概念
there be结构在英语里是一种常见的特殊句子结构。它以引词there(由副词there变来)开首,后常接动词be的各种形式,再后才是主语,主语之后又常有表地点和时间的状语。它像是一种倒装句,但又非倒装句,因为这种“倒装”已成为一种自然的词序。这种结构中的there本身无词义,其后的动词be具有“存在”之意,所以是一实义动词。
结构分析
1、there be结构表“存在”,have表“所有”,试比较:
There are several oak trees in the garden. 花园里有好几株橡树。(主语是oak trees)
There’s a telephone in every room.每一个房间都有一部电话。(强调客观存在)
2、句首的there如重读,则非引词,而是副词,试比较:
There is the book 1 want.那儿就是我所要的书。(there是副词,有词义)
There are some books 1 want.有一些我所要的书。(there是引词,无词义)
3、在there be结构中,be之后加上not或no,即变成否定句,如:
There is not much doubt about his guilt.对他的罪行没有多少怀疑。
There is not much life in a small country village.一座小村庄没有多少生气。
4、变为疑问句时,须把be移至there之前,如:
Are there any children in the room?房间里有小孩吗?
Is there anything for me to do?有什么事需要我做?
5、there be结构中的动词be与主语的数必须一致,但主语如是一系列事物,第一个事物为单形可数名词,谓语动词则可用单数形式,如:
There is a textbook, a dictionary and some notebooks on the desk.
桌上有一本教科书、一本字典和几本笔记。
有时说话人先说出了there is(was),然后才想到要用复形名词,如:
There’s some things I can’t resist.有些事物我是不抗拒的。
6、强调主语时,亦可将主语移至句首,如:
Men there are yet living who have seen him.见过他的人有的还活着哩。
惯用句型
1. There is no doing 结构。其意为“不可能…”、“无法…”:
There’s no denying the fact.这一事实不容否认。
2. There is no difficulty in doing sth结构。意为“做某事没有困难”:
There is no difficulty in finding his office.找到了他的办公室没费一点劲。
3. There’s no doubt…结构。意为“毫无疑问…”:
There could be no doubt that he was one of the best writer in this country.毫无疑问他是这个国家最优秀的作家之一。
4. There is no hurry (to do sth)句式。其意为“不用急(于做某事)”:
There’s no hurry, so do it slowly and carefully.不用赶时间,要慢慢细心地做。
5.There’s no need for…结构。其意为“不需要或不必要…”:
There is no need for help.不需要帮助。
6. There is no question about...结构。其意为“…是毫无疑问的”:
There’s no question about his success.毫无疑问他会成功。
7. There is no question of doing sth 句式。其意为“做某事是不可能的”:
There is no question of his coming. 他不可能会来。
8. There is no sense in doing sth 结构。意为“做某事没有道理或好处”:
There’s no sense in waiting three hours.等三小时是不没有道理的。
9. There’s no point in doing sth 句式。意为“做某事没有用”:
There’s no point (in) telling her about is.告诉她没有用。
【注】以上有的结构中的no根据情况也可换成其他限定词:
There is some difficulty in doing sth意为“做某事有些困难”。
There is much difficulty in doing sth意为“做某事许多困难”。
There’s a need for…意为“需要或有必要…”。
时态用法
一、there be句式的时态由其中的谓语动词be来体现,它可以有多种时态形式:
1一般现在时
There is still room for improvement.还有改进余地。
There is nothing to be done now.现在没有办法了。
2、一般将来时
There’s going to be trouble.要出事了。
There will be rain next week.下星期要下雨。
3、一般过去时
There was a lot to be done.有很多事要做。
There wasn’t any change in him.他没有什么变化。
4、现在完成时
There have been a lot of inquiries.提出的询问有很多。
There have been a lot of enquiries.进行过许多调查。
5、过去完成时
There had been many such occasions.曾有许多这种情况。
There had been two sea fights between them.他们之间发生了两场海战。
6、过去将来时
There would be endless rows if I was at home.如果我在家会有吵不完的架。
Then there would be a plebiscite.那么就会举行公民投票。
相关语法
一、“there—存在句”中的谓语动词
1.其谓语动词主要是be的限定形式,即be的一般现在时,一般过去时,现在完成时或过去完成时。例如:
①There will be an English evening in the institute this coming Saturday.本周六学院里有英语晚会。
②There has been much talk about the matter.关于这件事有过很多座谈。
2.谓语动词也可以是表示“预见”、“可能”、“必然”或过去习惯存在的情态动词+不定式(包括完成体形式)。例如:
①There might still be some vacant seats for you.可能还有空位子给你们坐。
②There must be no more time wasted. 再不能浪费时间了。
3.除be以外,某些表示存在概念的不及物动词,如:exist, remain, happen, occur, come, rise, stand, lie, live等,也能用于“there—存在句”。有时谓语动词也可用seem to be, happen to be, be likely to be, be bound to be等词组。例如:
①There always exists a force of attraction between two bodies.两个物体之间永远存在着吸引力。
②There remains nothing more to be done. 再没有别的办法了。
二、“there—存在句”的非限定形式
“there—存在句”的非限定形式是there to be和there being结构,其使用场合决定于其在句中所作的成分。
1.作宾语
作宾语时,通常用there to be结构。类似这样用的及物动词数量有限,常见的有:expect, mean, intend, want, like, prefer, hate等。例如:
①I’d like there to be a swimming-pool in the garden. 我希望花园里有个游泳池。
②The students expected there to be another opportunity to do the experiment. 学生们希望再有机会做实验。
2.作主语和状语时,使用there being结构。例如:
①There being a bus stop near the house is a great advantage. 公共汽车站离得这么近,是个很有利的条件。
②There having been no further business, I declared the meeting closed. 由于没有其它事情,我宣布散会。
3.作介词补足成分
两种结构都可以作补足成分。如果介词是for,便只能使用there to be结构;如果介词不是for,则要用there being结构。例如:
①For there to be life, there must be air and water. 要有生命,就必须有空气和水。
②There is now some hope of there being a settlement of the dispute. 现在多少有解决争端的希望了。
三、“there—存在句”在there引导的反意疑问句中,反意疑问句仍用引导词there。例如:
There were once a million people in the city, weren’t there? 这个城市曾一度有一百万居民,对吗?
