英語文法解析 - 24 分詞(Participle)

分詞是由動詞變化而來的，它有兩種形式:現在分詞(V+ing)與過去分詞(V+en)，我們以do字為例，看看它的各種面貌:

現在分詞：

單純式：doing

完成式：having done

被動式：being done

完成進行式：having been doing

完成被動式：having been done

過去分詞：done

既然分詞是由動詞變化而來的，而英文的「動詞」在句子中的地位與概念又是甚麼呢？我曾在「英文語法解析-08 英文口訣」，開宗明義第一條就強調過一個重要的觀念:「一個句子只能有一個動詞」，這是慣用中文母語的人寫英文經常容易犯的錯誤，因為中文的每個動詞都是有意思的，但英文裡有一些動詞是沒有具體意思的(例如be動詞)，這些動詞的存在，只是為了句子結構的合理性。這又是什麼意思呢？舉些例子如下:

He is very tall. 意思是「他很高」。這個is沒有意思，但就是句中就是少不了動詞is。有人會說is可以解釋為「是」。那麼下面這句的is又是什麼意思呢？

He is reading. 意思是「他在看書」。is可以解釋為「在」嗎？不是的，reading才是「在看書」的意思，這個is本身也沒有意思，但是一定要放在句子裡這個句子才能成立(沒有動詞不成為句子)。

這就是所謂的「沒有意思」的動詞。那is在句子裡到底是什麼作用呢？它是用來表示這裡所描述的事情的「時間性」，換句話說，我們知道他「現在」很高，或他「現在」正在看書(現在簡單式)。

這是講中文的人很難理解的，因為中文的每個字都有具體的意思，但英文並不是如此。要學好英文，一定要先了解這個概念。

既然is是動詞，那麼reading是什麼詞呢？reading就是本章所謂的「分詞」，它是由動詞read變化而來。為了理解方便起見，可以簡單的這樣形容:「分詞不是動詞，分詞就是分詞」。若硬要歸類，分詞倒還比較接近「名詞」或「形容詞」的特性。

你也可以這樣理解，有時我們需要一個表示「在閱讀」的名詞，但是英文裡並沒有這樣的名詞，英文也不想再創造一個新字來表示「在閱讀」，因此他們就從「閱讀」這個動詞read下手，分出一個名詞，所以reading就變成了「分詞」。

重要觀念：「現在」分詞與「現在式」一點關係都沒有。當我們把一個動詞拿來做變化時，會有一些固定的「變法」，不同的變法會影響到句子的「意思」，而不是句子的「時間」。依據這些變法，為了稱呼上的方便，我們就把加了-ing的分詞叫做「現在」分詞，加了-ed或其他不規則變化的分詞，就叫「過去」分詞。

注意﹗所謂「現在」或「過去」僅是稱呼而已，與「時態」無關，「現在」分詞並不等於「現在式」，「過去」分詞也不等於「過去式」。

回到「一個句子只能有一個動詞」的觀念。記住：動詞在英文當中常常只是被用來表示「時間」的媒介，真正有具體意思的常常是分詞。

觀念總整理：

1. 一個句子只能有一個動詞，它最重要的功能就是表示「時間」。

2. 動詞之後那些看起來很像是動詞，但有經過一些變化的，例如加了-ing或-ed的，叫做「分詞」，它們不表示時態，但他們是帶有意思的。

3. 現在分詞跟「現在式」毫無關係，純粹只是因為它的「形式」是加了-ing。

4. 過去分詞跟「過去式」毫無關係，純粹只是因為它的「形式」和許多動詞的過去式長得很像，都是加-ed或不規則變化，所以才被稱為「過去」分詞。

5. 一個句子可以有很複雜的意思，所以可以接好幾個分詞。但一個動作只會在一個「時間點」發生，所以一個句子只能有一個動詞。

在徹底了解「分詞」的定義之後，我們再來了解一下分詞有哪些功能？(其實以下的分類不是絕對的，例如一個當形容詞的分詞可能也同時當補語)。

分詞功能:

1. 形成時態

2. 當形容詞用

3. 當補語用

4. 當名詞用

5. 當副詞用

6. 複合形容詞

7. 引導分詞構句

8. 其他情形

1. 形成時態:

He is watching TV. (現在進行式 be + V-ing)

The Great Wall was constructed two thousand years ago. (被動 be + V-en + by …)

I have been to Hong Kong twice. (現在完成式 have + V-en)

He has been playing computer games for 5 hours. (現在完成進行式 have been V-ing)

The letter has been written by him. (完成式的被動語態 have been + V-en)

 

2. 分詞當形容詞用:

1. 現在分詞當形容詞時，表示「令人…的」，過去分詞則表示「令人感到…的」

The student raised a confusing question. (confusing 修飾 question)

The teacher was confused. (confused : 感到困惑的，當主詞補語修飾the teacher)

The charming lady happens to be John’s sister. (charming 有魅力的，修飾lady)

The boy was charmed with the girl’s elegance. (charmed 表示「對…感到著迷」)

He is graduated = He has graduated. (注意graduated 的用法，這兩種寫法都可以) 

 

2. 還有一種很常見的情況，就是由關係子句簡化為分詞片語，修飾先行詞。
The man writing a letter at the desk is my cousin.

(= The man who is writing a letter at the desk is my cousin.) (省略who關係子句)

A man named Smith comes to my store quite often.

(= A man who is named Smith comes to my store quite often.)

