作為一般規(guī)則，真正的學(xué)術(shù)界指出前綴“直接連接到基本單詞(antinatural, prerevolucionario,但是，如果前綴在用大寫字母書寫的單詞之前（例如名稱或首字母縮略詞），正確的做法是使用連字符。因此，我們有類似英國皇家空軍的例子：anti-OTAN, anti-Mussolini.此外，連字符還可用于協(xié)調(diào)與同一個(gè)基本字相關(guān)聯(lián)的前綴，如服務(wù)前或再交易時(shí)應(yīng)給予折扣。（如果是預(yù)聘或重新聘用服務(wù)，則將提供折扣） .

在某些情況下，連字符之間沒有分隔符，但在詞根之間沒有空格。當(dāng)前綴的基部由多個(gè)單詞組成時(shí)，就會(huì)發(fā)生這種情況，如以下示例所示：貨幣基金組織前高級(jí)官員（前FMI高級(jí)官員），D.反死刑團(tuán)體（反死刑組織）。這些前綴非常常見，稱為可分離前綴 .

最后，對(duì)前綴上的重音符號(hào)做一點(diǎn)評(píng)論：這些前綴是沒有韻律重音的非重音元素，因此它們從來沒有重音符號(hào)（即使在與詞根分離的情況下也是如此）。

我希望這個(gè)簡短的概述能幫助我們記住關(guān)于前綴使用的規(guī)則，并且避免我們偶爾需要咨詢參考資料來源！

◎ 以現(xiàn)在式陳述故事或笑話

說故事或笑話：以現(xiàn)在式描述 (場景描述)，用于非正式的場合。
說故事或笑話：以過去式描述 (普通敘事)，作者目的是要讓讀者知道它們曾經(jīng)發(fā)生過，此種寫作方式比較正式。

1) There‘s this Scotsman, you see, and he’s walking through the jungle when he meets a gorilla. And the gorilla’s eating a snake sandwich. So the Scotsman goes up to the gorilla… (Practical English Usage by Michael Swan. p462)

(翻譯)
你瞧，這個(gè)蘇格蘭人正在穿越叢林，突然間看到一隻大猩猩正在吃著蟒蛇三明治。蘇格蘭人隨即走向大猩猩…
(說明) 說故事時(shí)以現(xiàn)在式來“鋪陳劇情”，說明接二連三發(fā)生的事情。現(xiàn)在進(jìn)行式則提供“背景信息”，所謂“背景信息”就是故事開始時(shí)正在發(fā)生的事情，或者故事中持續(xù)某段時(shí)間的事情或動(dòng)作。

2)??A panda walks into a cafe. He orders a sandwich, eats it, then pulls out a gun and shoots the waiter. “Why?” groans the injured man. The panda shrugs and walks out, tossing a badly punctuated wildlife manual over his shoulder. When the waiter consults the book, he finds the explanation for this behaviour. The entry for “panda” reads: “Large black and white mammal native to China. Eats, shoots and leaves.”

(翻譯)
一隻貓熊走進(jìn)咖啡廳，點(diǎn)了三明治，吃完之后掏出槍，朝服務(wù)員開了一槍。受傷的服務(wù)員呻吟著，問道：“這是為什幺？”貓熊聳聳肩，走了出去，從肩部上方拋下一本亂用標(biāo)點(diǎn)符號(hào)的野生動(dòng)物手冊。服務(wù)員翻看手冊，找到貓熊這種行為的說明。“貓熊”的條目這樣記載：黑白相間的大型動(dòng)物，土生于中國。吃東西、射殺，然后離開。
(說明) 這則笑話以現(xiàn)在式來“鋪陳劇情”，說明接二連三發(fā)生的事情。內(nèi)容是講亂用標(biāo)點(diǎn)符號(hào)而鬧出的笑話，最后一句原本應(yīng)該是?“Eats shoots and leaves” (專吃嫩芽與樹葉)，結(jié)果多了一個(gè)標(biāo)點(diǎn)符號(hào) “Eats, shoots and leaves” (吃東西、射殺，然后離開)，意思完全走樣。

3) Seeing that people were becoming more and more wicked, God was grieved that he had made them. But there was one man, called Noah, who found favor in the eyes of God.? “I am going to destroy all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them,” God told Noah.? “Every living animal will die. I want? you to make an boat of cypress wood; make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out. This is how you are to build it: The boat is to be 450 feet long, 75 feet wide and 45 feet high.”

