞同小品詞都唔分開。 | I ran into my old teacher. / I ran into her.(唔可以講 "I ran my old teacher into") |
| 三字(動詞 + 小品詞 + 介詞) | 絕不可以分開;成組連住,賓語永遠最後。 | I look forward to seeing you. She came up with a great idea. |
唯一值得直接背、亦喺真實說話不斷測試嘅規則:可分片語動詞一有代詞賓語,就必須分開。"Turn off it" 係錯;一定要 "turn it off." 呢條規則已經解決好大部分混亂。
片語動詞最好按主題而唔係一大堆字母排序去學。按情況(開始/停止、人際、資訊)分組,比較似你對話時真正需要提取嘅方法。
片語動詞係獨立詞彙,唔係套用規則,所以實際學法同密集詞彙一樣:喺真實語境遇到同一個幾次,最好係睇緊本身已感興趣嘅劇、podcast 或書,而唔係一次過硬背一張孤立清單。每星期由反覆遇到嘅片語動詞拎五個真實例句做句子採集,會比只背定義耐用得多。
動名詞同不定式
一個動詞後面再跟第二個動詞時,英文要決定第二個用動名詞(動詞 + -ing,當名詞用:"swimming"、"reading")定不定式(to + 原形動詞:"to swim"、"to read")。令人洩氣嘅係,冇可靠邏輯規則預測每個動詞要邊一種;要逐個動詞學,好似片語動詞一樣。呢個係英文文法真係要「背清單」嘅角落,唔可以只靠推理。
enjoy, avoid, finish, mind, suggest, admit, deny, practice, consider, imagine, risk, quit, delay, postpone, keep (on), give up, put off, can't help
want, need, decide, plan, hope, promise, agree, refuse, offer, manage, afford, learn, seem, appear, tend, fail, expect, arrange
begin、start、continue、like、love、hate、prefer、can't stand 喺大部分日常語境都可以跟兩種形式,差唔多可互換;某些情況不定式會帶少少較具體、一次性嘅感覺。
呢個群組較細但最值得認真背,因為用錯唔只係聽落少少唔自然,而係真係改咗你講緊乜。
| 動詞 | + 動名詞 | + 不定式 |
|---|---|---|
| remember | 記得過去做過嘅事:"I remember locking the door"(我有做過嘅記憶) | 唔好忘記將來任務:"Remember to lock the door"(之後嘅提醒/指示) |
| forget | 唔能夠忘記過去行動,通常有感情色彩:"I'll never forget meeting her" | 忘記做必須任務:"I forgot to lock the door"(我冇做) |
| stop | 停止進行中嘅活動:"He stopped smoking"(以前有食煙,而家戒咗) | 停低一件事去做另一件:"He stopped to smoke"(停低本身做緊嘅嘢去食支煙) |
| try | 試一種方法睇有冇效:"Try adding more salt" | 努力做一件難嘅事:"Try to finish on time" |
| regret | 對過去行動感到抱歉:"I regret telling him the truth" | 正式宣布壞消息:"We regret to inform you that your application was unsuccessful" |
另一個模式係動詞後面先有人(賓語),再跟不定式;常見於勸說、許可、指示嘅動詞:want、ask、tell、allow、expect、encourage、remind、teach、invite、warn、force。"I want you to call me tomorrow." "She told him to wait outside." "They encouraged her to apply for the scholarship."
呢條細小但非常可靠嘅規則,解決咗好多混亂:一個動詞後面有介詞,而介詞後面再有動詞,嗰個動詞一定係動名詞,永遠唔係不定式。"I'm interested in learning Korean"(唔係 "to learn")。"She's good at solving puzzles." "He's tired of waiting." "They talked about moving to Canada." "I'm looking forward to seeing you"——尤其要注意呢個 to 係介詞,唔係不定式標記,所以後面係 seeing 唔係 see;就算高階學習者都會中伏。
問句
英文大部分問句都將主語同助動詞倒裝——即係將幫手嘅動詞移到主語前——唔係任意改詞序,亦唔係好似有啲語言咁單靠升調。呢個係真正結構規則,唔只係說話模式。就算程度幾高,倒裝做錯都係最頑固嘅錯誤之一,因為要主動重組句子,唔係只加個問字。
問句仲未自然出口時,按呢四步走一次——就算慢慢喺心入面走——已經可以解決絕大部分錯誤。佢令你每次做同一個結構檢查,而唔係由零猜詞序。
| 時態 | 陳述句 | 問句 |
|---|---|---|
| 一般現在(陳述句冇助動詞) | You like coffee. | Do you like coffee? |
| 一般現在(he/she/it) | She likes coffee. | Does she like coffee? |
| 一般過去(陳述句冇助動詞) | They arrived yesterday. | Did they arrive yesterday? |
| 現在進行 | She is working. | Is she working? |
| 現在完成 | You have finished. | Have you finished? |
| 情態(can、will、should...) | He can swim. | Can he swim? |
要留意嘅模式:陳述句本身有助動詞(is、have、can、will、was 等),就直接移去前面。陳述句完全冇助動詞——一般現在同一般過去主要動詞自己帶時態嗰種——英文會插入 do/does 或 did,只係為咗有嘢可移去前面同帶時態;主要動詞就返原形。呢個就係點解 "Do you liked coffee?" 同 "She like coffee?" 都錯:時態標記必須喺句入面剛好一個動詞上,要唔喺陳述句主要動詞,要唔喺問句助動詞,唔可以兩邊都有亦唔可以兩邊都冇。
Wh 問句(who、what、where、when、why、how、which、whose)先放問字,再跟是非問句一樣嘅助動詞—主語倒裝。
| 問字 | 問緊 | 例子 |
|---|---|---|
| who | 人(主語或賓語) | Who called you last night? |
| what | 事物、動作或想法 | What did you say? |
| where | 地方 | Where do you live? |
| when | 時間 | When does the movie start? |
| why | 原因 | Why are you laughing? |
| how | 方式、方法,或配形容詞表示程度 | How did you fix it? How tall is he? |
| which | 已知/有限選項中嘅選擇 | Which restaurant do you prefer? |
| whose | 所有關係 | Whose jacket is this? |
如果 who 或 what 問嘅係句子主語,而唔係賓語,完全唔使插助動詞或倒裝;問字本身已經佔咗主語位置,問句保持正常陳述詞序。比較:"Who did you see?"(賓語問句——you 係主語,所以插 did 再倒裝)同 "Who saw you?"(主語問句——who 直接取代主語,毋須 did 或倒裝)。兩句表面好似,但規則完全唔同,所以特別易中伏。
當問句嵌喺較長、較禮貌嘅句入面——"Could you tell me..."、"I wonder..."、"Do you know..."——嵌入問句會返正常陳述詞序,冇助動詞倒裝,同上面轉述問句一樣。
| 直接問句 | 嵌入(間接)問句 |
|---|---|
| Where is the station? | Could you tell me where the station is?(唔係 "where is the station") |
