不定式动词可以分开吗？

　　众所周知，不定式动词(Infinitive)的形式是："to + 原动词", 如：to come, to go, to play, to read, to listen, to sing等等。

　　在一般情况下，"to + 原动词"必须靠拢，但在某些情况里，"to"和原动词可以被适当的副词(Adverb)分开，在某些动词句型里，"to"则必须省略。

　　在什么情况下，不定式动词的两部份可以分开呢？分开的目的何在？在大多数场合里，不定式动词两部分不分开，只有在特殊环境里才准许让副词加入，以便更准确地，更自然地反映某些实际情况。看看下面三个句子：

　　(1) Bob failed completely to fulfil his duties.

　　(2) Bob failed to fulfil his duties completely.

　　(3) Bob failed to completely fulfil his duties.

　　在(1)里，状态副词"Completely"既可修饰谓语动词"failed"，也可修饰不定式动词"to fulfil"。在 (2) 里，"completely"和被修饰的不定式动词离开太远，力道不足，效果欠佳。在 (3) 里，"completely"夹在不定式动词两部份之间，把它修饰得既自然又贴切；这个位置，在三个句子中，可说是最恰当的了。

　　同样的，(4)比(5)紧凑；(6)比(7)扎实：

　　(4) It was wrong for Mr Lim to suddenly quit the job.

　　(5) It was wrong for Mr Lim suddenly to quit the job.

　　(6) Is it possible for a chaotic country to further develop its economy?

　　(7) Is it possible for a chaotic country to develop its economy further?

　　由于不定式动词的两部分在适当时分开有其优点，这种用法，在现代英语里越来越普遍。例如：

　　(8) Civil servants were urged to better serve the public.

　　(9)The Economic Development Board has just announced some new plans to further promote the economic development.

　　(10) I don't want you to be forever criticising your friends' good efforts.

　　(11) The new manager wanted the new scheme to be properly implemented.

　　最后，顺便谈谈什么情况下，不定式动词中的"to"要省略。

　　一、和"make, let", 及感官动词"see, hear, watch"连用的句型中，"to"必须省略。例如：

　　(12) Don't make her cry.

　　(13) I won't let you go now.

　　(14) We saw a man jump into the lake.

　　(15) Have you heard me call you ?

　　(16) Let us go to watch him play the game.

　　二、在"had better, would rather"后面的不定式动词中的 "to"要省略。例如：

　　(17) You had better do the work now.

　　(18) It is late now. I would rather go tomorrow.

　　要注意的是，在被动语态中"to"这符号可能要重现。例如：

　　(19) Noone can make him understand the real problem. → He cannot be made to understand the real problem.

　　(20) We heard them speak English.→They were heard to speak English.

关键字:英语讲义
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