（29）副詞的用法

用來修飾動詞、形容詞或其他副詞的，就叫作副詞。有時副詞也可用來修飾名詞、或代詞、從句或整個的句子，例如：

He lives comfortably on his pension.（動詞）

The weather is very fine today.（形容詞）

She does not rise very early.（副詞）

Even

a boy he

can carry this small parcel.（名詞或代詞）

One is really happy only when one is in sound health.（從句）

Unfortunately the thief was not caught.（全句）

副詞與形容詞有時是同形的，如 first、hard、fast、early、late、well、much、little、high、low、long、wide、right、straight、enough 等，如“He was very tired，because he had been busy since early morning. ”（用作形容詞）又“He that would thrive must rise early. ”（用作副詞）

有時加上 -ly 與不加 -ly，同為副詞，不過意義不同而已。

比較:	hard（勉力）：I study hard all day long. hardly（幾不）：I hardly ever see him now.

比較:	high（高）：The waves ran high. highly（非常）：He is highly amused.

比較:	late（遲）：You should not sit up so late. lately（近來）：I have lately been very busy.

比較:	wide（寬）：The fire spread far and wide. widely（大大地）：His opinion differs widely from mine.

1. 副詞的種類（Kinds of Adverbs）

① 普通副詞（Simple Adverb）

a. 表時間的：before、ago、early、lately、soon、at once、today、yesterday、tomorrow、long ago、

sooner or later 等。

b. 表地點的：here、there、far、near、close by、over there、to and fro、far away 等。

c. 表次數的：once、twice、sometimes、seldom、often 等。

d. 表方式的：well、thus、kindly、bravely、wisely、well of 等。

e. 表分量的：little、more、greatly、enough、every、too、almost、more or less 等。

f. 表肯定的：yes、certainly 等。

g. 表否定的：no、not、never 等。

② 疑問副詞（Interrogative Adverb）

a. 表時間的：

When shall we meet again？（何時）

How long has your throat been like this？（好久）

How often do you write to him a month？（幾次）

b. 表地點的：

Where do you plan to spend the summer？（何處）

How far is it from here to your house？（距離）

c. 表方式的：

How is your family？（狀態）

How is he useful？（如何）

d. 表程度的：

How do you like my new house？（好惡）

How do you like your tea？（濃度）

e. 表理由的：

Why do you ask that question？（何故）

How is it that you are always behind time？（怎樣）

f. 表感嘆的：

How beautiful she looks today！（美貌）

How it blows！（烈風）

③ 關系副詞（Relative Adverb）

關系副詞是 Adverb 而兼 Conjunction 的作用的，如 when、where、why 等皆是，用法如下：

a. 表時間的：

The summer holidays were the only part of the year when（in which）he was really happy.

b. 表地點的：

He led us to a joyous land where（in which）waters gushed and fruit trees grew.

c. 表理由的：

The reason why（on account of which）it happened is told in Browning’s poem.

d. 表方式的：

This is the way how he did it.

上面例句中所用的 when、why、where 等關系副詞，都可以用 that 來代替，有時甚至可以完全省略。

His father died on the day（when）（that）he was born.（或用 that 代替 when，或全不用）

That is the reason（why）men seek fame and fortune.

又關系副詞的先行詞（Antecedent），有時頗不尋常，有時全然略去。

a. There are cases when politeness cuts deeper than impertinence.——Gardiner

There are cases，of course，where the clash of liberties seems to defy compromise.——Gardiner，Leaves in the Wind

This is the point where we stuck.

Americans have passed out of the period where they care about petty economies.

b. He asked me（the time）when I had arrived.

This is（the place）where we dwell.

That must be a long way from（the place）where we were.

She returned it to（the place）where it had been before.

A banana-skin was lying，like a bedraggled starfish，in the gutter，just in front of（the place）where they were standing.——Huxley，Antic Hay

關系副詞的繼續的用法。

We waited for half an hour when（= and then）the storm passed over.

They walked together to the entrance，where（= and there）they stopped.

④ 復合關系副詞（Compound Relative Adverb）

在普通關系副詞上加 ever 一詞時，便成為復合關系副詞，如 whenever = at any time when 及 wherever = in or to any place where 等。此種副詞有時含有讓步的意思（However 只能用于讓步句中）。

a. 普通的：

Come whenever（= at any time when）it is convenient to you.

My dog follows me wherever（= to any place where）I go.

b. 讓步的：

Whenever（= No matter when）I（may）go，I find him writing something.

Wherever（= No matter where）you（may）go，you will find the same thing.

However（= No matter how）careful you may be，accidents will happen.

