在人教版高中英语必修三(p18)有这么一个句子:I don’t think it’s very funny. 大家都知道,这是一个典型的否定前移的句子。在宾语从句中,若主句谓语动词是think, believe, suppose, expect, guess, fancy, feel, imagine等表示心理活动的动词时,宾语从句不能用否定形式,若宾语从句是否定句式,则常将否定词not前移到主句谓语动词前面,从而形成“形式上否定主句,实际上否定宾语从句”的现象,这种语法现象叫做否定前移。但是必须注意的是:这种特殊句型的主语一定是第一人称I或者we,若是第二三人称代词(不论单复数)做句子主语,便不能形成否定前移。如:
I don’t think he will come this afternoon. 我认为他今天下午不会来。 What a pity! I don’t believe I know you. 很遗憾,我并不认识你。 I don’t guess that they have got married. 我猜他们还没有结婚。
I don’t expect they have finished the work. 我料想他们还没有完成工作。 I don’t suppose he will return to his hometown after a few years of study abroad. 我看他在国外学习几年后不会回家乡了。
I don’t feel you should go. 我觉得你不应该去。
I didn’t imagine that Tom would help her. 我猜想汤姆不会帮助她。
任何语法规则都有例外,如果属于下列情况,则不进行否定前移: 1.主句中的谓语动词若与情态动词或者副词连用时,不否定前移。如: I can’t believe that they are married. 我真不敢相信他们结婚了。
We can’t believe that he turns an honest penny. 我们不能相信他是用正当手段挣钱。
I mustn’t think he’s an honest person. 我一定不会认为他是一个诚实的人。 I didn’t ever suppose that they were happy. 我并不认为他们是幸福的。
We really think he is not fit for his office. 我们真的认为他不适合这项工作。 I sometimes think she doesn’t work hard. 我有事认为他学习不努力。 I can’t believe that they are married. 我不会相信他们结婚了。 I think you ought not to walk at night alone, Mrs. Moore.摩尔夫人,我认为你晚上不应该独自一人出来。
I sometimes think he is not an honest man.我有时认为她并不诚实。 2.当think用在疑问句中构成双重疑问句时,不用否定迁移。如:
Why do you think I can’t change your note? 你为什么认为我换不开你的钞票呢? Do you think he can’t come here tomorrow? 你认为他明天不能来这儿吗? Why do you think I can’t do it? 你为什么认为我不会做它呢? Do you think my father won’t agree? 你认为我父亲不会同意吗?
3.当think前有强调词do/does/did表强调时,不用否定前移。如: I do think he is not married. 我一定认为他还没有结婚。
We do think you should not stay up late. 我们的确认为你不应该熬夜那么晚的。 I do think you shouldn’t hurt her. 我的确认为你不该伤害她。
4.当I think, I believe等被看作插入语成分、和其他部分无关时不用否定前移。如:
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She, I think, was not telling the truth. 她,我认为,并没有说出事情的。 Mary, I believe, is not a good student. 玛丽,我想,并不是一个好学生。
I wish you were here, then, I think, I should not feel like this. 但愿你那时在这儿就好了,(可)我想,我不应该有这样想法。
5. 宾语从句中若有固定短语,如can’t help doing sth, not… at all, not only„ but also„ , not just (only)... but (also), just not... enough, cannot …to…, cannot but, not at all, not…but…等时,不进行否定前移。如: I think everybody can’t help laughing if they see it. 我认为,人们看到时会禁不住大笑。
I think she is not only beautiful but also kind. 我认为,她不仅漂亮,而且善良。 I think you cannot praise her too highly. 我热内你无论如何表扬她都不过分。 I think he is not at all tired. 我想他一点也不累。
I guess there isn’t enough food for our lunch. 我想我们午饭没有足够的吃的了。 6. 宾语从句中若有just not enough, not quite, not much等以not中心的表达法连用时,不进行否定前移。如:
I think she’s not much like her mother. 我觉得,她不怎么像她的母亲。 I think you don’t quite know me. 我想你不大认识我。
I think I have not enough money to buy a house of my own. 我想我们没有足够的钱来买属于我们自己的房子。
I think I’m just not smart enough to make any sense of you. But I think that Elizabeth was not quite so certain of it as I.
