1.大多數(shù)形容詞既作表語又作定語.例:
It is a beautiful city.這是一座美麗的城市.
The city is beautiful.這座城市美麗.
2.但是,有些形容詞總是作表語而不作定語,這就是表語形容詞(predicative adjectives).我們說:Birds are alike in many ways.( 鳥在許多方面相似),或者說:Scientists found these birds alike in many ways.(科學(xué)家發(fā)現(xiàn)這些鳥在許多方面相似);我們不說:The alike birds.
許多表語形容詞以a-開頭,例如ablaze(著火的),afire(燃燒的),aglow(發(fā)紅的),afraid(害怕的),alike(相像的),alive(活著的),alone(孤單的),ashamed(慚愧的),asleep(睡著的),astir(活動的),averse(反對的),awake(醒著的),aware(意識到的),awash(被波浪沖打的),awry(歪的)等.其它的表語形容詞:有content(滿足的),glad(高興的),ill(生病的),likely(可能的),ready(準(zhǔn)備好的),sorry(遺憾的),sure(肯定的),unable(無能的),unlikely(不可能的),well( 健康的)等.
3.而另一些形容詞又只作定語,不作表語.我們說:atomic energy(原子能),而不說:*The energy is atomic.
常見的定語形容詞還有:countless,cubic,digital,east,eastern,eventual,existing,federal,indoor,institutional,introductory,investigative,lone,maximum,nationwide,neighbouring,north,northern,occasional,outdoor,phonetic,remedial,reproductive,south,southern,supplementary,underlying,west,western,woollen 等.
4.形容詞作表語或定語還與詞義有關(guān).例如ill作“生病的”講,一般作表語.我們說:The man was ill.我們不說:*the ill man?鴉 ill作“有害的、壞的”講又只作定語.我們說:The war had many ill consequences.(戰(zhàn)爭造成了很多惡劣后果);我們不說:*The war consequence was ill.又例:“His wife was late.” 是“他的妻子遲到了.”,而his late wife 則是“他的已故妻子”.