在英语中,我们用形容词性物主代词和名词性物主代词来表示对事物以及人的所有权。其中形容词性物主代词是限定词,放在名词前,用来强调所有权。
一、形容词性物主代词有人称和数的变化,如下表:
例如:
1) I met Clara’s mother at the supermarket yesterday.
昨天我在超级市场遇见了克拉拉的母亲。
2) I met her mother at the supermarket yesterday.
我昨天在超级市场遇见了她的母亲。
解析:2) 句中的 her 替代 1) 句中的 Claras.
还有疑问代词 whose 也是形容词性物主代词,例如:
Whose mother did you meet at the supermarket yesterday?
昨天你在超市遇见谁的母亲?
二、形容词性物主代词的使用注意事项:
1、由于形容词性物主代词的排他性,当名词前有形容词性物主代词修饰时,名词前就不能用冠词(a / an, the),指示代词(this / these, that / those)等词修饰,例如:
这是他的桌子。
正:This is his desk.
误:This is his that desk.
今天下午我要去理发。
正:I’m going to get my hair cut this afternoon.
误:I’m going to get the my hair cut this afternoon.
2、当形容词性物主代词与其他形容词一起修饰名词时,要放在其他形容词前面,例如:
I had a long talk about this with my best friend.
我和我最好的朋友就此事进行了长谈。
3、形容词性物主代词不能单独使用,后面必须跟名词或动名词,例如:
那不是我的书。这是你的。
正:That’s not my book. It’s yours. ( or Its your book.)
误:Thats not my book. Its your.
三、动名词功能与名词一样,所以可以用形容词性物主代词 + 动名词,例如:
I couldnt take his griping anymore.
我再也受不了他的抱怨了。
解析:此句若改成 I couldnt take him griping anymore,句子的意思就变得模棱两可,不清楚受不了的对象是 him 还是 griping,所以正确的应该用形容词性物主代词 his griping.
Your taking the prize was a nice surprise.
你获奖真是个惊喜。
The children make their beds without my asking them to.
孩子们没有我的要求就铺床。
Their singing inspired us.
他们的歌声鼓舞了我们。
I so appreciated his helping out.
我很感激他帮忙。
四、使用形容词性物主代词容易犯的拼写错误
1、its 和 its
its 是 it is 或 it has 的缩写,跟所有格没有关系,反之亦然,例如:
一个国家的好坏可以用它的谚语来判断。
误:A country can be judged by the quality of its proverbs.
正:A country can be judged by the quality of its proverbs.
解析:犯这个拼写错误的原因是因为撇号被用于所有格,如:dogs nose.
2、youre 和 yours
youre 是 you are 的缩写,跟所有格没有关系,反之亦然,例如:
即使你摔在地上,你仍然在前进。
误:Even if you fall on you‘re face, youre still moving forward.
正:Even if you fall on your face, youre still moving forward.
3、there、theyre 和 their
theyre 是 they are 的缩写,there 跟 here 一样表示地方,它们跟所有格没有关系,例如:
原谅你的敌人,但不要忘记他们的名字。
误:Forgive your enemies, but never forget there names.
正:Forgive your enemies, but never forget their names.
4、whos 和 whose
whos 是 who is 或 who has 的缩写,跟所有格没有关系,反之亦然,例如:
千万不要去看那些办公室植物已经死了的医生。
误:Never go to a doctor whos office plants have died.
正:Never go to a doctor whose office plants have died.
5、英语中没有单数的,非性别的,形容人的代词,不能用 its,例如:
每个主人都对自己的狗负责。
误:Each owner is responsible for its dog.
可以有两个选择,一是用 their,二是用 his/her,例如:
正:Each owner is responsible for their dog.
或:
Each owner is responsible for his / her dog.
但是后面这句显得太笨拙了,所以也不用。
如果还是会混淆,可以把以上缩写展开,看下句子的结构和意思是否正确。