7. 动词think本身有其他词修饰或与其他动词一道构成并列谓语时,不进行否定前移。如:
I think and hope that I’m not disturbing you so much. 我认为,也希望,我不太打扰你。
I think and hope that you should not take the side of him. 我认为,也希望你不应该支持他。
8. 动词 think以过去时、完成时等时态出现时,不进行否定前移。如: I was thinking that he wouldn’t succeed. 我在想他不会成功。 I thought you didn’t marry her. 我原以为你不会与她结婚。 I had thought he wouldn’t come. 我愿意为他不会来呢。 I have often thought one shouldn’t only think of himself.
9. 当宾语从句中有no,never, hardly, seldom, little, few, nothing ,nobody, no one等否定词时, 不进行否定前移。如:
I believe John never tells a lie.我相信约翰从不撒谎。
I think Jim can hardly ride a bike.我认为吉姆几乎不会骑自行车。 I thought it explained nothing. 高考真题体验:
1.(2008山东卷, 24) Thank you for all your hard work last week. I don’t think we ____ it without you.
A. can manage B. could have managed C. could manage D. can have managed 2. I don't suppose anyone will volunteer,__?
A. do I B. don't I C. will they D. won't they 3. I ____ I_____ you before.
3
A. think; haven’t seen B. didn’t think; have seen C. didn’t think; didn’t see D. thought; not see 4. She _____ that we ____ anything.
A. didn’t imagine;would say B. don’t imagine; say
C. doesn’t imagine; would say D. would imagine; would say (Keys: 1. B 2. C 3.B 4.C)
think后的宾语从句否定不转移的八种情况
think等动词在使用时的否定转移是英语中很特殊的语法现象。也就是,根据英语习惯用法,think后的宾语从句若是否定句,则需要将否定转至主句的think上。例如:将“我认为他不对。”习惯上译为:I don't think he is right. 而I think he is not right.往往被看成不符合英语语法的表达习惯,是错误的。但在下列情况下,think后面的宾语从句的否定不可进行否定转移。
一、think是如下的两种时态时,宾语从句的否定不可进行转移。 1.think是完成时态或完成进行时态时。例如:
I have been thinking we should not have anything to do with a person like him.我一直在想,我们不应当与像他那样的人有任何往来。 2.think是一般过去时态或过去进行时态时。例如:
I thought we should not do like that.我觉得我们不应该那样做。
二、think之前有下列两类词修饰时,宾语从句的否定不发生转移。 1. think之前有强调词do。例如:
I do think it is not wise of him to do so.我确实认为他这么做是不明智的。 2. think之前有副词修饰时。例如:
I really think Lucy can't finish her homework within two hours. 我真的认为露西两小时内不能完成家庭作业。
三、think用于下列两种句式中时,宾语从句否定不转移。 1.当think用于疑问句中时。例如:
Do you think he will not come?你认为他不会来吗?
Why do you think I can't be fit for the job?你为何认为我不适合那项工作? 2.当think用作插入语时。例如:
A few students in our class, I think, are not interested in English. 我们班上有几个学生对英语不感兴趣,我想。
四、think的宾语从句中含有下列两类词时,宾语从句的否定不转移。 1.含有no, never, nothing, nobody等否定词时。例如: I think he has nothing to do with it.我认为他与那事无关。
2.含有not at all, not a bit, not a little, not...enough, can't help doing等固定词组时。例如:
I think be is not happy at all.我认为他一点也不高兴。
五、think充当下列两种情况的谓语时,宾语从句的否定不转移。 1.当think和另一个动词构成并列谓语时,宾语从句的否定不转移。 I think and hope you won't lose heart even if you f ail.
我认为并希望,即使是失败了,你们也不会失去信心的。