be to 用法1
問：英語文法書和教科書上說, be to 結構用於表示按計劃或安排要發生的事或打算做的事, 但是, 下列句子似乎無法用這種用法來解釋:
No one is to leave this building without the permission of the police.
答：be to (+ 不定詞) 結構具有許多含義和用法。你所引用的句子裡的be to 結構 (is to 用法)是表示“指示、命令或要求”。例如:
- You are to be back by 10 o’clock.
(You are required to be…, you must be…)
你必須10 點以前回來。 - He is to stay here till w return.
他必須留在這裡直到我們返回來。
be to 用法2
問：They looked in the folds of her dress, in the folds of her cloak, in the pockets, everywhere. It (= The necklace) was not to be found. (許國璋《英語》第四冊, p. 60)
不明白這裡的be to (was to 用法)具有什麼樣的詞彙含義。我查閱了許多文法書, 都說be to 有兩種含義。
A. 表示將來的一種安排:
- Their daughter is to be married soon.
他們的女兒馬上就要結婚了。 - The Prime Minister is to visit Canada next month.
首相定於下月訪問加拿大。
B. 表示“應該”、“應當”、“必須”(可表示命令) :
- You are not to smoke in this room.
你不可在這房間裡抽煙。 - The form is to be filled in and returned within three weeks.
請於三周內將表填好並返回。
答：be to + v 這個結構能夠表示許多意思。其中有一個意思是一般的文法書所沒有談及的, 那就是: be to 還可用於表示“可能”。例如:
- Such books are to be found in the library. 這樣的書在圖書館裡就能找到。
- Not a sound was to be heard. 一點兒聲音也聽不到。
- Not a soul was to be seen. 看不到一個人影。
be to 用法3
問：《現代英語實用句法》(北師大出版社, 1988, p.202) 說:“有些作主詞補語的不定詞片語, 在結構上是主動的, 但在意義上是被動的。例如:
This room is to let.此房出租。”
該書作者說這裡的動詞不定詞to let 是作主詞補語。我看to let 不像是主詞補語。請分析。
答：我們已經講過, 充當主詞補語的動詞不定詞, 在語意上一般能夠與主詞劃上個等號:
The problem is to find a solution.
The problem = to find a solution.
在你所提問的句子裡, 主詞this room 與to let 在語意上是絕不能劃等號的。因此, 單從這一點就可以否定to let 充當主詞補語的說法。那麼, to let 到底是什麼成分呢? 它是動詞的組成部分。原來, 上句中的is 並不是連綴動詞, 而是be to 這一助動詞的組成部分。be to (即is to)在這裡是表示“計畫”、“安排”的意思。
應當注意, 連綴動詞be + to + v 跟助動詞be to + v 在形式上是完全一樣的, 因此, 只能從語意上來區分這兩種不同的結構。例如:
The committee is to find a solution. 委員會將會找到解決方法。
The problem is to find a solution. 問題是要找到一個解決方法。
在第一個句子裡is to 是助動詞, find 是動詞的組成成分; 在第二個句子裡, is 是連綴動詞, to find a solution 是主詞補語(述語) (參見blame, let 用法1) 。
be to 用法4
問：The book was not to be found. 那本書找不到了。
《英語文法詞典》(四川人民出版社, 1996, p.136) 說上句中的be to 結構“表示未來可能發生的動作”。請問如何解釋下列句子裡的be to 結構呢?
Not a soul was to be seen.
答：上面句子裡的be to 結構 (was to 用法)並不是“表示未來可能發生的動作”, 而是表示“可能”, 見be to 用法2 。
be to 用法5 (be to have done)
問：(1) She was to meet Kurt at an agreed place on the street.
(2) Rhoda was to have come with me for a ride in the motor car.
請問was/ were to do 與was/ were to have done 有何區別?
答：was/were to do 有時表示過去曾經計畫要做的事, 或者過去應當做的事, 而且從現在角度來看已經實現了。例如:
- I felt nervous because I was soon to leave home for the first time.
我感到緊張, 因為我很快就要初次離開家了。 - The clergy were to receive salaries from the state.
牧師從國家領取工資。
was/were to have done 則表示“本打算”、“本計畫”或“本應當”做的事而沒有做成或沒有發生。例如:
- I was to have seen him last Wednesday but he did not come.
我本應當上週三就見到他, 但是他沒來。 - We were to have been married last year.
我們本應當去年就結婚。
小練習：請選出正確的答案。（留言作答）
“Have you been to Mexico?”“No, I ________ last year, but Dad wouldn’t let me.”
A. was to have gone
B. were to go
C. was gone
D. went