高考考试英语写作错点剖析·否定模糊型
有些同学对于否定的定义模糊,不知怎么样否定,有时会写出不合规则或有异义的句子。
1. 我觉得没必要买大的。
误:I think it's not necessary to buy the bigger one.
正:I don’t think it is necessary to buy the bigger one.
析:有的动词如think, believe, expect, suppose, imagine, guess, fancy等的主语是第一人称单数且一般目前时,表示否定的看法应用I don’t think…,而I think… not则是汉语式表达习惯。
2. 大家直到天全黑了才到家。
误:We arrived home until it became completely dark.
正:We didn’t arrive home until it became completely dark.
析:此汉语句子里面尽管没否定词,但until用于一定句时意为“直到…为止”;用于否定句时,其意为“在…以前”。因此,表示“直到…才”用not…until。
3. 假如没遭到邀请的话,我是不会去参加舞会的。
误:I’ll not go to the party unless I’m not invited.
正:I’ll not go to the party unless I’m invited.
正:I’ll not go to the party if I’m not invited.
析:unless“除非”、“假如不”,常可用if…not来替换。误句中的条件状语从句双重否定表示一定,结果与原句意思相反。
4. 那孩子不够大不可以去上学。
误:The child is not old enough not to go to school.
正:The child is not old enough to go to school.
正:The child is too young to go to school.
析:这是学生最易写错的句子。enough to“足以、足够”。原句中“不够大不可以去上学”意思是“不够上学的年龄”,故应译为not old enough to go to school。
5. 他们两个都不说英语。
误:Both of them don’t speak English.
正:Neither of them speaks English.
析:中国学生特别对于all…not 和both…not等这种部分否定结构,比较容易理解成全部否定。两者全部否定用neither, 三者以上用none。
6. 开车时再小心也不过分。
误:You can be too careful in driving a car.
正:You can not be too careful in driving a car.
析:cannot…too“无论作…也不过分”。