过去分词作定语时应前置还是后置
一、单个过去分词作定语时的位置
1. 单个的过去分词作定语,原则上应放在被修饰的名词之前。如:
She is a trained nurse. 她是一个受过训练的护士。
His troubled look frightened her. 他苦恼的表情使她惊恐。
Interested members will meet at two. 感兴趣的会员两点钟碰头。
Her job was to take care of the wounded soldier. 她的工作就是照料这个伤员。
2. 单个的过去分词作定语,有时习惯上要放在被修饰的名词之后(此时的过去分词通常是强调动作而非其性质或特征)。如:
我拿到了剩下的唯一的一张票。
误:I got the only left ticket.
正:I got the only ticket left. (left = that was left)
我们未能就所讨论的任何问题达成协议。
误:We couldn't agree on any of the discussed problems.
正:We couldn't agree on any of the problems discussed. (discussed = that were discussed)
被问及的人发表了很不一样的看法。
误:The questioned people gave very different opinions.
正:The people questioned gave very different opinions. (questioned = who were questioned)
被调查的人大都支持首相的决定。
误:The majority of polled people supported the Prime Minister's decision.
正:The majority of people polled supported the Prime Minister's decision. (polled = who were polled)
3. 过去分词修饰those时,通常要后置,表示“有关的那些人”的意思。如:
Most of those questioned refused to answer. 被问及的那些人多数都拒绝回答问题。
Those selected will begin training on Monday. 被选上了的那些人将于星期一开始训练。
The authorities say they've now released all those detained. 当局说,他们现已释放了所有被拘留的人。
90% of those questioned felt uneasy about nuclear power. 百分之九十的被调查者都对核能感到忧虑。
Of those polled,seven out of ten said they preferred brown bread. 那些被调查者十人中有七人说他们比较爱吃黑面包。
More than 30 of those arrested were released from jail for lack of evidence. 因证据不足,被捕的人中有30多人从看守所里放了出来。
二、过去分词短语作定语时的位置
过去分词短语作定语,原则上应放在被修饰的名词之后。如:
There is nothing written on it. 上面没写东西。
Here are the seats reserved for you. 这儿是给你们留的座位。
What was the name of the man arrested by the police? 警察逮捕的那个人叫什么名字?
Most of the suggestions made at the meeting were not very practical. 会上提出的建议很多行不通。
三、前置与后置所导致的意思变化
有些过去分词用作前置定语和后置定语均可以,但是意思有所不同。如:
1. given用作前置定语时,表示“指定的”“特定的”“规定的”“事先安排好的”等;用作后置定语时,表示“被给予的”。如:
They were to meet at a given time and place. 他们要在规定的时间和地点会晤。
Candidates will have to give a presentation on a given topic. 候选人必须就指定的话题阐明自己的看法。
I was invited to a dinner given to welcome the new ambassador 我被邀请参加欢迎新任大使的宴会。
用作后置定语的given有时可以是过去分词短语。如:
The concert given by the symphony orchestra was a great success. 该交响乐团举行的音乐会大为成功。
但表示“所给的……”,前置或后置均可以。如:
Fill in each of the blanks with the proper form of the verb given. 用所给动词的适当形式填空。
Fill in the blanks with the given phrases. Change the form where necessary. 用所给的短语填空,必要的地方可以改变其形式。
注:美国英语中说given name,相当于first name或Christian name。如:
My surname is Smith,and my given [first,Christian] name is John. 我姓史密斯,我的名字叫约翰。
2. used用作前置定语时表示“用过的”“用旧了的”“用脏了的”“用坏了的”等;用作后置定语时,表示“被用的”“所用的”等。如:
Great care is needed when choosing a used car. 选购旧车时要特别小心。
Some of the material used has appeared in print before. 用到的一些材料曾经刊登过。
用作后置定语的used有时可以是过去分词短语。如:
The system used in this school is very successful. 这个学校所施行的制度是非常成功的。
3. concerned用作前置定语时,表示“焦急的”“担忧的”;用作后置定语时,表示“有关的”“有牵连的”。如:
The drug came under strong attack from concerned professional observers. 该药品受到忧心的职业观察者的强烈批评。
Some of the farmers concerned suffer particularly from the low prices. 其中有关的一些农民尤其因价格低廉而叫苦。
4. involved用作前置定语时,表示“复杂的”;用作后置定语时,表示“有关的”“有牵连的”。如:
He told me an involved story about his family. 他给我讲述了他家的复杂情况。
It was a very involved explanation. 这是一项非常复杂的说明。
We have to talk about the issues involved. 我们不得不谈牵涉到的问题。
Just tell the students involved that each has a problem to solve. 就告诉有关学生,他们每人要解答一个问题。
5. spoken用作前置定语时,表示“口头的”(与书面的相对);用作后置定语时,表示“被说的”。如:
This construction is uncommon in spoken English. 这种结构很少用于口语中。
The dialect spoken in this town is different from that spoken in the next town. 这个镇说的方言跟邻镇的不一样。
6. written用作前置定语时,表示“书面的”(与口头的相对)或“书写的”(与打印的相对);用作后置定语时,表示“所写的”。如:
She has received a written warning about her conduct. 她已接到对她操行的书面警告。
Please send a cheque with written confirmation of your booking. 请寄支票,并附预定的书面确认。
He himself took all the letters written to the post. 他亲自将所有写好的信带去邮寄。
7. 有些过去分词(如build,made,mentioned等)单独使用时通常不用于名词前作定语,但若与其他词构成复合词,则可以。如:
The recently-built house is our library. 这座最近修建的房子是我们的图书馆。
Home-made jam is usually better than the kinds you buy in the shops. 自制的果酱通常要比从商店里买的好吃。
I would be grateful if you would send it to the above-mentioned address. 如果你把东西送到上述地址,我将不胜感激。
四、过去分词作定语的某些想当然错误
注意不要受相关过去分词用法的影响而出现想当然的错误。如:
1. lose和find是一对反义词,英语习惯上可用lose的过去分词作前置定语,但不用find的过去分词作前置定语。如可以说a lost dog(一条丢失的狗),但不能说a found dog。
2. 某些过去分词可以用于名词前作定语,那是因为它们基本带有特定的前缀,如果去掉这些前缀则习惯上不用于名词前作定语。如可以说an uninvited guest(没有被邀请的客人),但习惯上不说an invited guest;可以说an unexpected turn(意想不到的变化),但习惯上不说an expected turn;等等。
3. 某些过去分词可以用于名词前作定语,那是因为它们与某些副词构成了合成词,如果去掉相应的副词则习惯上不用于名词前作定语。如可以说a badly-built house(建得很差的房子),但一般不说a built house。
(编辑 陈根花)
论文来源：《第二课堂(高中版)》 2010年第11期
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