| What time does it start? | Do you know what time it starts?(唔係 "does it start") |
| Is she coming? | I wonder if she is coming. |
附加問句係喺陳述句尾加一個短助動詞 + 代詞,用嚟確認你本身相信嘅資料,或者邀請對方同意。整個系統有一條簡潔機械規則:肯定陳述配否定附加問句;否定陳述配肯定附加問句。
| 陳述句 | 附加問句 | 完整句子 |
|---|---|---|
| 肯定 | 否定 | You're coming, aren't you? |
| 否定 | 肯定 | You aren't coming, are you? |
| 肯定(一般現在,冇助動詞) | 否定(do/does) | She likes coffee, doesn't she? |
| 肯定(一般過去,冇助動詞) | 否定(did) | They arrived on time, didn't they? |
| 肯定 "I am" | "aren't I"(不規則;標準用法唔係 "am I not" 或 "amn't I") | I'm right, aren't I? |
有兩樣一定要同主句完全配:時態/助動詞(現在主句要現在附加問句;過去主句要過去附加問句),同主語代詞;完整主語要變相應代詞("your sister" 變 "she","the children" 變 "they")。語調亦帶意思:附加問句用降調表示你頗肯定,只想確認("It's cold today, isn't it." 幾乎似陳述);升調表示真係唔確定("You locked the door, didn't you?")。
否定
英文主要喺第一個助動詞後面插入 not 來否定句子;如果冇其他助動詞,就放喺 do/does/did 呢個空助動詞後。呢個直接連返上節「剛好一個動詞帶時態」嘅原則。
| 時態 | 肯定 | 否定 |
|---|---|---|
| 一般現在 | I like coffee. She likes coffee. | I don't like coffee. She doesn't like coffee. |
| 一般過去 | They arrived early. | They didn't arrive early. |
| 現在進行 | He is working. | He isn't / is not working. |
| 現在完成 | She has finished. | She hasn't / has not finished. |
| 情態 | He can swim. | He can't / cannot swim. |
縮寫否定(don't、doesn't、didn't、isn't、aren't、wasn't、weren't、haven't、hasn't、hadn't、won't、wouldn't、can't、couldn't、shouldn't、mustn't)主宰一般口語同非正式寫作;完整形式(do not、is not、have not)較正式、較強調或較小心。"I do NOT agree" 比平淡嘅 "I don't agree" 明顯更有力。
標準英文唔會喺同一個子句疊兩個否定詞來加強否定;呢個係整個否定系統最清晰、最絕對嘅規則之一,雖然西班牙文、俄文同好多語言正正會咁做,甚至需要咁做。"I don't have no money" 喺正式英文唔標準(技術上仲似邏輯雙否定,意思係「我有一啲錢」,雖然某些方言會當加強否定理解)。標準形式每個子句只用一個否定元素:"I don't have any money" 或 "I have no money." 如果你母語會用疊否定加強,要有意識咁用呢條單否定規則覆蓋直覺。
some 同 any(以及 someone/anyone、something/anything、somewhere/anywhere)按句子類型有一個好用嘅三分模式;同樣模式亦延伸到 much/many。
| 句子類型 | 詞族 | 例子 |
|---|---|---|
| 肯定句 | some, someone, something, somewhere | I have some questions. There's someone at the door. |
| 否定句 | any, anyone, anything, anywhere | I don't have any questions. There isn't anyone here. |
| 問句 | any, anyone, anything, anywhere | Do you have any questions? Is there anyone home? |
有個值得知嘅例外:問句係主動提供或者禮貌請求,而你預期答案係「有」時用 some。"Would you like some coffee?" 係提供,預期對方接受;"Do you have any coffee?" 係中性問到底有冇咖啡。
呢小組字本身已有否定意思,所以周圍動詞保持正常肯定形式;再加 not 就會變上面講嘅雙重否定。
| 字 | 用途 | 例子 |
|---|---|---|
| never | 任何時間都唔,頻率副詞 | I never eat meat.(唔係 "I don't never eat meat") |
| no + 名詞 | 零數量,限定詞直接放名詞前 | There's no milk left.(唔係 "there isn't no milk") |
| none | 零數量,獨立用而唔跟名詞 | How much milk is left? None. |
| neither...nor | 一次否定兩個選項 | Neither my brother nor my sister called. |
| nobody / no one / nothing / nowhere | everybody/everything/everywhere 嘅自足否定對應詞 | Nobody came to the party.(唔係 "nobody didn't come") |
比較級同最高級
英文有兩種比較形容詞同副詞方法:加尾(-er/-est),或者加獨立字(more/most)。揀邊種主要——但唔係完全——睇個字有幾多音節。
| 形容詞長度 | 比較級 | 最高級 | 例子 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 一音節 | -er | the -est | tall → taller → the tallest |
| 靜音 -e 結尾一音節 | -r | the -st | large → larger → the largest |
| 一音節,單元音 + 單子音 | 雙寫子音 + -er | the + 雙寫子音 + -est | big → bigger → the biggest |
| -y 結尾兩音節 | y 變 i + -er | the + y 變 i + -est | happy → happier → the happiest |
| 大部分兩音節、三音節或以上 | more + 形容詞 | the most + 形容詞 | modern → more modern → the most modern; beautiful → more beautiful → the most beautiful |
有啲兩音節形容詞兩種都真係可以,冇明顯偏好:quiet 可以係 quieter 或 more quiet,clever 可以係 cleverer 或 more clever,simple 可以係 simpler 或 more simple。呢個係少數你真係有母語者認可自由選較順耳一種嘅地方。
一張短但極高頻嘅清單完全唔跟模式,好似不規則過去式一樣直接背。
| 原形 | 比較級 | 最高級 |
|---|---|---|
| good | better | the best |
| bad | worse | the worst |
| far | farther / further | the farthest / the furthest |
| little(數量) | less | the least |
| many/much | more | the most |
| old(人,非正式) | elder(正式,只用家族關係) | the eldest(正式,只用家族關係) |
傳統上 farther 講實際物理距離("The store is farther than I thought"),further 講比喻或抽象距離("I need further information");不過現代非正式用法,特別美式英文,兩者已經大幅融合,further 經常兩種都用。