2. 副詞的比較（Comparison of Adverbs）

副詞的比較（Comparison），其構成方式大概與形容詞相仿，不過 no sooner than 和 more than 的用法，以及 the + Comparative 的用法，值得注意。

① 單音節及少數二音節的副詞，比較級加 -er，最高級加 -est:

soon，sooner，soonest

fast，faster，fastest

near，nearer，nearest

late，later，latest

often，oftener，oftenest

② 字尾為 -ly 的副詞，就用 more，most（less，least）來作成比較：

quickly，more quickly，most quickly

gently，less gently，least gently

但 early 一字則變成 earlier、earliest。

③ 不規則的比較：

well，better，best

ill（badly），worse，worst

much，more，most

little，less，least

far，farther，farthest

（注意）形容詞的最高級要加 the，副詞的最高級不加 the，但口語中也常加 the。

He is the best man alive.（形容詞）

Take any book that you like best.（副詞）

I like spring the best.（副詞口語）

④ no + Comparative + than：

No sooner had he done so than he uttered a cry of disappointment.

The whale is no more a fish than a horse is.

The hen loves her chickens no less than our mother loves us.

An inattention to our persons implies a disrespect to others，and may often be traced no less to a want of good nature than of good sense.

⑤ 用于形容詞、動詞、名詞等前的 more than:

You have already more than repaid me.——Stevenson，New Arabian Nights

Rose’s cheeks were more than touched by the sun.——Gissing，House of Cobwebs

Her plain features expressed a simplicity and gentleness which more than compensated for the lack of conventional grace in her manners.——Ibid.

I prayed to heaven in my heart that my boy，my more than son，might live.——Haggard，She

⑥the + Comparative（此 the = in that or what degree，原非冠詞，而系關系副詞的一種）：

a. the + 比較級（因而更加）

I love him all the better for his faults.

He worked the harder，because he had hopes of success.

The danger makes the sport only the pleasanter.——Thackeray，Vanity Fair

Learning makes a man wise，but a fool is made all the more a fool by it.

b. the + 比較級...the + 比較級（愈……愈）

The sooner，the better.

The more men have，the more they desire.

The older a man gets，the less exercise he takes.

3. 副詞的位置（Position of Adverbs）

一般的原則是置于最接近其所修飾的詞旁，約可分為五種，即被修飾詞的緊前，被修飾詞的緊后，主語與謂語的中間，語句的頭上，語句的末尾。

a. 修飾形容詞或別的副詞時，置于該詞之前：

We live in a very beautiful world.

You are doing your lessons very well.

但 enough 一個副詞，便永遠要置于形容詞、副詞或動詞之后的，如：

The book is easy enough for you to read.

He spoke highly enough of what you had done.

I have slept enough.

b. 修飾動詞時，有時在前，有時在后：

（i）修飾不及物動詞時，副詞置于動詞之后：

He landed safely at the foot of the precipice，and looked anxiously around in search of Pierre.

You acted foolishly.

（注意）但 always、never、often、sometimes、seldom、generally、rarely 等副詞，就要置于動詞之前：

He always laughed at a good joke.

Never speak ill of others.

Even Homer sometimes nods.

（ii）修飾及物動詞時，副詞置于動詞之前或賓語之后：

She bitterly reproached herself for having believed reports.

When you have done your best，wait the result calmly and with hope.

（iii）如系復合動詞，則副詞置于助動詞與主動詞之間：

I have never seen anything more beautiful.

He may well be said to have been a fortunate man.

但 You never can tell 的說法，是因發音關系而產生的變則。

c. 修飾不定詞時，除 never、always 等副詞外，一般皆置于不定詞之后：

The teacher ordered the boy to study diligently.

Cf. I hope never to see his face again.

d. 修飾整個的語句，副詞通例是置于句首：

Unfortunately he was not listened to.

Luckily no one was inside，when the roof fell in.

比較:	Happily he did not die. = It was a happy result that he did not die. He did not die happily. = He did not die a happy death.

e. 表示定時的副詞常置于句首或句尾：

Last Sunday we made a trip to Tapeihu.

The students’ athletic meet will be held tomorrow.

f. 表示地點的副詞置于動詞之后，但與表示時間的副詞同用時，則地點副詞在先，時間副詞在后：

She will be here soon.

A big fire broke out in Simon on the morning of the 20th inst.

g. only 一個副詞最足代表，因所置的地位不同，而意義因之而異：

比較:	Only he lost his purse.（別人沒有） He only lost his purse.（只失去錢包并未失錢） He lost only his purse.（沒有失去別人的錢包） He lost his purse only.（未失去別的東西） He lost his only purse.（失去唯一的錢包）

h. 加強語氣的副詞置于句首：

Scarcely had I passed through the gate before I heard a cry from the house.

Little did I expect that he would succeed so well.

