掀開廬山真面目--談英語中的貌似而神離句

英語英語中有許多結構相似但含義不同的句子，若看不出這類句子的真正含義和言外之意，就會引起誤用和誤解，而這類句子出現的頻率較高，是英語學習的一大難點，所以在此筆者對這種句式作以比較和解讀，悉心研讀必會得到意外的驚喜和收穫。

1. She simply spoke. 她只不過說說而已。(沒有行動)

She spoke simply. 她說起話來簡潔、直率。

2. She saw him through. 她一直幫助他到最後。

She saw through him. 她看透了他的為人。

3. I hope she will soon get over it. 我希望她很快就會忘掉這件事。(忘掉，克服)

I hope she will soon get it over. 我希望她很快就會結束這件事。(結束)

4. They are sure to meet him. 他們肯定會見到他。(說話者對此有把握)

They are sure of meeting him. 他們深信會見到他。(主語對此有把握)

5. He was clever enough to be a doctor. 他夠聰明，能當醫生。

He was clever enough to have been a doctor. 以他的聰明，本來完全可以成為一個醫生的。

6. I didn't need to answer the questions,which saved a lot of trouble. 我無須回答問題，省了好多事。(沒回答)

I needn't have answered the questions,which would have saved me a lot of trouble. 我根本就沒有必要回答那些問題，要是那樣的話，就會省掉好多事了。(回答了)

7. Now I know what novel he has written.現在我知道他寫的是什麼小說。(何種題材)

Now I know what a novel he has written.現在我知道他寫了一部了不起的小說。(感嘆)

8. He turned thief. 他墮落成為小偷。

He turned out (to be) a thief. 原來他是個小偷。

9. There were constant conflicts among employers, workers and trade union officials. 僱主內部、工人內部、工會職員內部都經常發生摩擦。

There were constant conflicts between employers, workers and trade union officials. 僱主、工人和工會職員三方面經常發生摩擦。

10. They are searching the thief.他們正在搜查小偷。(搜身)

They are searching for the thief.他們正在搜捕小偷。(小偷在逃)

11. You had better see the performance. 你最好看一看演出。

You had better see to the performance. 你最好負責一下演出的事。

12. Show him the door. 請他出去。(逐客令)

Show him to the door. 陪他到門口。

13. Have you finished the paper? 你寫完論文了嗎？

Have you finished with the paper? 這論文你不再需要了嗎？(Do you still need it?)

14. Mary went to the shop only to discover how expensive the dress was. 瑪麗到店鋪裡去，只是為了要看看衣服到底有多貴。(目的)

Mary went to the shop only to discover that the dress was too expensive. 瑪麗到店裡去，卻發現衣服太貴了。(結果)

15. He went there to see if everything was ready for the journey. (本句意為“他去那裡看看旅行是否都做好了準備”，if可換為whether)

He went there to see that everything was ready for the journey. (本句意為“他去那裡落實為旅行做好一切準備”。see that相當於see to it that ,作take care解，意為“負責，保證，留神，注意”)

16. Please let me know if she returns tonight. 如果她今晚回來，請讓我知道。(if 引導條件狀語從句，亦可放在句首)

Please let me know if she will return tonight. 請讓我知道她今晚是否回來。(if引導賓語從句，相當於whether，意為“是否”，不可放在句首)

17. After the accident Henry was mad,and so he was. 事故之後亨利瘋了，他確實瘋了。(he與Henry為同一人)

After the accident Henry was mad, and so was he. 事故之後亨利瘋了，他也瘋了。(he與Henry不是同一人；再如People said Joe succeeded; so he did, and so did she. 人們說喬成功了，是的，他是成功了，她也成功了。)