Then,? God added, “I am going to send flood to cover the earth. Only you, your family, and the animals that are inside the boat, will be kept safe.” With the help of his three sons (Shem, Ham, and Japheth), Noah obeyed God and began to build an enormous boat called an “ark”.? He followed what God had commended him precisely. When the ark was finished, God sent two of every kind of animal and bird – one male and one female – and they all went into the ark. As soon as the last animal was on board, God told Noah and his family to get in, too. God himself closed the door behind them.

(翻譯)
神看到世人變得愈來愈邪惡，心理難過，后悔創(chuàng)造了人類。然而，唯有挪亞在 神眼前蒙恩。 神告訴挪亞：“我要?dú)缢械娜耍驗(yàn)樗麄冏尩厣铣錆M邪氣敗壞。凡有血?dú)獾幕钗锒紝缤觥Ｄ阋酶桁衬驹煲凰掖?，里面要有隔間，內(nèi)外要抹上松香。船的造法如下：長 450 英尺，寬 75 英尺，高 45 英尺?！?/p>

然后， 神接著說：“我要使洪水氾濫于地上。唯有你、你的家人，以及船上的活物能夠保全生命?！迸瞾喺罩?神的旨意，在三個(gè)兒子 (閃、含與雅弗)? 的協(xié)助之下建造了一艘巨大的船，稱為“方舟”。凡 神所吩咐的，挪亞都照樣行。方舟完成之后， 神吩咐凡有血肉的活物，每樣兩個(gè)，一公一母，都進(jìn)入到方舟之內(nèi)。最后一隻活物上船之后， 神命令挪亞與其家人也進(jìn)到方舟。然后， 神親自關(guān)上方舟的門。
(說明) 說故事時(shí)以過去式來“鋪陳劇情”，屬于正式的用法。

◎ 一般雜誌或文章常以現(xiàn)在式講述事件或描述物體

Nestled amidst a neighborhood of single story bungalows in Venice, California, the Solar Umbrella Residence boldly establishes a precedent for the next generation of California modernist architecture. Located on a 41’ wide x 100’-0” long through lot, the Solar Umbrella addition transforms the architects’ existing 650 square foot bungalow into a 1900 square foot residence equipped for responsible living in the twenty-first century.

Inspired by Paul Rudolph’s Umbrella House of 1953, the Solar Umbrella provides a contemporary reinvention of the solar canopy—a strategy that provides thermal protection in climates with intense exposures. In establishing the program for their residence, which accommodates the couple and their one child chose to integrate into the design, principles of sustainability that they strive to achieve in their own practice. The architects carefully considered the entire site, taking advantage of as many opportunities for sustainable living as possible.? Passive and active solar design strategies render the residence 100% energy neutral. Recycled, renewable, and high performance materials and products are specified throughout.? Hardscape and landscape treatments are considered for their aesthetic and actual impact on the land.? The Brooks Scarpa Residence elegantly crafts each of these strategies and materials, exploiting the potential for performance and sensibility while achieving a rich and interesting sensory and aesthetic experience.

(翻譯)“太陽傘住宅”坐落于加州威尼斯海灘 (Venice)，四周皆為單層平房，這間住宅作風(fēng)大膽，為下一代加州的現(xiàn)代主義建筑創(chuàng)下了先例?！疤杺阕≌睂?41 英尺，長 100 英尺，整體宅院為通透形式，其擴(kuò)建部份將原本 650 平方英尺的單層平房轉(zhuǎn)變成 1900 平方英尺的住宅，居家設(shè)施是針對(duì)二十一世紀(jì)環(huán)保生活而規(guī)劃。

