both 和 two 相類似,用來指兩個事物。但是two可能指的是多個事物裡面的其中兩個,而在both的語境裡面,是隻有兩個物品的。中文我們可以翻譯成“兩個都…”
大家好像看完上面這句話,就知道both怎麼用了?真的這麼簡單嗎?我們看看下面幾個句子:
- Both you are my friends.
- You both are my friends.
- You are both my friends.
- You both know that.
- Both you know that.
- Both of you know that.
- Both Adam and Jane are my friends.
- Both his eyes are painful.
- His both parents are soldiers.
好了,上面9個句子,哪些句子是正確的?哪些句子是錯的?(答案會在最後公佈)
both 的詞性
both的位置很重要,要弄清楚這些位置,我覺得大家可以先了解一下both的詞性。在英式的詞典中,both可以是pronoun(代詞),determiner(限定詞),predeterminer(前置限定詞),conjunction(連詞)。在美式的詞典中,會把限定詞和前置限定詞統一稱為adjective(形容詞),但其實只是在位置上它放在名詞前面作為限定,但並不是起形容的作用。
- Both are good !(兩個都很好)
- Both of you are my friends.(你們兩個都是我的朋友)
第一句中,both是代詞作主語;,第二句中,both是代詞,而且與另外一個代詞you連用,需要用of隔開。
- she held on with both hands. (她用兩隻手扶著。)
- Both my parents are teachers. (爸爸媽媽兩個都是老師)
- it has won favor with both young and old. (它同時贏得了年輕人和老年人的喜愛。)
上面三句中,第一句both hands,both接在名詞前,屬於限定詞(determiner);第二句both接在my parents前面,其中my已經屬於一個限定詞,所以both就變成了前置限定詞(predeterminer),也就是限定詞前面的限定詞;而最後一句中,後面兩個事物需要用and連接,所以在這裡both是連詞(conjunction)。
以上是給大家普及一下一些語法內容,但其實沒有必要真的去記住,屬於一種瞭解而已。
both 的用法
1.和名詞連用
和名詞連用時,可以放在限定詞前面作前置限定詞,或用of連用;也可以直接放在名詞前面做限定詞。
- both my children (我的兩個孩子)
- both of my children (我的兩個孩子)
- both cats (兩隻貓)
2.和代詞連用
在代詞做主語或者賓語的時候,both可以放在代詞的後面,作為同位語(則代詞和both是同級別的代詞):
- We both + 動詞
- 動詞 + them both
在代詞做主語或者賓語的時候,both也可以放在代詞前面,用of隔開。當賓語的代詞前面是介詞的時候,both of them會比them both更常用。
- We both dislike soap operas. (我們倆都不喜歡肥皂劇。)
- Both of we dislike soap operas. (我們倆都不喜歡肥皂劇。)
- He shouted at both of them. (他對他們倆大喊。at是介詞,用both of)
*補充* They both 和 we both 變成of形式時,要變成Both of them 和both of us。
3.both不用在否定句中,否定應該用 not...either 或者 neither。
- Neither of them can swim. 而不用 Both of them can't swim. (他們倆都不會游泳。)
- A: Are Yvonne and Lesley both coming? (Yvonne和Lesley都會來嗎?)
- B: We don't know if either of them are/is coming. (我不知道他們倆哪個會來。)
4.both... and... 比 ...and... 更加強調兩個事物的關聯性,both在這作為連詞。
- Both she and the baby were completely safe. (她和孩子都很安全。)
- She and the baby were completely safe.(他和孩子很安全。)
both 的位置
1.放在主語和動詞(main verb)之間
- They both wanted to sell the house. (他們倆都想賣掉這房子。)
2.放在第一個助動詞(auxiliary verb)或情態動詞(model verb)之後
- They had both been refused. (他們倆被拒絕了。had是第一個助動詞,been是第二個助動詞。)
- They will both be sent to prison.(他們倆都會被送進監獄。will是情態動詞,be是第二個助動詞)
3.放在be動詞後
- They were both very nice. (他們倆都很友好。)
- (X) They both are my friends. (這樣是錯的~)
4.單獨使用,不加the。
- A: Are you working on Monday or Wednesday next week? (你是下星期一三上班嗎?)
- B: Both! (都上)
不能說成:the both!
說到這裡,估計大家都對both的所有用法都有所瞭解了,看得好像頭都暈了。能不能簡單一點?
- 代詞可以用:we both 和 both of us
- 介詞後用:both of you
- 放在動詞前:you both +動詞
- 放在be動詞後:we are both...
- 放在助動詞後:we have both + 動詞
- 名詞前(作限定詞):both eyes
- 限定詞前:both my eyes, both of my eyes
- 強調聯繫:both... and...
- They,we 加both of做主語用賓格:both of us,both of them
那麼回到開頭的9個句子,我們知道:
- 根據原則4可知,4對,1,2句錯;
- 根據原則1可知,4、6對,5錯;
- 根據原則8可知,7對;
- 根據原則7,8對,9錯。
以上內容由Cambridge dictionary 和 freedictionary整理所得。
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