比較級配 than 講比較對象;最高級配 the(或所有格),因為最高級按定義就係群組內獨一無二。
除咗基本比較/最高級,英文仲有幾個比較程度結構,各有清楚不同意思。
| 結構 | 意思 | 例子 |
|---|---|---|
| as + 形容詞 + as | 程度相等 | She's as tall as her brother. |
| not as/so + 形容詞 + as | 程度較低,比直接比較級柔和 | This restaurant isn't as good as the last one. |
| 形容詞 + enough | 足夠達成講明目的;enough 放形容詞後 | He's old enough to drive.(唔係 "enough old") |
| too + 形容詞 | 程度過高,通常暗示負面結果 | The coffee is too hot to drink right now. |
too 同 very 容易混:very 只係加強形容詞("very tired");too 特別暗示負面後果或問題("too tired to drive",即係所以唔可以/唔應該揸車)。單講 "I'm too tired" 都暗示語境有後果;只係想講 very 卻用 too(例如鍾意到講 "this coffee is too good")係細微但母語者會注意到嘅誇張。
形容詞次序
英文母語者喺名詞前堆多個形容詞時,次序驚人地一致;幾乎唔會有意識諗,但一調轉就即刻覺得怪。"a red big house" 對任何母語耳朵都暗暗唔對,背後模式通常縮寫成 OSASCOMP:Opinion、Size、Age、Shape、Colour、Origin、Material、Purpose,然後先名詞。
| 位置 | 類別 | 例字 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 意見 | lovely, beautiful, ugly, boring |
| 2 | 大小 | small, huge, tiny, enormous |
| 3 | 年齡 | old, new, ancient, young |
| 4 | 形狀 | round, square, oval |
| 5 | 顏色 | red, blue, dark |
| 6 | 來源 | Italian, French, Japanese |
| 7 | 物料 | leather, wooden, cotton |
| 8 | 用途 | writing (desk), running (shoes), wedding (dress) |
| — | 名詞 | desk |
完整套用:"a lovely (opinion) small (size) old (age) round (shape) red (colour) Italian (origin) leather (material) writing (purpose) desk." 真實說話很少一口氣堆晒八類,會太滿;自然句多數得兩三個形容詞,但你揀嗰兩三個仍跟相對次序。"A big old house",唔係 "an old big house";"A beautiful small garden",唔係 "a small beautiful garden"。兩個例子都係意見先過大小。
因為母語者真係未必即場解釋到呢個次序——大部分冇聽過 OSASCOMP,只會話「咁樣聽落啱」——佢係少數值得明確、有意識操練嘅英文文法點。試下自己砌幾個三形容詞名詞短語,逐個對表,直到唔使再有意識諗。
記 OSASCOMP 大輪廓嘅捷徑係:意見形容詞永遠喺事實形容詞前。大小、年齡、形狀、顏色、來源、物料、用途,都係可以驗證嘅客觀事實;意見係主觀判斷,所以帶頭。"A disappointing (opinion) modern (fact: age/style) building," 唔係 "a modern disappointing building."
來自同一 OSASCOMP 類別嘅形容詞叫並列形容詞,中間用逗號(或 and):"a tall, elegant woman",兩個詞大致同等。來自唔同類別嘅係累積形容詞,唔用逗號,因為每個都修飾後面整個短語,一層層堆上去:"a tall elegant Victorian house"。快測:如果你自然調換兩個形容詞或者中間加 and 都唔怪,佢哋係並列,要逗號;如果調位或加 and 好怪,佢哋係累積,唔用逗號。
副詞
副詞修飾動詞、形容詞、其他副詞,或者成句;英文大部分可預測咁喺形容詞加 -ly 形成。不過真正難處喺例外同位置規則,尤其副詞位置係英文少數真係既有彈性又有固定規則嘅詞序問題。
| 模式 | 例子 |
|---|---|
| 大部分形容詞:加 -ly | quiet → quietly, careful → carefully, quick → quickly |
| -y 結尾形容詞:變 -ily | happy → happily, easy → easily |
| -le 結尾形容詞:變 -ly | gentle → gently, simple → simply |
| -ic 結尾形容詞:加 -ally | basic → basically, tragic → tragically |
| 不規則——完全冇 -ly,副詞同形容詞一樣 | fast → fast, hard → hard, late → late, early → early |
| 不規則——完全唔同嘅字 | good → well |
good/well 特別值得留意,因為係母語者最常糾正學習者同彼此嘅一組:good 永遠係形容詞(描述名詞:"a good meal");well 係描述動作點樣完成嘅副詞("she sings well",唔係 "she sings good")。well 亦可以係形容詞,但只限較窄嘅「身體好」意思("I don't feel well today"),係另一個次要用法。
有一小組字形容詞同副詞形式一樣,容易令人混亂;其中某些 -ly 版本確實存在,但意思完全唔同,唔係同一意思嘅較正式版本。
| 字 | 普通副詞(同形容詞一樣) | -ly 副詞(不同意思) |
|---|---|---|
| hard | He works hard.(好努力) | He hardly works.(幾乎從來唔——近乎相反!) |
| late | She arrived late.(遲過預期) | I haven't seen him lately.(最近) |
| near | Don't come too near.(接近) | I'm nearly finished.(差唔多) |
hardly 最值得特別提醒,因為意思轉得極端,混淆會完全翻轉句意:"he hardly works" 唔係 "he works hard",而係幾乎相反,即係「佢幾乎從來唔做嘢」。
| 類型 | 回答 | 例子 |
|---|---|---|
| 方式 | 點樣? | quickly, carefully, well, badly |
| 頻率 | 幾耐一次? | always, usually, often, sometimes, rarely, never |
| 時間 | 幾時? | yesterday, now, soon, later, already |
| 地方 | 邊度? | here, there, everywhere, abroad |
| 程度 | 幾多/幾大程度? | very, quite, extremely, almost, too |
| 句子副詞 | 評論整個句子 | fortunately, honestly, surprisingly, apparently |
呢度有條相當可靠、有用嘅規則:頻率副詞(always、usually、often、sometimes、rarely、never)放喺「中間位置」——be 後面、其他主要動詞前面;如果有助動詞,就放第一個助動詞後。
| 句子類型 | 規則 | 例子 |
|---|---|---|
| be 做主要動詞 | be 後面 | She is always late. |
| 一個普通主要動詞 | 主要動詞前 | He usually goes to bed early. |
| 助動詞 + 主要動詞 | 第一個助動詞後、主要動詞前 | I have never been to Peru. She can usually finish on time. |
早期常見錯係受母語習慣影響,將頻率副詞搬到最頭或最後:"I always am tired" 同 "I am tired always" 都唔標準;正確中間位置係 "I am always tired."
