有些詞僅屬于一個詞類,如quickly為副詞,come為動詞,beautiful為形容詞。但絕大多數(shù)詞都可以屬于兩種或多種詞類,例如:
Let's go.
咱們走吧。(go用作動詞)
I'd like to have a go at it.
我想試一試。(go用作名詞)
I haven't seen him since 1998.
我1998 年以后就沒見到他了。(since作介詞)
We met in 1980. I have never heard from him since 1980.
我們1980 年見面以后,我再也沒有接到他的音信了。(since作副詞)
Let's sit round the table.
咱們圍著桌子坐。(round作副詞)
I'll come round this afternoon.
我今天下午回來。(round作副詞)
There sat a round table in the room.
房里有一張圓桌。(round作形容詞)
The doctor is out on his rounds at the moment.
醫(yī)生此刻正巡視病房。(round作名詞)
She rounded the corner at 95 miles per hour
她以每小時95 英里的速度拐彎。(round作動詞)
因此在學一個詞時,先要知道它屬于哪個詞類,然后再弄清它是否還可用作其他詞類。英語中的一個詞,??捎米髁硪辉~類,如:
It's a bookshop.
這是一家書店。
where do you shop for clothes?
你在哪里買衣裳?
It's a good buy.
這是一樣便宜貨。
Where did you buy it?
你是在哪里買的?
It's a small park.
這是一座小公園。
Let me see if I have any smalls.
我看看有沒有小號的。
這種現(xiàn)象叫作詞類的轉換(conversion)。