2012年9月14日星期五

古德明: 假如、將會改組




問:If soif not可不可改為if positiveif yesif negativeif no

答:If so即「要是如此」,if not則是「否則的話」,例如:He may bully you. If so, tell the teacher. If not, don't pay him any attention(他可能欺負你。要是這樣,就告訴老師,否則就不要理會他)。這if soif not是固定用語,不宜用if positiveif negative取代:這兩個說法雖然文法沒有錯,卻很不自然。

If yesif no則多用在問句之後,表示「是」或「不是」,例如:Would you like to see him? If "yes", please stay here. If "no", you may leave now(你想見他嗎?假如想,請留下來;假如不想,現在可以離去)。這裏的If "yes"If "no"改為If soIf not也可以。

問:The Personnel Department is to be restructured(人事部將要改組)這一句,is to可不可改為is going to

答:Be(即iswere等)to有「安排好了」含義,特別是由有司安排,例如:The president is to speak to the nation on television tomorrow(總統明天將上電視向國民致辭)。Be going to則表示「某事看來會發生」或「有意做某件事」,例如:(1I think there is going to be a fight(看來要打架了)。(2I am not going to do it(我不會做)。The Personnel Department is to be restructured這一句,改為is going to be restructured,文法當然正確,只是少了「經有司決定」含義。