相反,方式、時間同地方副詞彈性大得多,通常放句尾;如果幾個一齊,常見次序係方式、地方、時間,即 manner-place-time。"She sang beautifully (manner) at the concert (place) last night (time)." 調轉方式同地方("at the concert beautifully")雖然唔係完全唔合文法,但明顯冇咁自然。
句子副詞(fortunately、honestly、surprisingly)通常放最前,後面加逗號,因為佢哋評論成個陳述,唔係修飾一個特定動詞:"Fortunately, nobody was hurt." "Honestly, I don't know what happened."
介詞
學習者同老師都普遍認為介詞係英文最難嘅小詞類別之一,原因正正係佢嘅邏輯通常冇辦法乾淨噉喺語言之間轉移。母語者覺得顯然嘅 in、on、at 心智地圖,外面睇其實相當任意,係幾百年用法砌出嚟,唔係由空間邏輯第一原理推得到。
| 介詞 | 核心概念 | 例子 |
|---|---|---|
| in | 封閉空間、容器、較大區域(城市、國家、大洲) | in the box, in the kitchen, in London, in France, in the water |
| on | 表面、線,同某些交通/媒體 | on the table, on the wall, on the street, on the bus, on TV, on page 12 |
| at | 特定點、地址,以及當作一個點嘅已命名活動/機構 | at the door, at 221B Baker Street, at the airport, at the party, at work |
真正難處係好多位置技術上可以用多過一個,正確選擇要睇你概念上當邊一面最相關:"at the school"(機構/活動,時間表上一個點)對 "in the school"(實際喺建築入面)對較少見嘅 "on the school grounds"(地面/範圍)。唔可能每次都單靠邏輯推出;要靠接觸母語者點樣框定每種地點先吸收到。
同三個介詞亦講時間;呢度模式相當可靠,值得當乾淨規則背,因為由較大去較細時間單位一直都一致。
| 介詞 | 用喺 | 例子 |
|---|---|---|
| in | 月份、年份、季節、世紀、一天較泛時段 | in July, in 2020, in the summer, in the 21st century, in the morning |
| on | 日子同日期 | on Monday, on my birthday, on July 4th, on the weekend (American English) / at the weekend (British English) |
| at | 鐘點,同少量固定時間表達 | at 6pm, at noon, at midnight, at night, at the moment, at Christmas |
| 介詞 | 意思 | 例句 |
|---|---|---|
| to | 向目的地移動 | I'm going to the store. |
| from | 離開起點 | She just got back from Italy. |
| into | 移向某樣嘢內部 | He walked into the room. |
| onto | 移向某樣嘢頂部/表面 | The cat jumped onto the table. |
| through | 由一邊去另一邊,穿過內部 | We drove through the tunnel. |
| across | 由一邊去另一邊,跨過表面 | She swam across the lake. |
| along | 沿住某樣嘢長度移動 | They walked along the beach. |
| towards / toward | 向住某個方向,未必到達 | He ran towards the exit. |
| past | 喺某樣嘢旁邊經過再越過 | We drove past the old church. |
大量英文動詞、形容詞同名詞後面都要一個特定固定介詞;好多時冇邏輯解釋,只可以連個字一齊背,好似片語動詞意思一樣。用錯固定搭配介詞,母語者通常仍明,但呢種錯特別長命又難自我改正,因為唔似時態咁有內在「聽落唔對」警報。
| 字 | 固定介詞 | 例句 |
|---|---|---|
| depend | on | It depends on the weather. |
| rely | on | I rely on my sister for advice. |
| interested | in | She's interested in photography. |
| good/bad | at | He's good at math. |
| afraid | of | I'm afraid of spiders. |
| married | to | She's married to a doctor. |
| similar | to | This is similar to what I meant. |
| different | from(非正式美式英文亦有 than) | This is different from the last version. |
| arrive | at/in(唔用 to) | We arrived at the hotel. We arrived in Tokyo. |
| listen | to | I listen to podcasts every morning. |
| wait | for | She's waiting for the bus. |
| apologize | for(行動),to(人) | He apologized to me for being late. |
| congratulate | on | They congratulated her on her promotion. |
| capable | of | She's capable of handling it alone. |
| proud | of | I'm proud of what you accomplished. |
| reason | for | What's the reason for the delay? |
因為呢個類別冇可靠底層邏輯,最值得做嘅學法同指南入面其他逐項背嘅封閉類別一樣:持續記低你喺真實閱讀同聆聽遇到嘅固定搭配,當完整塊去複習——背 "depend on",唔係背 depend 再臨時推一條獨立介詞規則;因為呢度其實根本冇呢種一般原則。
關係子句
關係子句用關係代詞(who、which、that、whose、where、when),某些情況甚至唔用代詞,為名詞加資料。英文將關係子句分成兩種真係不同類型:標點、代詞規則、意思都不同;混咗唔只係少少唔順,仲會改變句子實際傳遞嘅訊息。
| 限定(restrictive) | 非限定(non-restrictive) | |
|---|---|---|
| 功能 | 指出你講緊邊一個人/物——必要資料 | 為已識別嘅人/物加額外資料——非必要 |
| 逗號? | 唔用逗號 | 永遠用逗號隔開 |
| 可用 that? | 可以——that 可自由代 who 或 which | 唔可以——呢度永遠唔用 that |
| 可省代詞? | 可以,當代詞係子句賓語 | 唔可以——永遠唔可省 |
| 例子 | The man who called is my brother.(冇子句就唔知係邊個男人。) | My brother, who lives in Toronto, called this morning.(已經知 my brother 係邊個;子句只加細節。) |