4. 副詞的用法（Special Uses of Adverbs）

① very 和 much

a. 形容詞和副詞的原級用 very，比較級和最高級用 much。

This novel is very instructive.（原級）

You read very slowly.（原級）

The air is much hotter today than yesterday.（比較級）

He is much the best student in the class.（最高級）

但為加強語氣，在最高級之前也可用 very，如 He is the very best student in the class.

b. very 是修飾形容詞、副詞的，而 much 是修飾動詞的。

He is very clever for his age.（形容詞）

A polite bow will very often do.（副詞）

He studies history very much.（動詞）

c. 現在分詞用 very，過去分詞用 much:

The news is very surprising.

I am much surprised at the news.

（例外）very tired、very pleased、very delighted、very frightened、very rejoiced 等。

②yes 和 no

肯定的回答用 yes，否定的回答用 no。

Is he not diligent？No，he is idle.

Is he not severe？No，he is very kind.

（注意）“你不曉得我已經搬了家嗎？”“是的，我不曉得。”用英文說時，肯定的回答，應改為否定的回答，即“Don’t you know that I have moved？No，I don’t. ”

③否定詞（Negation）

a. 否定的副詞 not，普通置于助動詞與主動詞之間；如無助動詞時，就得臨時在否定詞前加用一個 do 字，如：

I shall not see it again.

I have not seen him of late.

He does not tell me his name.

I did not tell him my name.

I do not like him.

但是動詞的 be 和 have 卻是例外，not 要置于主動詞之后，如：

He is not a man of wit.

I have not that picture post card.

如 have 不做“有”解時，則應加用 do 字，如：

比較:	Did you have a fine time yesterday？ No，I did not have a fine time yesterday.

You do not have to go. = You need not go.

b. no 和 not（no 是形容詞，not 是副詞）

I have no dictionary.（have 意為“有”）

I have not your dictionary.（have 意為“拿”）

但加強語氣時也可說 I have not a dictionary. 普通說 Wealth can not buy happiness. 如加強語氣時，就可以說 No wealth can buy happiness.

c. never 和 nothing（never = not ever，nothing = not anything 都是加強語氣的說法）

Never tell a lie，either for fun or from fear.（比說 Do not tell a lie，...語氣要強些）

I know nothing except this.（比說 I do not know anything except this. 語氣要強些）

d. seldom，hardly，scarcely，rarely（都是作“幾乎沒有”解的否定副詞，不須再加 not 字樣）

He seldom is absent.

I hardly ever see him now.

He scarcely ever opens a book.

e. little（這詞也作“幾乎沒有”解，尤其是與 think，dream，know，expect 等動詞，或 as，so，how 等副詞同用時）

I little think that he would die.

Little did I dream of seeing such a fine scenery.

This shows how little he knows the world.

He knows the world as little as a new-born baby.

f. 部分否定（Partial Negation）

否定詞的 not 和 all，every，both，always，necessarily 等詞同用時，僅表示部分的否定。

All that glitters is not gold.（未必皆是）

Every man can not become great.（非人人所能）

Such things do not occur every day.（非日日發生）

The rich are not always happy.（未必）

Both his parents are not living.（非二人全死）

g. 二重否定（Double Negation）

There is nothing that he cannot do a little of，yet nothing he can do thoroughly.

It never rains but it pours.

There is nothing so strong but it is in danger from what is weak.

Nothing can be attained in this world without exertion.

There are few children who do not go to school.

④ once 和 ever（肯定句用 once，疑問句、條件句及否定句則用 ever）

I have been there once.

Have you ever been there？

If you ever go that way，don’t fail to call on me.

I don’t think he will ever do so.

但最高級的肯定句中要用 ever，如 He is the richest man that ever lived.

又在純粹的肯定句中用 ever 是 always 之意，較之語氣更強，如“Fortune was ever on his side I have ever thought so. ”。

⑤ already 和 yet（肯定陳述句用 already，否定句及肯定疑問句用 yet）

He has almost recovered already.

I have never failed yet.

Has the train arrived yet？No，not yet.

注意：如說“Has the train arrived already？”便錯了。

⑥too 和 either（肯定句用 too，否定句用 either）

I know him too.

I don’t know him either.

⑦ago，before 和 since（從現在以前說 ago，從過去某個時間以前說 before，所以 ago 是和 Past Tense 同用的，before 是和 Past Perfect 同用的。since 作副詞用，意為以前，對 ago 或 before 二者皆可以用）

A century ago people did not know airplanes.

I came back yesterday，but he had come back two days before.

The tree cast their leaves a month since.

He said his father had died two years since.

Those were friends long since dead.

⑧there（用于表示人或物的有無）

There was a fire last night.

There may be some money in my drawer.

They say there is going to be war.

There has been no war between the two nations.

In the northern part of France there used to be a painting school.

It is necessary for there to be a change.

We became the more intimate from there being many resemblances of character between us.

At that moment there came a knock at the door.

Once there lived a farmer in this village.