不定式作定语
不定式常接在名词之后作定语,如:
something to read, nothing to do, anything to declare,
a lot to complain of, the right person to talk to, etc.
由上述例子不难看出不定式和被修饰词间有动宾关系,因此不及物动词之后必须加上相搭配的介词(例如上面的complain + of, talk +to)
不定式定语还可表示将来的含义,如:in the years to follow, the meeting to be held in June
针对TOEFL解题需注意下列情况:
1. 由序数词修饰的名词之后多用不定式作定语,
如:the first one to arrive, the last to mention, the only thing to talk about
例句:Not only was the Mariner spacecraft the first to fly beyond Mars, but it also survived in space well past its expected lifetime of twenty-one months.
2. 改错题常出现名词之后直接接动词,且二者间不是主谓关系而是动宾关系,此处必定有错,应在动词前加to,变为不定式作定语
如:Do you have anything declare (错)
Do you have anything to declare (对) (你有什么东西需要申报的吗?)
3. 少量题中出现了类似定语从句的不定式作定语,其基本形式为:介词+关系代词+不定式,如:Here is a blue pen, with which to fill out the form.
例题
(1)
An innovator, ballerina Augusta Maywood was ---- a traveling company.
(A) to form the first
(B) the first to form
(C) who formed the first
(D) forming the first
答案:B
解释:空格前是句子的主谓语, 空格处需要was的表语, first不能和a连用, 故A、C、D肯定不对; B中the first作表语, 省略了后面的person, 不定式to form…作定语, the first to do是常见用法, 表示第一个做某事的人
考点三 不定式作状语
不定式作状语是相当普遍的语法现象,通常表示目的、结果或原因
如:I got an early morning to catch the first train to London. (表目的)
She raised the lid only to find an empty bottle. (表结果)
He trembled to think of his shameful failure. (表原因)
TOEFL种主要涉及第一种用法
例题:
(1)
Using their bills as needles, tailorbirds sew large leaves together with plant fiber
to forming their nests.
应改为:to form
解释:to是不定式的标志词,应接动词原形作目的状语
(2)
The dromedary camel is raised especially to racing.
应改为:race
解释:此句中的to不是介词, 而是不定式的标志词, 之后应接动词原形作目的状语