That’s the problem having bothered me for a long time.

(That’s the problem which has bothered me for a long time.)

The boy reading a novel in his own room didn’t feel the earthquake.

(=The boy who was reading a novel in his own room didn’t feel the earthquake.)

Who is the boy (being) locked behind the door?

(=Who is the boy that is locked behind the door?)

There are three patients waiting for the doctor.

(=There are three patients who are waiting for the doctor.)

There were many people stuck in the man.

(There were many people who were stuck in the man.)

 

3. 分詞當補語用：補語有兩種，修飾主詞的叫做「主詞補語」。而修飾受詞的，是「受詞補語」。

The experience is exciting. (exciting 當主詞補語)

He seems tired. (tired 當主詞補語)

He became more and more interested in learning English. (interested 當主詞補語)

I want it done right away. (done 是受詞補語，修飾it)

They found him tired. (tired 是受詞補語，修飾him)

As he talked to me, I found him trembling. (trembling 是受詞補語，修飾him)

I found him killing a dog. (killing 是表主動的受詞補語，修飾him)

I found the dog killed by him. (killed 是表被動的受詞補語，修飾the dog)

Please don’t leave the water running. (水的流動是主動的，running是water的受詞補語)

We felt the building shaking during the earthquake. (shaking為building的受詞補語)

I will have my bicycle repaired tomorrow. (repaired為my bicycle的受詞補語)

He talked to me with his legs shivering. (這是with + O + O.C的句型，shivering是受詞補語)

He stood with his arms folded before him. (這也是with + O + O.C的句型，folded是受詞補語)

He sat there with his eyes closed. (這還是with + O + O.C的句型，closed是受詞補語，修飾eyes)

 

4. 分詞當名詞用：這就是所謂的the + 形容詞 = 名詞 (這裡的分詞當形容詞用)。

The wounded were rushed to the hospital.

(=The wounded people were rushed to the hospital.)

The unexpected has happened.

(=Something we didn’t expect has happened.)

The living should learn to cherish life.

(=The living people should learn to cherish life.)

 

V. 分詞當副詞用：這比較少見，不過還是看一看。

It’s freezing cold today. (freezing 修飾cold)

It’s boiling/burning hot today. (boiling 修飾hot)

He was exceeding/exceedingly glad to hear it. (exceeding可修飾glad)

An estimated 54 people were killed in the air crash. (estimated 修飾54)

 

VI. 複合形容詞：分詞可以和名詞、副詞、形容詞結合，成為複合形容詞。

1. N.-V-ing
peace-loving people (=people who love peace)

a heart-breaking news (a news that breaks people’s heart) 

2. N.-V-en
a heart-broken woman (=a woman whose heart is broken)
a heart-shaped box (=a box which is shaped like heart)
a half-finished female monster (=a female monster which is half finished)

3. Adv.-V-ing
a hard-working student (= a student who works hard.)
a never-ending story (=a story which never ends.)

4. Adv.-V-en
a well-prepared speech (= a speech which is well prepared)
a less-traveled road (= a road which is less traveled)

5. Adj.-V-ing
a good-looking girl (=a girl who looks good)
a delicious-tasting pork chop (= a pork chop which tastes delicious)

6.Adj-V-en
an American-born Chinese (= a Chinese who was born in America)
a good-natured person (= a person with good nature)
a hot-tempered girl (a girl who has a hot temper)

VII. 引導分詞句構：分詞構句將在下一章專文討論，這裡我列出一些句子讓大家看看，看不懂沒關係，下一章會詳細解說。

He sat in the corner reading newspapers. (中間沒逗號，表示動作同時進行)

He sat in the corner listening to the radio. (中間沒逗號，表示動作同時進行)

He sat in the corner playing with his keys. (中間沒逗號，表示動作同時進行)

He stood there smoking. 他站在那裡抽煙。

注意與He stood there to smoke.意思不同(他站在那裡是為了抽煙)

He left home at six in the morning, arriving there about four in the afternoon. (=He left home at six in the morning, and arrived there about four in the afternoon.) (注意順序問題)

He ran home quickly, looking as if something terrible had happened. (中間有逗號則不用考慮順序問題)

Having nothing to do, he feels bored. (=He has nothing to do, he feels bored.)

(Being) Sick of doing housework, he ran away from home.

Not (being) satisfied with the result, he decided to try again.

Not intending to see her, he left early. (He did not intend to see her. He left early. 前後併句，刪掉助動詞)

Having done the work, he felt happy.

He seeing a pretty girl, his heart began to beat faster. (獨立分詞句構)

The plan having been carried out, we felt relieved. (獨立分詞句構)

 

VIII. 其他情形

He will do it if properly encouraged. (=He will do it if he is properly encouraged.)

In those days, when not knowing how to proceed in an emergency, he would consult his father. (=In those days, when he did not know how to proceed in an emergency, he would consult his father.)

Everyone likes the movie, including (/excluding) John.

= Everyone likes the movie, John included (/excluded).

= Everyone likes the movie, inclusive (/exclusive) of John.

Considering his performance, he can make a good teacher.

= His performance considered, he can make a good teacher.

Generally speaking, man is stronger than woman.

Strictly speaking, he is not good enough.

Frankly speaking, he is not the man I want.

Judging from his appearance, he seems to be rich. (Judging不須和主詞一致)

Talking of novels, have you read his works?

According to John, the fire broke out at ten in the morning.

This is a book worthy of reading.