英语修饰语位置错误

何航

以前曾讨论过名词修饰语的种类和用法。在谈到修饰语用法时，未免要牵涉到修饰语的位置。这点相当重要，因为修饰语不管是单字的或短语的或甚至是分句的，它们都要定位，不可越雷池一步，否则不是语意模糊，就是不合句法。

下面这则室内设计商的广告，有两个小缺点。一个是同义词重复；另一个便是修饰语位置不妥：

“We fabricate our products from the best quality materials available and ensure refinement in the finishing works while keeping your cost at the lowest possible prices. ”

先谈同义词的重复。在“while keeping your cost at the lowest possible prices”中，把“prices”改为“level”即可。如果要品味好些，可把“possible”挪到“level”后头，即：“ While keeping your cost at the lowest level possible.”

现在谈修饰语位置问题。

在“We fabricate our products from the best quality materials available”中，形容词短语“best quality”漏了介语 “of”：“of best quality”。这样的短语一定要摆在被修饰的名词后面，即：“We fabricate our products from the materials of best quality available”；不然，就把“quality”去掉，只留住“best”也可：“We... from the best materials available.”

上述这两种小毛病虽然不是很普遍，但是也会碰到。看看这几个实例就知道了：

① Do you know the man who talked to you in a white shirt?

这里的形容词短语“in a white shirt”和所修饰的名词“the man”离开太远，不妥当，要移前：“Do you know the man in a white shirt who talked to you ?”

② A dog is a good helper that is well-trained.

这里的形容词分句“that is well-trained”修饰名词“the dog”，不是“a good helper”，因此要和正确的对象靠拢：“A dog that is well-trained is a good helper.”

名词修饰语的位置重要，动词修饰语的位置也不可马虎。例如：

③ The Board of Directors only has meeting once a month.

这里的副词“only”显然是要修饰“once a month”，那么就应该把它移过去：“The Board of Directors has meeting only once a month.”

④ The man needed a bandage for his wound badly.

这里的状态副词“badly”修饰动词“needed”。既然如此，它就要移到“needed”之前：“The man badly needed a bandage for his wound.”

⑤ Though the standard of living is raised, the costs of living are increasing also.

习惯上，“also”这个位置属于“too”的；“also”可以到“ are increasing”中间去；

“Though the standard of living is raised, the costs of living are increasing, too.”或

“Though the standard of living is raised, the costs of living are also increasing.”