英語講義【50】具副詞功能的現在分詞短語

在英語裡，我們可以用現在分詞（present participles）或現在分詞短語（present participial phrases）充儅副詞脩飾動詞。這是英語中一種極爲普遍的句子結搆，在書麪語中，用得甚多，表示的意義也有好幾種。現在分述如下：

　　⒈表示辦事方法或行動方式，如：　　● Feeling his way along the rocks, the mountaineer reached the peak of the hill.
　　● Flinging her arm before her face, the small girl pretended to burst into tears.

　　⒉表示伴隨狀況，如：　　● The two men shook hands, smiling at each other.
　　● The demonstrators marched through the street, chanting political slogans.
　　● Irene saw her husband glance toward her, disapproving.
　　● A few friends of the victim stood outside the house, still with a sense of shock, conversing quietly.

　　⒊表示原因，如：　　● Living in a city, we enjoy a lot of modern amenities.
　　● Meeting with a cold reception at his relatives' house, the old man left in a rage.
　　● Having heard the story before, Joelle did not heed it any more.
　　● Being written in a hurry, the essay was fraught with errors.

　　⒋.表示時間，如：　　● Reaching the dilapidated castle, they slowed down their pace.
　　● Finding the hidden treasure , they discussed how to divide it.
　　● Arriving at the seaside , the picnickers pitched their tent for the night.

　　這裡要注意的是：用來表示時間的分詞短語必須擺在句首，用以說明分詞短語中的時間一過，謂語動詞的時間便開始。

　　如果要強調分詞短語的時間比謂語動詞的時間早些過去，那末分詞短語裡的時態就要用完成時態（perfect tense），如：
　　● Having realised that they had lagged behind , Tom and Harry started to quicken their pace.
　　● The couple, having seen their son off, returned home without saying anything.

　　⒌表示“目的、結果”的意思，如：　　● The two parties sat down to talk, hoping to avoid further conflict.
　　● We have talked a lot about language teaching, often forgetting that it is learning that really matters.
　　● The old man's hair came out by the roots, leaving him bald.