概說冠詞倒置現象

鄭　鈞

一般而言，冠詞和名詞詞組連用，冠詞通常放在名詞詞組前面，而本文僅歸納不定冠詞和定冠詞與名詞詞組連用時出現倒置的現象，以期對各位同學學習有所幫助。

一、不定冠詞倒置

1. 名詞詞組里如果有many, such, what, half等修飾時，不定冠詞要放在這些詞的后面。例如：

Many a boy is playing baseball. 許多男孩在打棒球。

He is such a nice man. 他是如此好的人。

What a good film it is! 這是多好的一部電影??！

Half a month has passed soon. 半個月很快過去了。

2. 形容詞前有as, so, too, how, however, enough等修飾時，不定冠詞a或an必須置于形容詞之后，名詞之前。 例如：

He is as great a man as ever lived.

他像世上任何一位偉人一樣偉大。

She is not so big a fool as you think. 她并不像你想象的那樣蠢。

This is too difficult a problem for him. 這個問題對他來說太難了。

How brave a man you are! 你真勇敢??！

However difficult a job it is, he can finish it smoothly.

不管多艱難的一項工作，他都能順利地做完。

3. 在含有形容詞比較級的句子中，位于形容詞之后。例如：

This is more complex an idea than the others he has presented.

這個觀點比他提出的其他觀點都要復雜。

This is more difficult a problem than the others we discussed just now. 這個問題比我們剛討論的問題更難。

4. 副詞quite, rather與不定冠詞a或an連用，不定冠詞置于quite, rather之后用于強調。但若名詞前有形容詞時，不定冠詞a, an可置于quite, rather之前。例如：

He is quite a man. 他的確是個男子漢。

He is rather a fool. 他是個十足的傻瓜。

Its rather a difficult job. 還可改為：Its a rather difficult job.

這是一份相當難做的工作。

This is quite a sudden change. 還可改為：This is a quite sudden change. 這一變化相當突然。

5. 在as, though引導的倒裝讓步狀語從中，用作表語的名詞前有形容詞修飾時，不定冠詞應放在形容詞之后。例如：

Young a man as he is, he is fit for this job.

盡管他是個年青人，他勝任這項工作。

Poor a woman though she is, her life is happy.

盡管她窮，但生活很幸福。

二、定冠詞倒置

1.定冠詞通常放在twice, three times, two thirds等表示倍數的詞或分數之后。例如：

This room is twice the size of that one.

這個房間是那個房間的兩倍大。

This building is three times the height of that one.

這個大樓是那個大樓的三倍高。

This book is two-thirds the thickness of a dictionary.

這本書是一本字典的2/3厚度。

2.名詞詞組里如果有exactly, just, half, double, all, both等修飾時，定冠詞要放在這些詞之后。例如：

The two shirts are exactly the same color. 這兩件襯衫顏色相同。

This is just the right place where he was born.

他就是出生在這個地方。

Half the oranges in the box were rotton.

這箱子里的橙子一半已爛掉了。

I gave her double the usual quantity to satisfy her needs.

我給她比通常多一倍的量來滿足她的要求。

All the students do not pass the exam. 并非所有的學生考試及格。

Both the dictionaries are expensive. 兩本字典都貴。

鞏固練習：

1. It is generally believed that teaching is ____ it is a science.

(NMET, 2001)

A. an art much as B. much an art as

C. as an art much as D. as much an art as

2. We are in ____ when we left that we forgot the airline tickets.

(Shanghai, 2003)

A. a rush so anxious B. a such anxious rush

C. so an anxious rush D. such an anxious rush

3. ____ from Beijing to London!(NMET, 1993)

A. How long way it B. What a long way it is

C. How long way is it D. What a long way is it

4. This is ____ that one.

A. as a difficult problem as B. as difficult a problem as

C. an as difficult problem as D. a so difficult problem as

5. That is ____ for me to carry.

A. too a heavy suitcase B. a too heavy suitcase

C. too heavy a suitcase D. heavy a too suitcase

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