縮寫「‘s」和「‘d」
如果你看過我們的YouTube影片、或上過我們的基礎課程,你應該會知道,一個子句中的核心動詞就是「finite verb」(限定動詞)了。
例如,以下句子的finite verb是「have seen」:
I have seen this movie three times.
多數finite verb都像「have seen」一樣,是由輔助動詞(像這裡的「have」)連接主要動詞的非限定字形(像這裡的「seen」,是「see」的past participle字形)所組成。
說話時,組成finite verb的輔助動詞屬於非重音音節。
就如我們在說出上述例句時,「I」和「seen」會放重音,而「have」則相對較輕。
由於輔助動詞是非重音的,它們通常不會被完整地發音,有些音節會有部分音素被省略。
書寫時,尤其是日常的書寫情況下,我們會使用不同的縮寫來代表那個被部分省略的輔助動詞。
以下是所有輔助動詞的縮寫字形和例子:
‘ve (have)
例: I have seen it → I’ve seen it.
‘ll (will)
例: He will do it. → He’ll do it.
‘re (are)
例:We are doing it. → We’re doing it.
‘s (is 或 has)
例:He has seen it. → He’s seen it.
例:It has been done. → It’s been done.
例:He is doing it. → He’s doing it.
例:It is being done. → It’s being done.
‘d (had 或 would)
例:He had done it. → He’d done it.
例:He had been praised. → He’d been praised.
例:He would do it. → He’d do it.
例:He would be chosen. → He’d be chosen.
關於這些輔助動詞的縮寫,有兩點是需要特別注意的。
第一,縮寫「‘s」和「‘d」各自都能代表兩個不同的輔助動詞字形,所以要想清它們在每個出現的情況是哪一個。
「‘s」既可以代表「is」(「be」的第三身單數現在式字形),也可代表「has」(「have」的第三身單數現在式字形)。
「‘d」既可以代表「had」(「have」的過去式字形),也可代表情態動詞「would」。
當我們看到有「‘s」和「‘d」的句子,應該要從整個finite verb的字形來思考(看看主要動詞是甚麼字形,是participle還是Infinitive,等等),以確認它們是哪個輔助動詞的縮寫。同時也要想想句子在表達的意思,去判斷。
例如看到「it’s been done」,我們會知道「‘s」一定是代表「has」而不是「is」,因為「has been done」是一個顯示現在時態、完成體貌、被動語態的finite verb字形,表達「已被完成」的意思,何況英文中根本不存在有「is been done*」的finite verb字形。
而當我們看到「he’d do it for you」,也會知道「‘d」代表的是「would」而不是「had」。因為只有像「would」這種情態動詞,才會連接像「do」這種infinitive基本字形來組成finite verb,何況英文中根本不存在有「had do*」的finite verb字形。
第二點要注意的,是「have」(包括「have」、「has」、「had」)、「will」和「would」的縮寫僅用於它們是輔助動詞時;但「be」(包括「am」、「is」、「are」)在作為輔助動詞和主要動詞時都會用縮寫。
例如:
例:I have seen this. → I’ve seen this. ✔️
例:I have a car. → I’ve a car. ❌ I have a car. ✔️
在第一句中,「have」是finite verb「have seen」的輔助動詞,可以我們可把它縮寫成「‘ve」。
而第二句中,「have」是表達「有」的主要動詞,不是輔助動詞,因此我們一般不會將它縮寫。
不過:
例:He is doing this. → He’s doing this. ✔️
例:He is happy. → He’s happy. ✔️
「be」的各種縮寫字形,像這裡的「's」(「is」),在作為finite verb中的輔助動詞(例如第一句),或者作為主要動詞(例如第二句),都會被縮寫。
下次看到或應用到這些縮寫時,試著多注意一點了!
小練習
請寫出以下縮寫字形的完整finite verb版本。
句子(a)中的「‘s」是代表「is」還是「has」?
句子(b)中的「‘d」是代表「had」還是「would」?
