關於語法may的用法解析
大家對英語的語法瞭解有多少呢?如果不知道的可以看小編是怎麼表達的,接下來,小編給大家準備了關於語法may的用法解析,歡迎大家參考與借鑑。
(1)“may”表達許可
例:You may have the cake now.(現在你可以吃蛋糕了。)
例:May I come in?(我可以進來嗎?)
解說 表達“許可”無“may…”與“can…”的區別:
“may…”通常表達說話者的許可。
例:You may go home now. (=I allow you to go home now.)
(你現在可以回家。=現在我準你回家。)
例:May I borrow your towel?(我可以借用你的毛巾嗎?)
No, you may not.(不行,你不可以借用我的毛巾。)
“can…”表達“許可”時用法比較隨便。
例:You can go home now.
本句可作如下的兩種解釋:
1.你現在可以回家。——我準你回家。
2.你現在可以回家。——如老師要我轉告你說“你現在可以回家”,或者如既然你已把工作做完了,按規定“你現在可以回家”等。
第2.的解釋法並非說話者的“許可”。換言之,“can…”可以表達第三者的“許可”,或“客觀條件的許可”。例如我們看到一個男生要走進女用洗手間,我們就可以對他說:
That’s a lady’s toilet. You can’t go in there.
像這種場合,假定你說“You may not go in there.”並不很通順,也會被誤爲你是洗手間的管理員了。
請再注意下列兩句意思的區別:
例:May I smoke here?
(我可以在此吸菸嗎?——請示對方的“許可”。)
例:Can I smoke here?
(這裏我可以吸菸嗎?——詢問對方這裏是否禁止吸菸。)
(2)“may”表達可能性
S + may be…= maybe S + be…
S + may + V…= maybe S + (will)+V…
例:The news may be true.
=Maybe [Perhaps] the news is true.
(或許這消息是真的。)
例:She may come to your birthday party tomorrow.
=Maybe [Perhaps] she’ll come to your birthday party tomorrow.
(或許她明天會來參加你的生日宴會。)
解說 “may…”表達“可能性”時其意思等於“maybe”或“perhaps”,即“或許;也許”。“might…”也一樣可用於表達現在或將來的可能性,只是語氣較爲宛轉或對可能性覺得較爲不確定。
He might have a hand in that case.
=Maybe [Perhaps] he has a hand in that case.
(或許他涉及那個案子。)
表達可能性的“may/might…”通常不用於疑問句。可能性的疑問通常都使用“Can…?”或者“Do you think…?”,例如:
This news may be true.
Can this news be true?
Do you think this news is true?
表達過去的可能性則使用“may/might have +p. p.”的句式,例如:He might have left for the United1 States.(他可能已到美國去了。)
(3)“may”表達目的
句型 S+V in order that +S+may+V…
S+V-(e)d in order that +S+might+V…
例:He studies hard (in order) to get passed in the exam.
=He studies hard (in order) that he may get passed in the exam.
(爲了要考試及格他努力在用功。)
例:He sold his house (in order) to pay his debt2.
=He sold his house (in order) that he might pay his debt.
(爲了要還債他把房子賣掉了。)
解說 如例所示表達目的時使用“to V…”比之使用“that +S+ may/might V…”較普通。“in order to V…/in order that +S+ may/might V…”是表達目的強調句式。
(4)“may”表達祈願
句型 may you /he …+ V…
例:May you succeed.
=I hope [wish] you’ll succeed.
(祝你成功。)
例:May God3 save our country.
(願上帝保佑我們的國家。)
(5)“May”的慣用表達句式
句型 may well +V…=there is good reason for +O +to V…
例:You may well say so.
=There is good reason for you to say so.
(你很有理由這麼說。——難怪你這麼說。)
句型 may/might as well +V…=had better +V…
例:We may [might] as well start at once.
=We had better start at once.
(我們最好立刻動身吧。)
解說 本句式常用於表達提議或勸告。