盡量不要將介系詞放在句末

事實上,這並不是規則,但許多人認為是,所以我們應儘量避免這種情況的發生。不過,若改寫句子後,反而使句子變得不自然,治絲益棼,那麼就讓介系詞留在句末吧!例如:

  • That is a situation Ted has not thought of. (那是泰德沒有想到的情況) (誤) - of 為介系詞,應避免出現在句末,因為介詞應位在名詞或代名詞之前。
  • Mary is a person her husband cannot cope with. (瑪麗是個她先生無法應付的人) (誤) - with 為介系詞,應避免出現在句末。
  • It is behavior anyone will not put up with. (那是任何人都無法容忍的行為) (誤) - 同樣地,with 為介系詞,應避免出現在句末。


因此,我們應將介系詞移位,以符合上述要求。例如:

  • That is a situation of which Ted has not thought. (正)
  • Mary is a person with whom her husband cannot cope. (正)
  • It is behavior up with which anyone will not put. (正) - 這句顯得非常不自然,不改還比較好。

一般而言,對於介系詞出現在句末的情況,最佳的解決辦法就是改寫句子,尤其是用同義字來取代含有句末介詞的片語動詞。例如:

  • That is a situation Ted has not considered. (正) - 這句已沒有介系詞,但意思一樣。
  • It is behavior anyone will not tolerate. (正)

然而,若句子改寫後反而變得不自然,那麼寧可讓介系詞留在句末。例如:

  • Helen is the lady I made the promise to. (海倫就是那位我對她做出承諾的女士) (正) - 雖然我們儘量不要將介系詞放在句末,但有時卻是不得不然的作法。
  • There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about. (世上只有一件事比被人議論更糟,那就是無人議論你) (正) (王爾德)
將本文加入書籤.

發表迴響