“太陽傘住宅”的設(shè)計(jì)概念源自于保羅．魯?shù)婪?(Paul Rudolph) 1953 年興建的“雨傘住宅”(Umbrella House)，將“大陽能頂蓬”重新塑造成現(xiàn)代形式，可在烈日的氣候中發(fā)揮隔熱效果。本宅院是供一對(duì)夫婦及其獨(dú)生子居住，設(shè)計(jì)師在規(guī)劃設(shè)施時(shí)將他們致力推動(dòng)的永續(xù)原則整合進(jìn)去。建筑師曾經(jīng)仔細(xì)考慮過整個(gè)場址，僅可能在各個(gè)細(xì)節(jié)去實(shí)踐永續(xù)生活的原則，無論消極或積極的太陽能設(shè)計(jì)都讓整間住宅在能源使用上自給自足。住宅內(nèi)隨處可見回收、再生與高效率的建材與產(chǎn)品。設(shè)計(jì)師在規(guī)劃景物設(shè)施 (hardscape) 與宅院風(fēng)貌時(shí)，都曾針對(duì)美感與對(duì)土地的實(shí)際衝擊來加以考量?！安剪斂怂箍ㄅ磷≌?Brooks Scarpa Residence) 以高雅的方式運(yùn)用每一項(xiàng)環(huán)保設(shè)計(jì)與建材，將效能與敏銳度發(fā)揮到極致，同時(shí)營造出豐富有趣的感官體驗(yàn)與美學(xué)效果。

◎ 撰寫‘評(píng)論’

Du Fu?is one of the undisputed geniuses of Chinese poetry – still universally admired?and read thirteen centuries after his death. Du Fu?masters all the forms of Chinese poetry.?His poems use a wide range of registers, from the?colloquial to the allusive?literary.

(翻譯)
杜甫毫無疑問是寫中國詩的天才，他逝去已一千三百多年，至今仍然受到舉世讚揚(yáng)，讀者遍佈全球。杜甫精通各種類型的中國詩。他詩中的語言風(fēng)格多樣廣泛，從口語到文學(xué)典故都有。

(說明) 寫杜甫傳則必須用過去式
Du Fu (杜甫, 712-770) was a prominent Chinese poet of the Tang Dynasty. Along with Li Bai (Li Po), he is frequently called the greatest of the Chinese poets. His own greatest ambition was to help his country by becoming a successful civil servant, but he proved unable to make the necessary accommodations. His life, like the whole country, was devastated by the An Lushan Rebellion of 755, and the last 15 years of his life were a time of almost constant unrest.
出處：http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Du_Fu

(翻譯)
杜甫 (公元 712 年 – 770 年) 乃是著名的唐朝詩人，常與李白并稱為中國最偉大的詩人。他胸懷壯志，矢志考取功名為國效力，可惜卻窮途潦倒，難以溫飽。杜甫的一生風(fēng)雨飄搖，猶如當(dāng)時(shí)的朝廷，因著安祿山之亂而顛沛流離。杜甫離世前的15年，生活大多艱辛困頓。

◎ 其他

• This issue is discussed in Chapter One. (將整本書視為完整的整體)
  This issue?was discussed in Chapter One.(將整本書視為逐次完成)
  This issue?has been discussed in Chapter One. (強(qiáng)調(diào)已經(jīng)討論過這項(xiàng)問題了)
• As you will see from my resume, I have a great deal of experience in program development, administration, contract development, and budget planning.
  – Cover letter 寫法，應(yīng)征者認(rèn)定雇主待會(huì)會(huì)讀他的履歷表
  As you can see, there is a river at the bottom of the canyon. It is the Colorado River.
  – 書本寫法，作者要讀者看書中圖片
  As you should know by now, I like to be very upfront with the membership about RIOY. We have been hit by a few unforeseen circumstances that have had a significant impact on our business.
  – 發(fā)文者假定收信者已經(jīng)知道某件事
  As you already may have heard by now, the FTC has some new rules coming into effect in December.
  – 發(fā)文者假定收信者已經(jīng)知道某件事

上述類似的情況，可以運(yùn)用不同的時(shí)態(tài)來寫，這就是版主之所以再三強(qiáng)調(diào)，時(shí)態(tài)的運(yùn)用要存乎一心，視情況予以調(diào)整，不要太拘泥于文法規(guī)則。

還是不想試試云端CAT工具？我將描述一些云端CAT工具的特性，這些特性肯定會(huì)改變你的想法。

其中最重要的特點(diǎn)之一就是我們可以實(shí)時(shí)共享翻譯記憶。不同的翻譯人員可以同時(shí)翻譯和分享他們的記憶。因此，它們將擁有一致和統(tǒng)一的文本，而不會(huì)對(duì)同一專業(yè)單詞使用不同的術(shù)語或不同的翻譯。

