“There be結構”的非謂語形式探究

■本站特約作者  劉永科

顧名思義，“非謂語動詞”（non-predicate verb），就是“不作謂語”的一種動詞形式。它屬于動詞的一個語法范疇，也是英語中最常見的語法現象之一。它包括：動詞不定式、動名詞、現在分詞、過去分詞。

在現實語言中，英語存在句“there be句型”也有著各種非謂語形式。本文擬對對此作一探討。

“There be結構”的非謂語形式，主要有以下幾種：

1. 不定式：There to be

2. 動名詞：There being

3. 現在分詞：There being

【注意】在上述3個結構中，there充當“非謂語動詞的邏輯主語”。

我們通常說的There be存在句，一般都認為，there只是起引導作用，沒有實際意義。因為句子的主語在be之后，而且be的單復數是由后面的主語決定，而非由there決定。劍橋出版的《當代英語語法》(English Grammar Today)把there稱為dummy subject（虛擬主語）：

English clauses which are not imperatives must have a subject. Sometimes we need to use a “dummy” or “empty” or “artificial” subject when there is no subject attached to the verb, and where the real subject is somewhere else in the clause. “It” and “there” are the two dummy subjects used in English.

It’s always interesting to find out about your family history.

To find out about your family history is always interesting. (The real subject is “to find out about your family history”. )

There are five Dutch people in our village. (The real subject is the Dutch people – they are in the village.)

“There” operates as a dummy subject in the construction “there is” or “there are”. “There be” indicates that something or someone exists or is in a particular place or situation.

There’s a woman waiting outside who wants to talk to you. (The real subject is the woman – she is waiting outside.)

上述語法說明，there雖然只起引導作用，但在句子結構中，它充當了虛擬主語（dummy subject）。但在非謂語形態下，there實際充當了“非謂語動詞的邏輯主語”（logical subject）。

一、“There be結構”的不定式形式：there to be

該結構分為如下幾種情況，現分述如下。

1. 主語+及物動詞+ there to be 型

該類型相當于“主語+及物動詞+復合賓語”結構，賓語由there充當，賓補由不定式to be充當。例如：

I don’t want there to be any misunderstanding between us. 我不希望我們之間有什么誤會。

Would you like there to be a market near your home？你愿意你家附近有家商場嗎？

We expect there to be no objections. 我們希望不會有人反對。

I don’t mean there to be any unpleasantness. 我無意引起任何的不愉快。

I should prefer there to be no discussion of my private affair. 我倒希望不討論我私人的事情。

They hate there to be long queues everywhere. 他們不愿意處處都要排長隊。

Teachers don’t want there to be any students lagging behind. 老師不希望有任何學生掉隊。

I’d like there to be a pool in the garden. 我想要公園里有一個池塘。

The enthusiasm was causing there to be concern on the Democratic camp. 在民主黨陣營中，這種熱情引起了人們的關注。

It requires there to be some sort of organic material in the pigment. 它需要在顏料中有某種有機材料。

The participants perceived there to be more species present when the amount of tree cover was higher. 與會者意識到樹的覆蓋量更高時，會有更多的物種存在。

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