A group of + 複數名詞可接單數或複數動詞

  • There was a group of girls playing Pokeman GO in the park. (有一群女孩在公園玩《精靈寶可夢GO》) (正)
  • A group of students were waiting for their teacher to unlock the classroom door. (一群學生在等候老師打開教室的門鎖) (正)

解說:除 group 外,由 crowd, gang, team 等集合名詞所構成的「集合名詞 + of + 複數名詞」句型同樣可接單數或複數動詞。例如:

  • There was a crowd of people staging a sit-in in front of the presidential palace. (總統府前有一群人在進行靜坐抗議)
  • A gang of workmen were repairing the road. (一群工人在修路)

Demand, insist 等動詞後接假設語氣子句

  • My father demanded that I turn the TV off and go to bed at once. (我父親要求我馬上關掉電視上床睡覺) (正)
  • My father demanded that I would turn the TV off and go to bed at once. (誤)
  • My father demanded that I turned the TV off and went to bed at once. (誤)

解說:主句的動詞如果是表示建議、要求或命令 (如 demand, insist, order, suggest 等等 ),而且其後的名詞子句含有應該做但還未做的意思,那麼該子句要用假設語氣:主詞 + (should) 原形動詞 + …。

should not have + 過去分詞

  • You should not have wasted time asking her out. (你不該浪費時間約她出去) (正)
  • You should have not wasted time asking her out. (誤)

解說:should have + 過去分詞,肯定式表示過去本應做某事但實際上並沒有做,而否定式表示過去不該做某事但卻做了。否定詞 not 應放在第一個助動詞之後。

用作比較的兩個成分要對仗工整

  • It is easier to make a plan than to carry it out. (擬定計劃比執行計劃來得容易) (正)
  • It is easier to make a plan than carrying it out. (誤)

解說:這句的主詞是不定詞片語 “to make a plan”,it 是假主詞;用作比較的兩個成分要對仗工整,即詞類和結構都要一致,所以 than 後面也要使用不定詞片語。再舉一例:”It’s easier said than done.” (說來容易做來難),句中作比較的兩個成分 said 和 done 都是過去分詞。

No + 兩個用 and 連接的單數名詞,動詞要用單數

  • No man and woman wants to look like a drowned rat. (沒有一個男人和女人想在大雨中被淋得像隻落湯雞) (正)
  • No man and woman want to look like a drowned rat. (誤)

解說:兩個單數名詞用 and 連接當主詞時,若其前用 no 修飾,則動詞要用單數形式。若將這句貼到 Word,它會顯示 wants 是錯的,要你改成 want,別理它,Word 的文法能力本來就不強。

雙重所有格結構:That + 名詞 + of + one’s own

  • That watch of his own has been given to his son. (他自己的那隻手錶已送給他兒子) (正)
  • His own that watch has been given to his son. (誤)
  • His that watch has been given to his son. (誤)

解說:That + 名詞 + of + one’s own 為雙重所有格結構,表示某人自己的。另外,我們也經常看到這樣的句型:He has a car (a house, a room…) of his own. (他有他自己的車) = He has his own car (house, room…),但 “a car of his own” 的語氣比較強。

先行詞為人 + 事物時,關代要用 that

  • My daughter loves anybody and anything that is pretty. (我女兒喜歡任何漂亮的人事物) (正)
  • My daughter loves anybody and anything which is pretty. (誤)
  • My daughter loves anything and anybody who is pretty. (誤)

解說:當先行詞為人時,關係代名詞可以用 who 或 that;當先行詞為事物時,關係代名詞可以用 which 或 that;所以,當先行詞有兩個,一個是人, 一個是事物時,關代只能用 that。另一種判斷方式是,當先行詞為不定代詞時,關代要用 that。

The city of Taipei

  • John works in the city of Taipei, so he has not much time to teach his son. (約翰在台北工作,所以沒有很多時間來教導他的兒子) (正)
  • John works in the Taipei’s city, so he has not much time to teach his son. (誤)

解說:表示一個城市的名稱可以用所有格來強調這個城市,如 the city of Taipei。其實,of 在此是表示一種同位格關係,意為「就是;等於」(that is; being);以 the city of Taipei 為例,Taipei 就是 city,而這個 city 就是 Taipei。其他例子還有 the age of ten (10 歲),the art of painting (繪畫藝術),the problem of unemployment (失業問題) 等。

How come 的用法

  • How come Adam called his dad a bloody fool! (亞當怎麼叫他老頭大笨蛋呢!) (正)
  • How about Adam called his dad a bloody fool! (誤)
  • What come Adam called his dad a bloody fool! (誤)

解說: 疑問副詞 how 與 come 構成副詞片語 how come,相當於 why,意為「何以會…;為什麼」,但用 why 時,句子為問句,用 how come 時,句子為直述句。How come 大多用於口語。

英文有些字只有複數型

英文有些字只有複數型,如 glasses (眼鏡)、binoculars (雙筒望遠鏡)、scissors (剪刀)、shears (大剪刀)、tongs (鉗子)、gallows (絞刑台)、trousers (褲子)、jeans (牛仔褲)、pants (褲子)、pajamas/pyjamas (睡衣) 等,但要注意的是,當衣服方面的字被用作修飾語時,它們通常變成單數,如 trouser pocket (褲子口袋)。