但注意不要与表示“地点”there引导的句子相混淆,如果there在句中表示地点,则根据主语的性、数选择相应的代词形式作其反意疑问句的主语,例如:
There comes the bus, doesn’t it? 汽车来了,是吗?
1.“there—存在句”结构作定语从句时,通常省略作从句主语的关系代词。例如:
①He has made a list of all the papers (which) there are on this subject.他将将所有关于这个题目的论文列了一个单子。
②Kent is supposed to be a gifted footballer (that) there has ever been.人们认为肯特是一名少有的天才运动员。
2.在以 “there be” 开头的句子中,主语的定语从句有时省略关系代词。一般来讲,按照语法规则,在定语从句中充当主语的关系代词是不能省略的,但在存在句型中的定语从句却是个例外,尤其在口语中。例如:
①There is a man downstairs [ ] wants to see you. 楼下有人要见你。
②There is a table [ ] stands in the corner. 墙角放着一张桌子。
there be结构的分析与理解
■there be结构在英语里是一种常见的特殊句子结构。它以引词there(由副词there变来)开首,后常接动词be的各种形式,再后才是主语,主语之后又常有表地点和时间的状语。它像是一种倒装句,但又非倒装句,因为这种“倒装”已成为一种自然的词序。这种结构中的there本身无词义,其后的动词be具有“存在”之意,所以是一实义动词。
■基本用例:
There is a garden behind the house. 房子后面有一座花园。
There is nothing but clothing in this cupboard. 这个柜子里只有衣服。
There is a telephone box on the comer. 在拐弯处有一个电话间。
If there is any problem, let me know. 如果有什么问题可以通知我。
There is only one person I could approach. 只有一个人我可以去找。
There is little difference between the two words. 这两个字没有什么差别。
注意下面一句:
There was a dog there. 那里有一条狗。
There is a bus-stop just there. 那里就有公共汽车站。
句中第一个there是引词,无词义;第二个there是副词,有词义。
■there be结构表“存在”,have表“所有”,试比较:
There are several oak trees in the garden. 花园里有好几株橡树。(主语是oak trees)
They have several oak trees in the garden. 他们在花园里种有好几株橡树。(主语是they)
There’s a telephone in every room. 每一个房间都有一部电话。(强调客观存在)
Every room has a telephone. 每一个房间有电话。(强调电话是每个房间的一固有部分)
■句首的there如重读,则非引词,而是副词,试比较:
There is the book 1 want. 那儿就是我所要的书。(there是副词,有词义)
There are some books 1 want. 有一些我所要的书。(there是引词,无词义)
■在there be结构中,be之后加上not或no, 即变成否定句,如:
There is no great difficulty. 没有大的困难。
There is no need to worry. 没有必要发愁。
There is not much doubt about his guilt. 对他的罪行没有多少怀疑。
There is not much life in a small country village. 一座小村庄没有多少生气。
■变为疑问句时,须把be移至there之前,如:
Are there any children in the room? 房间里有小孩吗?
Are there any boys in your group? 你们小组中有男生吗?
Is there anything for me to do? 有什么事需要我做?
Is there a doctor available? 能请到医生吗?
■there be结构中的动词be与主语的数必须一致,但主语如是一系列事物,第一个事物为单形可数名词,谓语动词则可用单数形式,如:
There is a textbook, a dictionary and some notebooks on the desk. 桌上有一本教科书、一本字典和几本笔记。
有时说话人先说出了there is(was),然后才想到要用复形名词,如:
There’s some things I can’t resist. 有些事物我是不抗拒的。
There’s hundreds of people on the waiting list. 登记排队的人有好几百。
■强调主语时,亦可将主语移至句首,如:
Men there are yet living who have seen him. 见过他的人有的还活着哩。