淺談「as…as…結構」的用法

「as…as…結構」在英語中用法較多，學生在平時的學習中會頻繁地接觸到此種結構。有部分學生認為「as…as…結構」中只能出現形容詞或副詞並且認為此結構只能用於原級比較，這種認識是單一的。實際上 「as…as…結構」經過不同變化可以構成不同的短語和句式，這些短語和句式被靈活地運用於課文和練習中。如果學生對此結構的用法了解不多，就會在平時的學習中遇到障礙。為了幫助學生清除障礙，筆者就「as…as…結構」的幾種用法介紹如下：

「as + 形容詞或副詞原級 + as…」 意為「和……一樣」，表示同級的比較，但要注意第一個as為副詞，第二個as為連詞。根據比較對象和性質的不同又可以把此種結構分為三種：

（一）「as…as…結構」用於表示不同人或物同一性質的比較，意為「……和……一樣……"。例如：

The tree is as tall as the building(is)．

這棵樹和那棟樓一樣高。

注意此結構也常用於形象比喻中：as cool as cucumber 沉著的， as stubborn as a mule 非常頑強的，倔強的， as clear as crystal 非常透明的， as poor as a church mouse 非常貧困的，as busy as a bee像蜜蜂一樣忙碌，as easy as ABC像ABC一樣容易，as deep as a well像井一樣深，as light as a feather像羽毛一樣輕，as soft as butter像黃油一樣軟。這些短語生動活潑，淺顯易懂，記住這些短語可以提高學生的英語寫作和口語能力。

（二）「as…as…結構」用於表示同一個人或物不同性質的比較，意為「既……又……」 。例如：

This swimming pool is as wide as it is long.

這個游泳池寬度和長度相等。

（三）「as…as…結構」用於表示兩個人或物不同性質的比較，表示程度相同或相當，意為「……而……」。在否定句中結構是「so/as…as…」。例如：

He was as handsome as his wife was beautiful．

他長得非常英俊，他的妻子也長得非常漂亮。

He was as experienced as his brother was green．

他經驗豐富，而他兄弟卻涉世未深。

He cannot run so/as fast as you.

他沒你跑得快。

Danny is not so/as wise as he is witty．

丹尼為人風趣，但欠明智。

需要注意的是：「as + 形容詞或副詞原級 + as…」結構的變體形式是「as +形容詞+ a +單數名詞+ as或as + many/much +名詞+ as」。意為「……和……一樣……"。例如：

I don't want as expensive a car as this.＝I don't want a car as expensive as this．

我不要這麼貴的汽車。

This is as good an example as the other is.

這個例子和另外一個例子一樣好。

Tony is as clever a boy as his brother．

托尼是一個和他兄弟一樣聰明的男孩。

I can carry as much paper as you can.

我能搬得動和你一樣多的紙。

此外，變體結構的否定形式為「so +adj. + a/an + n. (單數) + as "。例如：

I am not so strong a man as I was.

我已經沒有從前那麼強壯了。

二、「as…as…結構」中常見片語和句式的用法

「as…as…結構」中常見片語和句式有很多，最常見的片語有「as soon as」意思是"一……就……",引導一個時間狀語從句，還有「as much as」和「as many as」意思是「像……一樣多……」，用來表達極其多的語氣，學生在學習中時常會遇到這些片語，對這些片語的用法並不陌生。筆者對此無需贅述。下列筆者將要介紹「as…as…結構」中其他一些常用片語和句式：

（一）片語「as long as」意思是"長達……之久；只要……"。引導時間或條件狀語從句。如：

It took us as long as three years to carry out the plan.

我們花了長達三年的時間才完成這項計劃。

You may borrow this book as long as you promise to give it back.

只要你答應歸還，你就可以把這書借走。

As long as you work hard, you are sure to succeed in everything.

只要你努力，你就一定會事事成功。

（二）片語「as far as」 意思是「那麼遠，就……而知，就……言，」 如：

He walked as far as the railway station yesterday evening.

昨天傍晚，他一直散步到火車站。

As far as I』m concerned, she is the most qualified for the job.

在我看來，她是最適合這份工作的。

（三）句式 「as+ many/much+名詞+as」意思是「……和……一樣」。此結構是片語「as much as」和「as many as」的變體形式。如：

To eat too much is as much a bad thing as to eat nothing.

吃太多和什麼都不吃同樣是壞事。

He is as much a member of the orchestra as Tom.

他和湯姆同樣是管弦樂隊的成員。

Comets are just as much members of the sun』s family as(are) the other planets.

彗星和其他的行星同樣是太陽家族的成員。

（四）以下幾個結構的意思都差不多：「as…as possible/as…as one can(could)/as…as…can be」都表示「儘可能地…… 」的意思。 如：

Read the story as quickly as possible. = Read the story as quickly as you can.