The project’s been delayed for a year.
I’d be very happy to help you.
_______________ (English version)
If you have watched our YouTube videos or taken our foundational course, you would know that the core verb in a clause is the finite verb.
For example, the finite verb in the following sentence is “have seen”:
I have seen this movie three times.
Like “have seen,” most finite verb forms are formed with auxiliary verbs (like “have” here) plus a non-finite form of the main verb (like “seen” here, which is the past participle form of “see”).
In speech, the auxiliary verbs that form finite verbs are unstressed syllables.
For example, if we were to say the sentence above, we would stress the syllables “I” and “seen,” and “have” would be relatively unstressed.
Because these auxiliary verbs are unstressed in speech, they are often not pronounced fully and are often partially elided (發音被部分省略).
In writing, usually informal writing, we would use different written abbreviations to represent these elided auxiliary verbs.
Here are all the abbreviated forms for auxiliary verbs in finite verbs, along with some examples:
‘ve (have)
e.g. I have seen it → I’ve seen it.
‘ll (will)
e.g. He will do it. → He’ll do it.
‘re (are)
e.g. We are doing it. → We’re doing it.
‘s (is / has)
e.g. He has seen it. → He’s seen it.
e.g. It has been done. → It’s been done.
e.g. He is doing it. → He’s doing it.
e.g. It is being done. → It’s being done.
‘d (had / would)
e.g. He had done it. → He’d done it.
e.g. He had been praised. → He’d been praised.
e.g. He would do it. → He’d do it.
e.g. He would be chosen. → He’d be chosen.
Here are two things to note about these abbreviated forms for auxiliary verbs.
Firstly, the abbreviations ‘s and ‘d can each represent two different auxiliary verb forms.
Namely, ‘s can represent both the form “is” (third-person singular present form of “be”) and the form “has” (third-person singular present form of “have”).
‘d can represent both the form “had” (past tense form of “have”) and the modal verb “would.”
When you see ‘s and ‘d in writing, you need to figure out which auxiliary verb they are representing by thinking about the whole finite verb form (look at what form the main verb is in – participle? Infinitive?) as well as about the meaning that is expressed by the sentence.
For example, if we see the sentence “it’s been done,” the ‘s must be representing “has” because “has been done” is the finite verb form showing present tense, perfect aspect, passive voice, whereas “is been done*” is not an existing finite verb form in English.
And if we see “he’d do it for you,” the ‘d must be representing “would” and not “had” because only a modal verb like “would” would form a finite verb form with an infinitive form like “do.” The form “had do*” is not an existing finite verb form in English.
The second thing to note is that while the abbreviations for “have,” (“have,” “has,” “had”), “will,” and “would” are only used as auxiliary abbreviations, the abbreviations for “be” (“am,” “is,” “are”) are used both when these forms are auxiliaries and when they are the main verb in a sentence.
For example:
e.g. I have seen this. → I’ve seen this. ✔️
e.g. I have a car. → I’ve a car. ❌ I have a car. ✔️
In the first sentence, “have” can be abbreviated as ‘ve in writing because it is the auxiliary verb in the finite verb “have seen.”
In the second sentence, “have” would (most commonly) not be abbreviated because it is not an auxiliary verb in this sentence. It is the main verb meaning 有.
However:
E.g. He is doing this. → He’s doing this. ✔️
E.g. He is happy. → He’s happy. ✔️
The abbreviations for forms of “be,” like “is” in these two sentences, are used both when the “be” is an auxiliary verb in the finite verb (like in the first sentence) or when it is the main verb (like in the second sentence).
Try to be more conscious of these abbreviated forms next time you see them or write them!
Mini Exercise
Write out the full finite verb forms from these abbreviated forms.
Is the ‘s representing “is” or “has” in (a)?
Is the ‘d representing “had” or “would” (b)?
The project’s been delayed for a year.
I’d be very happy to help you.
________
Answers:
a. The project has been delayed for a year.
b. I would be very happy to help you.
Comments
Post a Comment