一組經典對比可以睇到真意思差別:"My sister who lives in Toronto is a teacher"(冇逗號——暗示你唔止一個妹妹/姐姐,子句指明係邊個)對 "My sister, who lives in Toronto, is a teacher"(有逗號——暗示你得一個妹妹/姐姐,子句只係補充)。逗號有冇喺呢度真係承載意思,唔係裝飾。
| 代詞 | 指向 | 子句角色 | 例子 |
|---|---|---|---|
| who | 人 | 主語或賓語 | The woman who answered the phone was very helpful. |
| whom | 人(正式) | 只做賓語 | The man whom I met yesterday is a professor.(口語通常用 who 或 that 代 whom。) |
| which | 物、動物 | 主語或賓語 | The book which I bought is fascinating. |
| that | 人或物(只限限定子句) | 主語或賓語 | The book that I bought is fascinating. The man that called is my brother. |
| whose | 所有關係(人或物) | 子句入面所有限定詞 | That's the writer whose book won the prize. |
| where | 地方 | 代替介詞 + which | This is the café where we first met. (= the café in which we first met) |
| when | 時間 | 代替介詞 + which | I'll never forget the day when we met. (= the day on which we met) |
限定關係子句入面,關係代詞係子句賓語(唔係主語)時,日常口語同非正式寫作可以完全省略,係英文一個真係幫到手嘅簡化。
可靠測試:移走關係代詞後,將子句自己讀一次。如果剩低嘅句仲有清楚主語做動作,代詞原來係賓語,可以省;如果移走後子句冇主語,代詞原來係主語,必須留低。
關係子句有介詞時,英文容許兩個位置;揀邊個幾乎只關語域,唔關正誤。正式寫作偏好將介詞移去前面,放喺關係代詞前;日常口語絕大多數留喺子句尾。
| 語域 | 模式 | 例子 |
|---|---|---|
| 正式 | 介詞 + which/whom | The company for which she works is based in London. |
| 非正式(口語更常見) | that/who/(冇代詞)... 介詞放尾 | The company (that) she works for is based in London. |
雖然有個流傳好廣嘅舊迷思話句尾放介詞「唔正確」,日常英文其實完全標準、自然、文法正確。正式嘅前置版本只係仔細寫作嘅語域選擇,唔係改錯。
限定詞同數量詞
限定詞放喺名詞前,收窄佢指咩;冠詞(前面講過)係一種,數量詞(表達數量)係另一大類。最易出錯係按名詞可數定不可數揀啱數量詞,即係名詞節講嘅可數/不可數分別。
| 數量詞 | 名詞類型 | 典型用法 | 例子 |
|---|---|---|---|
| many | 可數複數 | 口語多用喺問句同否定;肯定句都得,尤其正式寫作 | How many books do you have? I don't have many friends here. |
| much | 不可數 | 口語多用喺問句同否定;肯定句聽落稍正式/生硬 | How much water do we have? I don't have much time. |
| a lot of / lots of | 可數同不可數都得 | 日常口語肯定句嘅預設選擇 | I have a lot of friends. She has a lot of time. |
值得內化嘅模式:隨意肯定句入面,母語者幾乎都揀 a lot of,唔直接用 much 或 many;"I have much time" 聽落生硬或唔似母語,而 "I have a lot of time" 自然而中性。much 同 many 喺問句、否定同較正式/學術寫作就用得好舒服。
呢對係真陷阱,因為有冇一個細細嘅 a,雖然講嘅實際數量差唔多,但會完全反轉句子嘅情緒意思。
| 形式 | 名詞類型 | 意思 | 例子 |
|---|---|---|---|
| a few | 可數 | 正面框定——有一啲,少但足夠/受歡迎 | I have a few friends coming over.(好——有啲人嚟,冇問題。) |
| few | 可數 | 負面框定——近乎冇,唔夠,少得令人失望 | I have few friends here.(有啲孤單——真係唔多。) |
| a little | 不可數 | 正面框定——有一啲,少但足夠/受歡迎 | There's a little milk left.(好——夠我所需。) |
| little | 不可數 | 負面框定——幾乎冇,唔夠 | There's little milk left.(擔心——唔夠食 cereal。) |
母語者由呢一個冠詞即刻聽到情緒色彩,所以本來想講正面卻漏咗 a,真係會令開心句聽落似投訴。呢對比數量詞系統差唔多任何地方都更值得特別覆檢。
some/any 分別喺上面否定節已詳細講(肯定 → some,否定/問句 → any),亦延伸到普通數量詞同複合代詞(someone/anyone 等):"I'd like some water"(肯定)對 "I don't need any water"(否定)對 "Do you need any water?"(問句)。
| 數量詞 | 意思 | 例子 |
|---|---|---|
| all (of) | 100%,整個群組 | All the students passed. / All of them passed. |
| most (of) | 過半但唔係全部 | Most people agree. / Most of the cake is gone. |
| some (of) | 一部分,多過零 | Some days are harder than others. |
| none (of) | 零 | None of them showed up. |
| each / every | 逐個個體,一次一個 | Each student received a certificate. Every child deserves an education. |
| both | 兩樣一齊 | Both of my parents are teachers. |
| either / neither | 兩者其中一個(either)/兩者冇一個(neither) | You can take either road. Neither option works for me. |
數量詞後面跟確定名詞短語——代詞,或者有 the、my、this 等限定詞嘅名詞——of 係必需;後面跟普通泛指名詞時,of 可省或唔用。"All of my friends"(確定——所有格後要 of)對 "All students must register"(泛指,冇 of;加 "all of students" 反而錯,除非中間有 the)。
兩者都接單數動詞,都將群組成員逐個睇,唔係成組睇。不過 each 偏向每個獨立考慮(常用於較細、較特定群組,亦可以冇後面名詞獨立用:"each of them");every 偏向冇例外地應用嘅規則或概括("every child deserves an education" 似廣泛近乎普遍主張;"each child deserves an education" 稍似逐個考慮小朋友)。every 亦唔可以似 each 咁獨立用——唔可以講 "every of them",只可以 "each of them."