儘快地閱讀這篇故事。

They watered the trees as often as possible. = They watered the trees as often as they could.

他們儘可能經常給樹澆水。

His failure is as plain as plain can be.

他的失敗是再明白不過了。

He is as handsome as handsome can be.

他瀟灑極了。

Mary is as hardworking as can be.

瑪麗學習極為努力。

其他例如：

as wise as wise can be  再聰明不過了

as white as white can be 白得不能再白了

as wrong as wrong can be 錯得太離譜了

（五）「as…as usual/ever/before」此結構的意思是「像平時/以前一樣」。如：

He gets up as early as usual.

他像平時一樣早起。

He seems to be as busy as ever.

他似乎像往常一樣忙碌。

He works as hard as ever.

他和往常一樣努力工作。

She was as beautiful as ever after so many years.

過了這麼多年她美麗如故。

（六）「as…as…結構」可以用來表示倍數。具體用法是倍數詞：twice，three times，half或a quarter置於第一個as之前，意思是「……是……的幾倍」。如：

You are not half as clever as you think you are．

你可不像自己想象的那麼聰明。

She isn』t going out with a man who is twice as old as she．

她不打算和一個比她大一倍的人出去散步。

We』ve produced twice as much cotton this year as we did last year.

我們今年的棉花產量是去年的兩倍。

She works three times as hard as I.

她用功的程度是我的三倍。

需要注意的是，在比較級前還可以用「over, more than」 等表示「比……倍數還要多」。如：

He is more than three times as rich as I.

他的財富是我的三倍還不止。

I am more than twice as old as he.

我的年齡是他是兩倍還不止。

He studies more than three times as hard as I.

他用功的程度是我的三倍還不止。

He has collected more than four times as many stamps as I.

他搜集的郵票是我的四倍還不止。

（七）片語「as well as」意思是「像…一樣好，既…又…,除之外還」，此短語使用頻率十分高，用途非常廣泛。它可以用作連詞和介詞，也可以表示比較。具體用法如下：

1. 片語「as well as」用作連詞。連接兩個並列的同等成分，其意義為「不但……而且……」，「既……又……」，這時相當於「not only…but also…」。它所連接的部分既可以是單詞、短語，也可以是句子。例如：

He speaks Japanese as well as English and French.

他不但講英語和法語，而且還講日語。

2. 片語「as well as」用作介詞。此時，相當於besides，意為「除……之外」，后常接名詞、動名詞。如：

As well as visiting the old man, he helped to clean the room.

除看望老人外，他還幫助打掃房間。

3. 「as well as」用於同級比較,意為「和……一樣（好）」，這時，第一個as是副詞，第二個as是連詞，引導一個狀語從句，表示同級比較。如：

He can operate the machine as well as I do.

他操作這台機器和我一樣熟練。

4.在使用「as well as」 時還應注意以下幾點：

（1）當「as well as」 連接主語時，謂語動詞的人稱和數應與「as well as」 之前的名詞或代詞的人稱和數保持一致。如：

Mary as well as I has been to the Great Wall.

我和瑪麗去過長城。

（2）當「as well as」連接兩個謂語動詞時，前後時態與形式應保持一致。如：

They play the piano as well as sing.

他們不但會唱歌，而且會彈琴。

（3）當「as well as」連接兩個簡單動詞時，也可充當插入語，這時as well as 后的動詞在人稱和數上應與主語保持一致。如：

  He works, as well as sleeps, in the room.

  他既在這房間里睡覺，又在這兒工作。

（4）當「as well as」前的動詞是分詞或不定式，那麼「as well as」 后的動詞應取相應的形式（不定式不帶to）。如：

  You can』t expect her to do the housework as well as look after the children.

你不可能叫她既做家務又照看小孩。

（5）如果「as well as」前的謂語動詞是一般現在時或一般過去時，「as well as」 之後的動詞可與前面一致，也可用動名詞形式。如：

  She sings as well as playing the piano.

  她不但會彈琴，而且會唱歌。

  Heavy smoking runs away with your money, as well as being bad for your health.

  抽煙多既浪費金錢，又對健康不利。

（6）如果「as well as」 前面的動詞是分詞，那麼「as well as」 后的動詞也應用分詞形式。如：

  We are repairing the roof, as well as painting the walls. 我們既油漆牆壁，又修房頂。

（7） 「as well as」也可以用於否定結構中，當not 位於「as well as」 后時，兩者都否定；當not用於as well as 前時，否定前者，肯定後者。試比較：

  I shall not see the film as well as he.

  他將去看電影，而我不去。

  I, as well as he, shall not see the film.

  他不去看電影，我也不去。

通過以上分析可以發現「as…as…結構」看似簡單，但此結構變化太多，不易掌握。只有在平時的學習中多做練習才能熟能生巧。