在英语学习中,较难掌握的是动词,而动词中,最难掌握的莫过于短语动词了.然而,在各类英语考试中,总有几道与短语动词相关的试题,每每令应试者束手无策.笔者就短语动词中的难点问题作以下简单总结,以期起到抛砖引玉的作用.

　　一、短语动词的构成

　　英语中的动词,按其构成,可分为单词动词(single-word verb)和短语动词(phrasal verb).短语动词指由两个或两个以上单词构成的动词.这种动词主要有三种组合形式:

　　1.动词 + 介词

　　I agree with (与……看法一致)you on that point.

　　Before long he took to (爱上)a girl student in his class.

　　2.动词 + 副词

　　I can't figure out (理解)why he said that.

　　Uncle Herman passed away (去世)many years ago.

　　3.动词 + 副词+ 介词

　　We don't go in for (喜欢)that kind of thing.

　　I couldn't put up with (忍受)the noise any longer.

　　在"动词+副词+介词"的组合中,短语动词只能看作是一个动词,绝对不能拆开.

　　另外,还需要注意的是,以上三类短语动词都是一些固定搭配,这些短语动词与某些非固定搭配是有区别的,试比较:

　　(1) The lights went out.

　　(2) He put on his coat and went out.

　　例(1)中的went out(熄灭)是由"动词+副词"构成的短语动词.例(2)中的went out(出去)不是短语动词,went 是动词,out是副词,作状语.

　　二、及物与不及物短语动词

　　由动词和副词构成的短语动词有的起及物动词的作用,有的起不及物动词的作用.短语动词是及物的还是不及物的主要取决于短语动词的意思.因为,一个短语动词可能具有两个或几个不同的意思,用作某个或某几个意思时可能是及物的,用作别的意思时又可能是不及物的.例如:

　　He took off his coat when he entered the house and put it on again when he went out. (take off 是及物短语动词)

　　There is often a spectators' balcony at airports, where people can watch the planes taking off and landing. (take off是不及物短语动词)

　　三、及物短语动词宾语的位置

　　1. 名词宾语通常位于这种短语动词之末.例如:

　　I am looking for my glasses.

　　2. 个别短语动词,其名词宾语必须放在动词和副词之间,不能放在短语动词之后.例如:

　　I am going to see the guests off at the airport this afternoon.

　　3. 对有些短语动词来说,名词宾语既可放在整个短语动词后面,也可放在动词和介词或副词之间.例如:

　　We'll have to put off the party. 或者We'll have to put the party off.

　　4. 代词宾语有时位于短语动词的词尾.例如:

　　I am looking into it.

　　5. 代词宾语更常紧跟在动词之后,代词宾语的这个位置常见于下列介词或副词之前:away, down, in, off, out, up.

　　四、及物短语动词后接动词宾语的问题

　　1. 及物短语动词后接动词宾语时,要用该动词的动名词形式.例如:

　　He insisted on buying this car.

　　2. 有些短语动词后面可接不定式.例如:

　　Most of the members called on the mayor to resign.

　　3.有的短语动词既可接动名词又可接不定式,但意思差别很大,go on doing 和go on to do就是典型的例子.

　　(文/李树红　英语辅导报大学一年级版03~04学年第34期;版权归英语辅导报社所有，独家网络合作伙伴新浪教育，未经许可，不得以任何形式进行转载。)