重音同節奏
英文係重音計時語言:句入面重讀音節大概等距落下,中間所有嘢無論塞咗幾多非重讀音節,都會壓縮去配合。呢個真係唔同西班牙文、法文、日文等音節計時語言,後者每個音節通常時間同清晰度較平均。如果你母語係音節計時,節奏差別好可能比任何單一元音或子音,更影響你聽落有冇口音,亦更重要,影響母語者能唔能夠快啲拆解你講嘅嘢。
每個多過一個音節嘅英文單詞都有一個主要重音;讀錯唔只係怪,某些字仲會完全改變詞類同意思。有名嘅兩音節組,名詞/形容詞重第一音節,動詞重第二音節。
| 字 | 名詞/形容詞(重第一音節) | 動詞(重第二音節) |
|---|---|---|
| record | RE-cord (一張音樂唱片、世界紀錄) | re-CORD (錄一條影片) |
| present | PRE-sent (一份禮物;亦可以係形容詞,指「喺房入面」) | pre-SENT (提出一個想法) |
| object | OB-ject (實體物件) | ob-JECT (強烈反對) |
| contract | CON-tract (法律文件) | con-TRACT (縮小,或者染病) |
| permit | PER-mit (准許做某件事嘅文件) | per-MIT (准許) |
| increase | IN-crease (名詞,指「一次價格上升」) | in-CREASE (動詞,指「價格上升咗」) |
除咗呢個名詞/動詞模式,英文單詞重音唔係完全隨機,但亦冇一條乾淨串法規則。佢睇音節數、來源(拉丁/法文詞同日耳曼本土詞有少少唔同),同某些後綴會穩定拉重音去前一音節("-tion"、"-ic"、"-ity":phoTOgraph → photoGRAphy → photoGRAphic)。因為冇一條萬用規則,連詞彙一齊學重音——當重音位置係單詞拼寫一部分——比事後套公式有效得多。
完整句入面,英文講者重讀帶核心意思嘅字:名詞、主要動詞、形容詞、副詞,合稱實詞;功能詞(冠詞、介詞、代詞、助動詞、連接詞)會壓縮、加速,元音常弱化成中性短快嘅schwa(/ə/,近似 sofa 入面嘅 "uh")。呢個就係重音計時:無論兩個重讀實詞中間有幾多功能詞,成個短語都會壓縮或拉伸,令重拍大概等距。
| 類別 | 重讀或弱化? | 例子 |
|---|---|---|
| 實詞 | 重讀,元音清晰 | 名詞、主要動詞、形容詞、大部分副詞 |
| 功能詞 | 唔重讀,常弱化成 schwa | 冠詞(a, the)、介詞(to, for, of)、代詞、助動詞 be/have/do、連接詞 |
所以 "I want to go" 入面 to 常常幾乎聽唔到完整元音,快口語會近似 "I wanna go";"a cup of coffee" 入面 of 壓到近似 "a cup uh coffee"。呢啲唔係懶音要避,而係自然連讀標準模式。中階聽力最突破往往唔係學更多字,而係認到已經識嘅字壓縮弱化後嘅聲。
英文好依賴重音去承載意思同節奏,所以大概掌握啱節奏同重音——就算有口音、單個音未完美——通常會比每個子音元音都教科書式準確但完全忽略節奏更容易明。呢個係好消息:shadowing(聽短片段,再跟住講,配節奏同重音而唔係執著每個音位)正正練最影響人哋聽得明嘅技巧。你可以用任何已經鍾意嘅音訊練,唔使另加一套發音課程。
串法同讀音
呢個係整個語言最合理嘅挫折之一,值得老實答。英文串法大致喺十五、十六世紀印刷術普及時定咗落嚟,讀音卻喺之後幾百年繼續變;有記錄嘅大元音推移(Great Vowel Shift)改咗幾乎所有英文長元音讀法,但串法冇跟上。再加上英文從法文(1066 年諾曼征服之後尤其多)、拉丁文、希臘文、古諾斯語吸收大量詞彙,每個來源都帶自己嘅串寫習慣,結果一種語言表面下疊咗多套有時互相矛盾嘅系統。
呢個係最常被引嘅不一致例子;值得直接睇,因為唔係一條規則一個例外,而係幾層歷史殘留撞埋同四個字母。
| 字 | 讀音(約略) |
|---|---|
| though | 同 "go" 押韻 |
| through | 同 "too" 押韻 |
| tough | 同 "cuff" 押韻 |
| thought | 同 "caught" 押韻 |
| cough | 同 "off" 押韻 |
| bough | 同 "cow" 押韻 |
| thorough | 字尾較接近 "uh"(英式),或者弱化音節(美式) |
呢個家族真係冇捷徑,只有逐個字連串法一齊記讀音;英文母語小朋友都係咁學。
英文保留咗大量幾百年前曾經讀、後來唔讀但串法冇變嘅字母;又係歷史不一致嘅直接指紋,唔係任意現代怪癖。
| 不發音模式 | 例子 |
|---|---|
| n 前嘅靜音 k | knee, know, knife, knight |
| r 前嘅靜音 w | write, wrong, wrap, wrist |
| m 後嘅靜音 b | climb, comb, thumb, lamb |
| 靜音 gh | night, light, though, daughter |
| 靜音 h | hour, honest, honor, ghost(某些方言) |
| 某些子音前嘅靜音 l | walk, talk, calm, half, could, would, should |
不一致係雙向:一個串法可以藏多個讀音,多個串法亦常常收斂成同一聲音。呢個既令聽力混亂,亦造成寫作錯誤;拼字檢查捉唔到「串法正確但用錯字」嘅同音詞。
| 聲音 | 串法 | 意思 |
|---|---|---|