另一個(gè)好處翻譯人員會(huì)非常感興趣，他們可以在任何計(jì)算機(jī)上工作。從云端運(yùn)行的翻譯程序允許用戶從任何計(jì)算機(jī)連接，輕松下載要使用的應(yīng)用程序并設(shè)置用戶名。這使譯者不僅能從個(gè)人計(jì)算機(jī)上工作，而且可以在任何計(jì)算機(jī)上完成翻譯工作。

翻譯了幾個(gè)小時(shí)后，你的電腦突然死機(jī)了，你因此失去了一切？對(duì)于云，這不是問題。當(dāng)我們翻譯和確認(rèn)片段時(shí)，所有信息都會(huì)自動(dòng)保存在云中。如果出現(xiàn)臨時(shí)故障，我們可以簡單地重新啟動(dòng)計(jì)算機(jī)并重新連接，而不必從頭開始。

我希望你現(xiàn)在想嘗試這些工具，并且你可以自己親身體驗(yàn)它們。

1. 過去可能發(fā)生、但實(shí)際上卻未發(fā)生的事情

That was a bad place to go skiing – You could have broken your leg.
(那個(gè)地方不可滑雪，搞不好會(huì)摔斷腿，幸好你沒有。)? – 去滑雪了，但沒有摔斷腿

Why did you throw the bottle out of the window? Somebody could have been hurt.
(你為何要將瓶子丟出窗外？有可能到砸到人，你知不知道？) – 丟了瓶子，但沒有砸到人

I have a brilliant publisher who never went to university – he just started working when he was young and he worked hard and did very well. He would never have got that job nowadays because he would have had to have gone to a really good university and got good results to get a job here.
(話中主角已經(jīng)得到工作，這句話是假設(shè)過去未發(fā)生的情況。)

(比較)
He may/might not have understood. (= Perhaps he didn’t understand.)
(他可能不瞭解。)

He can’t /couldn’t have understood. (= He certainly did not understand.)
(他絕對(duì)不瞭解。)

2. 過去可能發(fā)生的事情

Where can she have gone? She can’t have gone to school – it’s Saturday.? And she can hardly have gone to church. She may/might have gone swimming, I suppose.
(她可能會(huì)去了哪里呢？今天是禮拜六，她不可能去學(xué)校。她也不太可能去上教堂。我想，她可能去游泳了。)

1.一般用法：

a. 表示恒久不變的真理或一般事實(shí)

Copper is heavier than iron.
(鋼比鐵重。) – 恒久不變的真理

Jupiter is the largest planet within the solar system. It is two and a half times as massive as all of the other planets in our solar system combined.
(木星是太陽系最大的行星，其質(zhì)量為太陽系其他所有行星總和質(zhì)量的兩倍半。) – 恒久不變的真理

The battery light displays charge status:
Off: The battery is fully charged or not installed.
(電池指示燈顯示充電狀態(tài) //指示燈不亮：電池已經(jīng)充飽或者并未裝上。)
–? (技術(shù)手冊) 一般事實(shí)

What do frogs eat?
(青蛙吃什幺 ?) – 詢問事實(shí)

We get five days’ Christmas holiday this year.
(今年的耶誕節(jié)連續(xù)放五天。)? – 一般事實(shí)

b.?說明狀態(tài)或能力

My parents live near Denver.
(我的雙親住在丹佛附近。) – 狀態(tài)

I work from nine to five.
(我的工作朝九晚五。) – 狀態(tài)
// (比較) He is working in Saudi Arabia at the moment. (他目前在沙烏地阿拉伯工作。)
– 現(xiàn)在進(jìn)行式給人‘變動(dòng)’的印象，因此用于說明‘臨時(shí)或者短暫的’職業(yè)。

I have a bad memory for names. (我不太會(huì)記人名。) – 能力

He plays the?piano.? (他會(huì)彈鋼琴。) – 能力

Do you speak Chinese? (你會(huì)說中文嗎？) – 詢問能力
// (比較) They can speak French. (他們會(huì)說法語。)

I don’t drink. (我不會(huì)喝酒) – 能力
//(比較) I’m not drinking tonight. (我今晚不想喝酒)
– 這句話的意思是：我可能不會(huì)喝酒，也可能會(huì)喝酒，但我待會(huì)不想喝酒。

