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 Helen's 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.
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