| /ðɛər/ | there, their, they're | 地方;所有;"they are" |
| /tuː/ | to, too, two | 方向/不定式標記;「亦/過度」;數字 |
| /raɪt/ | right, write, rite | 正確/方向;寫;儀式 |
| /piːs/ | peace, piece | 冇衝突;一部分 |
| /weɪt/ | wait, weight | 等待事情發生;重量 |
英文歷史上有多場認真串法改革,Benjamin Franklin 同 Noah Webster 都支持過;Webster 確實成功改咗少量美式串法(color 對 colour、center 對 centre)。但冇一次全面改革有足夠勢頭改晒系統,一部分因為英文冇法文學院或西班牙皇家學院嗰種中央監管權威,一部分因為後來讀音變化發生時印刷串法已經根深蒂固。實際答案係:冇捷徑,逐字將讀音同串法一齊學,將音訊同拼寫當一個單位,而唔係兩套獨立系統,會比嘗試由只部分適用嘅串法規則推出讀音有效。
母語干擾
幾乎所有持續英文文法錯誤,都追溯到你母語同英文處理同一樣文法嘅合理差異;呢個叫母語干擾(L1 interference)。明白佢會改變你對錯誤嘅感受:唔係你粗心或「唔係語言人」,只係大腦喺壓力下伸手拎最接近嘅現有模式。明確叫出你特定干擾模式,通常比一般糾正更快令佢淡化,因為你開始即場自己察覺,而唔係事後先被人改。
| 第一語言背景(例示,唔係完整清單) | 常見干擾模式 | 原因 |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Thai, Russian, Polish | 漏用或錯用冠詞(a/an/the) | 呢啲語言冇冠詞直接文法對應;成個類別要當新心智系統建立。 |
| Spanish, Italian, Portuguese,同好多 Romance/pro-drop 語言 | 漏主語代詞("Is raining" 唔係 "It's raining") | 動詞尾已經顯示做動作嘅人,所以可省主語;英文動詞變位唔夠帶呢份資料,主語文法上必須有。 |
| Spanish, French, Russian, Polish,同好多容許疊否定嘅語言 | 雙重否定("I don't have no time") | 好多語言用兩個或更多否定詞加強;標準英文每子句剛好一個否定元素。 |
| Mandarin, Japanese, Korean, Thai, Vietnamese | 無論時態都用動詞原形/簡單形式,靠時間字 | 呢啲語言多靠語境同時間副詞標時間,唔一定靠動詞屈折;英文每個時態要變動詞形式係新習慣。 |
| German, Dutch,同其他 V2(動詞第二位)語言 | 時間/地方短語前置後詞序怪("Yesterday went I to the store") | V2 語言主句無論頭位係乜,動詞都要放第二;英文無論前置咩,都較嚴格維持主語—動詞—賓語。 |
| French, Spanish,同其他有文法性別語言 | 為物件過度用 he/she,或混淆 it | 每個名詞有文法性別,代詞要一致;英文只追蹤自然/生物性別(其餘幾乎都用 it),少咗一層一致,亦少咗學習者熟悉嘅提示。 |
| Arabic, Hebrew,同其他強動詞在前或不同 copula 模式語言 | 現在時陳述漏 be("She happy" 唔係 "She is happy") | 有啲語言現在時唔要求明示連繫動詞;形容詞自己可做述語。 |
| Hindi, Urdu, Japanese, Korean, Turkish(主—賓—動語言) | 將動詞放子句尾,或混淆英文問句倒裝 | SOV 語言核心次序同英文 SVO 完全不同;問句助動詞前置冇直接可映射對應。 |
| 有較音位/規律串法系統嘅語言使用者(Spanish、Korean Hangul、Finnish、Turkish) | 以為英文串法可靠預測讀音 | 上面串法節已講:好多書寫系統比英文更一致音位化,所以「照音讀」可以係合理假設,只係唔轉移到英文。 |
呢啲模式冇一個表示起點有缺陷;係你特定母語遇到英文特定特徵時可預測、有充分紀錄嘅指紋。呢種差異喺成千上萬有同一 L1 背景嘅學習者身上都可靠出現。叫得出你自己嗰個版本,改正就由模糊、令人洩氣嘅「英文文法總係絆住我」變成具體針對任務。
叫出模式係診斷,唔係治療。真正修正仍靠建立每一樣進階文法嗰個慢、唔花巧機制:喺真實輸入重複留意正確形式,直到佢比干擾模式自然。實用做法:知道自己反覆錯咩(例如漏冠詞,或者本應現在完成式但慣性一般過去)之後,每星期留一張五六個真實句子嘅短清單;可以係你自己錯過,或者讀/聽到正確形式,再簡短並排比較。呢個刻意沉悶、範圍細、唔係「hack」;係將句子採集針對一個具名目標,而唔係泛泛詞彙。你唔需要同時修好每個干擾模式;而家仲有幾個活躍亦唔代表落後。即使非常高階、近母語者,通常一生仍保留一兩個母語固化模式;呢個係成人第二語言習得正常且有紀錄嘅結果,唔係個人不足。
揀一個常見模式,用完整句子學,做一個將佢同相近選項比較嘅短英文文法練習,再喺自己講嘢或寫作重用。每次只改一個反覆錯誤,唔好同時監察所有規則;重複、有意思嘅產出先會令正確形式更易拎返出嚟。
第一次介紹某樣嘢,或者泛指任何一個例子時用 a 或 an:I saw a dog. 聽者由前文、共同情境,或者因為得一個而知道你講邊樣特定事物時用 the:the dog [頭先提過] ran away。泛指複數或不可數名詞就唔用冠詞:dogs are loyal, water is essential.