A: When does the lease expire? (租約何時(shí)期滿?)
B: The lease has four years left to run. (租約還有四年才到期。)
– 雖然是‘日后’才到期，因?yàn)檎f明狀態(tài)，所以可用現(xiàn)在簡單式。

c. ?表示目前習(xí)慣與例行事項(xiàng)
這是常見情況，因此閱讀文章時(shí)最常遇到現(xiàn)在簡單式。

John smokes. (約翰會(huì)抽菸 / 約翰是個(gè)有抽菸習(xí)慣的人。)
John never smokes. (約翰從不抽菸。)
John smokes every day. (約翰每天抽菸。)

Don’t believe what he says.
(不要相信他講的話。) – 說這句話表示你指的這個(gè)人不可信 (not to be trusted)。
(比較) Don’t believe what he said. (他先前講什幺都不要相信。)

My?husband usually takes the kids?to the nursery school before he goes to work.
(我先生通常先送小孩上幼稚園，然后再去上班。) – 例行事項(xiàng)

How often do you go to the U.S.? – I go there twice a year.
(你多常去美國？我一年去兩次。)

He always shouts at employees. (他總是對(duì)員工大吼小叫。)

A married woman usually bears her husband’s surname.
(女子出嫁后通常隨夫姓。)

The cat scratches. (這隻貓愛用爪子亂抓。)

d. 在談話中以狀態(tài)動(dòng)詞或感覺動(dòng)詞表達(dá)意見或看法

I wish I were a millionaire.
(但愿我是個(gè)百萬富翁。)

I fear that the recent financial market scandal is only the tip of the iceberg.
(恐怕最近的金融市場丑聞不過是冰山一角而已。)

I feel we may be too late.
(恐怕我們太遲了。)

I believe it to have been a mistake.
(我認(rèn)為這一直就是錯(cuò)的。)

We hope that the re-launched site provides a stimulating and dynamic online environment.
(我們希望重新啟用的網(wǎng)站能夠提供有趣且生動(dòng)的線上環(huán)境。)

我們通常以現(xiàn)在式來表達(dá)說話時(shí)剛完成的動(dòng)作，常見的情況如下：
2.“立即的”現(xiàn)在簡單式用法：

a. 動(dòng)作說明、問路指導(dǎo)或操作示范

OK, let’s go over it again. You wait outside the office building until the manager arrives. Then you radio Louis, who’s waiting round the corner, and he drives round to the front entrance. You and Louis grab the manager…
(Practical English Usage by Michael Swan)
(OK，我們再跑一遍。你在辦公室大樓外頭等著，經(jīng)理一到，你就用對(duì)講機(jī)通知在街角等候的路易斯，然后他就把車開到前門，你和路易斯就一把抓住經(jīng)理…。) – 動(dòng)作說明

“Hi,?I heard there’s a Chinese restaurant around here. Do you know how to get?there from here?”
(我聽說這附近有中國餐廳，可以告訴我如何去嗎？)
” Yeah, Chinatown is pretty close to here. Just go to the corner and then take a right. You have to walkt two blocks…?”
(嗯，中國城離這里不遠(yuǎn)。走到轉(zhuǎn)角處之后右轉(zhuǎn)，你得再經(jīng)過兩條街…。) – 問路說明

Using the TouchPad
To move the pointer, slide your finger across the TouchPad surface in the direction you want the pointer to go.
(Compaq Notebook User’s Guide)
(使用觸控板 //如要移動(dòng)鼠標(biāo)，在觸控板表面朝著你要鼠標(biāo)移動(dòng)的方向滑動(dòng)手指。) – 操作示范

b. 電視或收音機(jī)播報(bào)運(yùn)動(dòng)比賽

The Red Sox wins. (波士頓紅襪隊(duì)贏了。)
//(比較) The Red Sox is wining the AL East. (波士頓紅襪隊(duì)即將贏得美聯(lián)東區(qū)冠軍。)

“The ball is going, going, going, high into the center field stands… and it is a home run!”
(球一直飛、一直飛、一直飛，飛到了中央看臺(tái)。這是一隻全壘打！)
(說明) ‘簡單式’說明剛完成的動(dòng)作或者報(bào)導(dǎo)時(shí)的現(xiàn)況，而‘ 現(xiàn)在進(jìn)行式’則說明時(shí)間較長的動(dòng)作，或者接下來即將發(fā)生的事情。

