英语讲义【86】形容词句型

　　近年来,基于不同目的，到新加坡的外国人在不断增加中。这么一来，就有越来越多人要租买房子。下面这便条便是个急着要买政府组屋者发出的：

　　I am urgently to get a flat at this block. If you wish to sell your flat, please contact pager: xxxxxxxx.

　　这便条的目的一目了然，但是第一个句子里出现了两个错误。一个是词类（part of speech）问题，另一个是句型（sentence pattern）。

　　大家知道，英语接系动词（linking verbs）be等后面必须要有补足语（complements）。主要的是名词或形容词，也可以是表示地方的副词或副词短语，如：

　　① Jason is a teacher.

　　② Helens new hair style is fashionable.

　　③ Who is there?

　　④ All the students are in the classroom.

　　⑤ John used to be a business man.

　　⑥ That man was once very rich.

　　⑦ I had been in London before.

　　⑧ Tom was not in when Sam visited him.

　　不管是is, are, to be, was, been等，它们都是be不同形态的接系动词，跟着的补足语是名词（见①和⑤）、形容词（见 ②和⑥）、地点副词（#见③和⑧）和地点副词短语（见④和⑦）。

　　便条中用的是urgently，这是个状态副词（adverb of manner），不适宜充当补足语；应该改用形容词urgent，才合语法。麻烦的是：合语法、不合用法。

　　这便是便条中的第二个错误，也就是形容词句型（adjective pattern）不对。

　　I am urgent to get a flat at this block.这句话直译成中文是：我急着要在这座组屋买间单位，很顺口，很恰当。但是这句里的urgent不符合形容词惯用句型。反向翻译（中英），应该是：I am in urgent need of a flat at this block。不然就要把句型改为：It is urgent for me to get a flat at this block.

　　在英语里，it+be+adjective+（for someone） +to-infinitive是个极常用的形容词句型，如：

　　① It is possible for you to become a good editor.

　　② It is necessary for all of us to abide by the law and order of a country.

　　③ It is useful for us to learn a second language well.

　　④ It is fortunate to have such a good boss.

　　⑤ It is impossible to teach a lauguage well without a good dedicated teacher.

　　⑥ Is it right to say one thing but to do another thing?

　　⑦ Is it comfortable for you to act with a guilty conscience?

　　最后，顺便把与urgent有关的正确用法举出来：

　　⑧ This matter is important but not urgent, so take your time.

　　⑨ The woman sitting on the sofa wants to see the manager. She is urgent in her request.

　　⑩ We have just received a very urgent directive on the reshuffle of some key personnel.