英文只有現在同過去兩個真正文法時態,但會結合四種體貌(簡單、進行、完成、完成進行),又用情態動詞同其他結構表達將來,所以學習者通常講「十二時態」。
一般過去式(I lived there)講特定、已結束嘅過去時間;現在完成式(I have lived here for ten years)將過去連到而家:可能仲成立、時間未指明,或者結果而家重要。講得出確實幾時發生,英文通常要一般過去;重點係同而家連繫,就用現在完成。
片語動詞將動詞同介詞或副詞合埋,意思往往唔可由單字推:"give up"(to quit)唔可以由 give 同 up 猜;"look up" 可指查資料、好轉、或向上望。佢哋係獨立詞彙,最實際係喺真實句子反覆遇到,而唔係背孤立清單。
英文有四個主要條件句模式,另加講事實嘅零條件句:零條件句講普遍真理(if you heat ice, it melts);第一講真實將來可能;第二講不真實現在或將來;第三講已無法改變嘅不真實過去;混合條件句結合過去條件同現在結果,或現在條件同過去結果。
當動作比做嘅人重要、你唔知或唔想講做嘅人,或者正式、科學、新聞寫作要聚焦結果,就用被動(the door was closed,而唔係 someone closed the door)。每個時態都有 be 加過去分詞嘅被動形式;被動唔係獨立時態,只係同一時態系統嘅不同焦點。
退時係用過去轉述動詞(she said...)轉述人哋講過嘅嘢時,原本時態通常退一步:現在變過去(I am tired → she said she was tired),過去變過去完成(I left → she said she had left),will 變 would。普遍真理或仲成立嘅事實唔退。
英文保留好多幾百年前串法,讀音卻繼續變,又吸收法文、拉丁文、希臘文、古諾斯語詞彙同各自串法;所以 though、through、tough、thought 睇落相關,-ough 卻各自唔同讀。除咗逐字將讀音同串法一齊學,冇捷徑。
多個形容詞按 OSASCOMP 排:意見、大小、年齡、形狀、顏色、來源、物料、用途,然後名詞——a lovely small old round red Italian leather writing desk。母語者少有意識諗,但一倒轉就即刻覺得唔對,所以值得明確操練。
限定關係子句指出你講邊個人/物,唔用逗號:the man who called is my brother。非限定子句只加額外資料,要逗號:my brother, who lives in Toronto, called this morning。that 可代限定子句嘅 who 或 which,但永遠唔用喺非限定子句。
英文係重音計時:實詞有重音,重拍之間大概等時;功能詞壓縮,常弱化成 schwa。呢個唔同西班牙文等音節計時語言;掌握單詞同句子重音通常比每個音完美更影響人哋聽唔聽得明。
應用練習
點樣練英文文法最有效嘅答案係做一個選擇、解釋線索,再用同一模式寫新句。填空喺選項真係有對比時有用,但完整修改同產出先睇到冠詞、時態、詞序同介詞有冇一齊運作。
冠詞診所
用 a/an 講一個非特定可數單數名詞:"I need a charger." 聽者能由前文、共同情境或限定短語認到時用 the:"Where is the charger you borrowed?" 泛指複數或不可數名詞唔用冠詞:"Chargers are easy to lose"、"Information is useful."
唔好只靠名詞決定。"School" 喺 "go to school" 可以指作為活動嘅機構,但特定建築物就係 "go to the school near the station." 要喺完整情境入面學名詞。
時間同體貌
已完成時間框架用一般過去:"I visited Madrid in 2024." 過去經驗或事件連到現在,而且時間未完或未指明時用現在完成:"I have visited Madrid twice." yesterday、last year、in 2024 呢類已完成時間通常揀一般過去。
比較 "I lived here for five years" 同 "I have lived here for five years." 第一個通常將居住視為完結;第二個通常包括現在。體貌表達係講者點睇時間,唔只係日曆日期。
配對時間線係英文文法練習一部分,因為背信號字清單取代唔到「呢個時間框架完未,同狀態而家有冇繼續?」。
組問句
大部分一般現在同過去嘅詞彙動詞,加 do/does/did 再用原形:"Where does she work?"、"Why did they leave?" 有 be 就倒裝:"Where is she?" 已有助動詞或情態動詞就移去主語前:"Have they arrived?"、"Can you help?"
主語問句不同:"Who called you?" 唔加 did,因為 who 係主語。對比 "Who did you call?",後者 you 係主語,who 係賓語。
修改練習
草稿:“I have arrived in London last Monday. I am staying in hotel near station. Yesterday I have met a friend who live here since three years. He asked me where did I buy my ticket, and I said that I bought it on internet.”
改正:“I arrived in London last Monday. I am staying in a hotel near the station. Yesterday I met a friend who has lived here for three years. He asked me where I bought my ticket, and I said that I bought it on the internet.”
用另一個旅程重寫,換時間表達。產出新版本先係「點樣練英文文法」嘅實際答案;改好嗰段只係模型。
英文學習者問題
明白規則同實時溝通時拎得返規則係兩種技能。你可能喺英文文法練習認到正確答案,但注意力仲忙緊揀字、跟對話或計劃下一句。呢個差距正常,只代表規則要更多產出練習,唔代表你未理解。
短講嘢任務一次揀一個結構,唔好同時監察所有規則:講過去故事時專注事件次序;描述房間時專注冠詞同介詞;比較計劃時專注將來形式。錄低任務,認出一個反覆錯誤,換細節再做一次。
流暢一轉只改會阻礙意思嘅錯,其餘記低;第二轉放慢修補目標形式。分開溝通同修改,文法練習就冇咁打斷人。
優先改會改變意思、出現頻密、或影響大量句子嘅錯:動詞時間、否定、問句詞序、常見名詞冠詞、主謂一致、句子界線。罕見介詞偏好比重複遮掩邊個做咩、幾時做嘅模式重要性低。
按模式記錯誤日誌。一條規則配五個已改例句,比一串無關紅筆更易重用。
好多語言唔用同一方式標示定指或可數性;冠詞選擇取決於講者同聽者認唔認到。連同預期意思下可唔可數一齊學名詞,再練第一次提及、之後提及、泛指同共同情境。
比較 "I bought a book" 同 "The book is on the table." 第二個冠詞唔係名詞本身造成;係前面提及令本書變得可識別。
你要理解意思對比同準確形成形式;術語只係幫你搵解釋時有用。如果 present perfect continuous 呢類名稱令模式更難,先由時間線、時長、完成同現在相關開始。
之後再學標準名稱去用參考書同討論改正。名稱係模式索引,唔係模式本身。
建立自動運用
喺不同、有意思情境重複一個有用模式,直到唔使重新砌規則都可以提取。先慢慢用準確例句,再加時間壓力、長句同即興問句;交替理解、控制產出同真實溝通。
自動唔代表永遠唔錯;代表常見選擇食少啲注意力,留更多容量畀意思。修正保持聚焦:修一個反覆模式,重講完整句,再喺另一個主題用一次。
小心用修正工具
第一稿先唔用自動修正,再預測唔肯定嘅地方。逐個睇建議,問改咗邊條規則、意思或語域;會改變原意就拒絕。關閉解釋前用同一模式重寫一個新句。保留短短嘅反覆錯誤清單,令以後草稿先靠記憶檢查。工具應該幫你建立可重用規則,唔係靜靜取代每句。
本指南使用國際學習者英文,並標示重要英式、美式、正式或非正式差異,唔會當一個變體係普世標準。