一、副詞 soon 作“久”、“早”講
1.We shall soon know the result. 我們不久(即將)知道結果。
【注】有時soon和fast譯成漢語時都表示“快”,但前者指時間的遲早中的早,后者指動作快慢中的快。例如:
2.You will soon go to the factory. 你們很快要下廠了。(指時間的早)
3.Speak to me as fast as you can. 你對我說話能多快就多快。(指說話速度的快)
二、\”No sooner…Than\”一般用于敘述過去事情,表示“一······就······”的意思。如果表示否定的短語 no sooner 位于句首,那么后面主語、謂語就顛倒
No sooner had the words been spoken than he realized that he should have remained silent。話一出口,他便意識到他本該保持沉默。
【注】than后面的狀語從句,常用過去時。主句動作一般發生在從句之前,只是否定式而已,故用過去完成時。
三、“as soon as”引導的是時間從句,作“一······就······”講
1.As soon as ? saw him, I told him what we needed. 我一見他,就告訴了他,我們需要什么。
2. I will let you fly to Shanghai as soon as we complete the work. 我們把這項工作一做完,我就讓你飛往上海。
【注1】主句的動作是在時間狀語從句的動作之后發生的,但主句和從句常用一般過去時。上面第2句由于用來敘述將來的動作,故主句用將來時,而時間狀語從句像往常一樣,只能用現在時代替實際上的將來時。由于從句動作畢竟是在主句動作之前發生,偶爾也有使用過去完成時的情況。例如:
As soon as she discovered her errors, she made the necessary corrections to her data. (那時)她一發現有錯,就對自己的數據作必要的修改。
四、注意都表示“一······就······”的幾個同義句的表達式
She sent an E-mail as soon as she received a letter from you. 她一收到你的來信就發了一封電子郵件。
同義的句子如下:
She had no sooner received a letter from you than she sent an Email.=She had scarcely (或 hardly) received a letter from you when (或 before) she sent an Email.
五、注意“主語 would(或had) as soon …… as 被棄事物或動作”這種句型,它表示“寧愿······而不······”之意
He would (或 had) as soon you took a glass of tea as a glass of milk. 他希望你與其喝一杯牛奶,還不如喝一杯茶。
【注】這里用 would 或 had 表示虛擬語氣。
六、注意“主語 would sooner 原形動詞 than 原形動詞”這種句型,它表示“寧愿早點······而不愿······”之意
Wouldn\’t you sooner take this medicine than be sick? 你寧可不吃藥而甘愿生病嗎?(這里用 would 表示虛擬語氣。)