“Citation taking the lead… with Faraway in second place… and the others already are trailing so far that you’re glad the distance is a mile and a half! And Citation is pulling away… he’ll have to collapse to lose this race. It is Citation going to win the Belmont Stakes.”
(Citation 保持領(lǐng)先，F(xiàn)araway 處在第二位置，他其馬匹則被拋在后頭苦苦追趕，差了有一哩半！Citation 逐漸拉開距離，除非它摔倒，否則它贏定了比賽。Citation 即將贏得貝蒙錦標(biāo)。)
(說明) ‘簡單式’說明剛完成的動(dòng)作或者報(bào)導(dǎo)時(shí)的現(xiàn)況，而‘ 現(xiàn)在進(jìn)行式’則說明時(shí)間較長的動(dòng)作，或者接下來即將發(fā)生的事情。

Oxford are drawing slightly ahead of Cambridge now; they’re rowing with a beautiful rhythm; Cambridge are looking a little disorganized…
(牛津隊(duì)目前稍稍領(lǐng)先劍橋隊(duì)，他們正以穩(wěn)健的節(jié)奏持續(xù)向前劃，劍橋隊(duì)看起來有點(diǎn)慌了手腳…。)

c.?表達(dá)命令、請求或建議

Why don’t you take a day off tomorrow?
(你明天何不請個(gè)假？你明天乾脆請假吧) – 建議

Get out of here! (滾開!) – 命令

Give me a call when you arrive in Taipei.
(到達(dá)臺(tái)北之后，給我打個(gè)電話。) – 請求
//when 后面的附屬子句以現(xiàn)在式說明未來的情況，請參考有關(guān)附屬子句的說明。

d. here comes… 與 there goes… 的特殊句型

Here comes your wife. (你老婆來了。)

There goes our bus – we’ll have to wait for the next one.
(巴士跑掉了，我們得等下一班了。)

e.?用文字、數(shù)字或圖片表達(dá)訊息

What does this word say?
(這個(gè)詞是什幺意思？)

It says in the paper that petrol’s going up again.
(報(bào)上說油價(jià)又要漲了。)
//這句話可以改成過去式：It said in the paper that?petrol was going up again.

The label says this sauce is made from tomatoes and garlic.
(標(biāo)籤上寫著這種調(diào)味醬是用番茄和大蒜製成的。)

Does it say in the instruction how much you should use?
(說明書上有沒有指定該用多少？)

f.?其他: 說完動(dòng)作立即發(fā)生 / 發(fā)誓或者許下諾言

“I now declare Hong Kong Disneyland officially open,” said Disney’s Chief Executive Michael Eisner.
美國迪士尼公司運(yùn)行長 Michael Eisner 說：“我現(xiàn)在宣布，香港迪士尼樂園正式開幕?！?/p>

We wish you a happy new year.
(我們祝你新年快樂。)
//(Here’s) wishing you all the best in your new job. (固定說法)

With great sadness I announce that, effective immediately, I will be leaving RIOY to pursue other interests.
(雖然感到極為難過，我在此宣佈即日起離開 RIOY 團(tuán)隊(duì)去追尋其他夢想。)

I enclose (herewith) a check for?$249.
(茲附上249?美金支票一張。)
(說明)
下列是書信中某些固定的說法，以現(xiàn)在式表達(dá)時(shí)較為正式。
We write to advise you… / We are writing to advise you (不正式)
I enclose my check for $200. / I am enclosing my check for $200. (不正式)
I look forward to hearing from you. / I’m looking forward to hearing from you. (不正式)

I promise never to gamble again.
(我保證絕對(duì)不再賭博。)
(I am promsing…)

I sware that I will tell the truth.
(我發(fā)誓絕對(duì)會(huì)說出實(shí)情。)
(I am swearing that…)

We gree.
(我們同意。)
(We are agreeing.)

He denies the charge.
(他否認(rèn)這項(xiàng)指控。)
(He is denying…)

Do you deny that this is your writing?
(你不承認(rèn)這是你的筆跡嗎？)
(Are you denying that…)

各位網(wǎng)友好，從今天起，“迪朗翻譯”網(wǎng)站要分享一系列英文翻譯與寫作的專題文章。有心學(xué)習(xí)“高階”翻譯與英文寫作的網(wǎng)友必定可以從中學(xué)到版主寶貴的實(shí)務(wù)經(jīng)驗(yàn)與技巧，請大家廣為宣傳。

過去簡單式

文法學(xué)家Michael Swan在其著作《Practical English Usage》指出：
We use the simple past tense to talk about many kinds of past events: short, quickly finished actions and happenings, longer situations, and repeated events
（過去簡單式可說明許多種過去事件：簡短、迅速完成的動(dòng)作與事件、持續(xù)較長的情況，以及重復(fù)發(fā)生的事件。）

Peter broke a window last night.
（彼得昨晚打破窗戶。）──簡短的動(dòng)作
I spent all my childhood in Scotland.
（我在童年時(shí)期一直住在蘇格蘭。）──持續(xù)較長的情況
Regularly every summer, Jane fell in love.
（珍妮以前每到夏天都會(huì)墜入愛河。）──重復(fù)發(fā)生的事件

此外，Michael Swan也提到：
The simple past tense is often used with references to finished periods and moments of time.（使用過去簡單式時(shí)經(jīng)常要提到動(dòng)作或情況完成的時(shí)間）
(例句)
I saw John yesterday morning. He told me….
（我昨天早上看到約翰。他告訴我……。）

（比較）使用過去簡單式時(shí)不用表明時(shí)間的情況：
“Why are you limping?” （你怎幺一拐一拐的？）
“I fell down the stairs and broke my leg.”（我從樓梯摔下來，把腿摔斷了。）
（解說） 何時(shí)摔斷腿不重要，為何摔斷腿才重要，所以不必提到何時(shí)摔斷腿。

過去簡單式無法表達(dá)過去的習(xí)慣，通常必須加入 would 或used to（注意這兩者的差別） 或頻率副詞來說明某項(xiàng)動(dòng)作或行為是過去的習(xí)慣：

Sometimes he would bring me little presents without saying why.
（他以前偶爾會(huì)送我小禮物，但沒有說為什幺。）──過去的習(xí)慣。
On Sundays, when I was a child, we would all get up early and go fishing.
（當(dāng)我還年幼時(shí)，我們每逢禮拜天就會(huì)起個(gè)大早去釣魚。）──過去的習(xí)慣。

I used to smoke, but now I’ve stopped. （我以前抽菸，現(xiàn)在戒掉了。）

He sometimes brought me samples, sometimes just brochures. Several times he sent me Web links.
（他偶爾會(huì)拿樣本給我，偶爾只會(huì)拿資料手冊給我。他有好幾次甚至寄給我網(wǎng)站連結(jié)。）──單純敘述過去的事件。

前面說過，中文的動(dòng)詞沒有時(shí)態(tài)變化，因此必須在句中加入標(biāo)明時(shí)間的用詞（譬如：現(xiàn)在、昨天、上個(gè)禮拜）；反之，英文的動(dòng)詞變化能指出時(shí)間，以及事件發(fā)生的先后順序。讀者務(wù)必牢記這點(diǎn)，免得將中文的書寫習(xí)慣帶入英文寫作，“創(chuàng)造”出古怪的英文。以下舉例說明：

Before, I used to go on a long bike ride every Sunday. ──Before是贅詞。
這句話要改成：
I used to go on a long bike every Sunday.
（我以前每個(gè)星期天都會(huì)騎很長程的腳踏車。）──used to表明過去的時(shí)間。

下面的例句也指出相同的現(xiàn)象：
I will start a company in the future.
（我日后要開一家公司。）──will start就表明將來要開新公司。
Currently, the company is downsizine.
（公司正在精簡人事。）──is downsizing就表明公司正在裁員。

過去時(shí)態(tài)表示心境與想法
英語有繁復(fù)的時(shí)態(tài)觀念，因此西方人士會(huì)善用這種特點(diǎn)來表達(dá)心中的細(xì)膩想法，避免用到尖銳的字眼或直接表達(dá)自己的觀念。

I never thought I’d live to see the day when women became priests.
（我怎幺也想不到，女人還有當(dāng)上神父的這一天。）