动名词直接置于句首作主语,动名词作主语可以是主动形式,也可以是被动形式。例如:
Swimming in winter is healthy.
冬泳是有益健康的运动。
Picking apples is much better than having classes.
摘苹果比上课好多了。
Being elected chairman is a great honor to him.
被选为主席对他是一个很大的荣誉。
有时主语太长,可用it作形式主语,将真正主语即动名词放在后面。
不是所有的动名词作主语都可用it作形式主语,常见的有:
It is + no use+动名词 做……没有用处
It is + no good +动名词 做……没有好处
It is +nice+动名词 做……很好/很不错
It is +useless+动名词 做……没有用
It is +interesting+动名词 做……很有趣
It is+dangerous+动名词 做……很危险
It is+a waste of+动名词 做……是浪费……
例如:
It is no use waiting here. Let’s walk home.
在这儿等着没有用,我们走回家吧。
It’s interesting watching the children play.
看着这些孩子们玩耍很有趣。
It’s a waste of money buying such books.
买这一类的书是浪费金钱。
除了用于上述用it作形式主语的句型外,还可用于there be no…结构中。例如:
There is no saying when it will stop raining.
无法预言雨什么时候停。
There is no joking about such matters.
这种事开不得玩笑。
There is no getting along with him.
他这人很难相处。
(1)只接动名词,不接不定式作宾语的动词有:suggest, finish, admit, avoid, delay, imagine, mind, enjoy, practise, advise, consider, deny, mention, prevent, risk, appreciate, escape, resist, excuse, miss, stand, forbid, pardon, report, postpone, explain, keep, include, resist, allow, permit, fancy等。例如:
Did he admit breaking the window?
他承认打破玻璃了吗?
He appreciated being advised.
他很重视别人的劝告。
They reported seeing a star in the east.
他们报告说东方出现了一颗星星。
Do you mind my closing the window?
你介意我关上窗户吗?
My daughter enjoys playing the piano.
我女儿喜欢弹钢琴。
The thief escaped being caught again.
这小偷又一次逃脱了抓捕。
(2)介词后要用名词作宾语,尤其注意下列短语动词后要接动词作宾语:put off(推迟),set about (着手),give up(放弃), keep on (继续),look upon (看待),succeed in (在……成功),insist on (坚持),feel like (想要),stay up (停止),aim at (目的是), dream of (梦想),can’t stand/bear 不能忍受
The doctor advised him to give up smoking.
医生劝他戒烟。
I don’t feel like going to the movies.
我不想去看电影。
My father has given up smoking.
我爸爸已经戒烟了。
I don’t stand working with him.
我不能忍受与他在一起工作。
(3)下列短语中的to是介词,只能接名词或动名词,不接不定式:be (get) used to (习惯于),look forward to (盼望), pay attention to (注意),stick to (坚持),devote…to (致力于),object to (反对),come near to (险些),in addition to (除……之外);lead to (导致),get down to (静下心去做),on one’s way to (去通往……路上)
例如:
They looked forward very much to meeting him again.
他们很希望再次见到他。
He came near (close) to falling into the pit.
他差点儿摔倒在坑里了。
The girl is on her way to becoming a famous singer.
这个女孩将要成为歌星了。
Mr. Smith devoted all his life to doing research.
史密斯先生一生都致力于研究。
(4)下列动词之后接动名词与接不定式作宾语所表达的意思有所不同。
forget doing sth. 忘记曾经做过的事
forget to do sth. 忘记要做的事
remember doing sth. 记得曾经做过的事
remember to do sth. 记住要做的事
regret doing sth. 对做过的事感到懊悔
regret to do sth. 对要做的事感到抱歉
mean doing sth. 意思是;意味着(主语是事)
mean to do sth. 打算去做某事(主语是人)
try doing sth. 试着(用某种办法)干某事
try to do sth. 努力去干某事
go on doing sth. 继续干同一件事
go on to do sth. 接着干另一件事
stop doing sth. 停止干某事
stop to do sth. 停下(某件事)去干另一件事
want/need doing 需要去做(主语是动名词动作对象)
want/need to do sth. 想要做某事(主语的主观意识)
can’t help doing sth. 禁不住做某事
can’t help (to) do sth. 无助于做某事
例如:
While shopping, people sometimes can’t help being persuaded into buying something they don’t really need.
在购物时,人们有时禁不住被说服购买实际并不需要的东西。(句中的can’t help表示“禁不住”,故接动名词)
She can’t help to clean the house because she is busy making a cake.
她不能帮忙打扫房间,因为她正忙着做蛋糕。(句中的can’t help作“不能帮助”解,故接不定式)
I tried closing the windows, but that didn’t help. I still felt cold.
我试着关上窗子,但没有用,我依旧很冷。(句中的try作“试着”解,后接动名词)
I tried hard to calm myself.
我努力使自己平静下来。(句中的try作“努力”解,后接不定式)
动名词复合结构由“物主代词或名词所有格+动名词”构成。动名词复合结构作主语时,用名词所有格或物主代词;作表语或宾语时,可用名词普遍格或宾格来替代所有格。例如: