1. 他離開倫敦很久了。
ˇ He has been away from London for quite a long time.
ˇ It is quite some time since he left London.
Photo: AdobeStock l 圖片:AdobeStock
χ He has left London for a long time.
註︰to leave 和 die, graduate, get up, retire 等動詞一樣，是所謂的 point-of-time verb「瞬間動作」（或稱 terminative verb），動作是在一瞬間發生並無延續，因此不能像 period-of-time verb（或稱 durative verb）那樣可用 have + p.p. + for a long time（或 over two years 等）的句型來表達動作延續時間，所以本句必須用 leave 的過去式，或以同義的 durative verb 來替換 leave。
中文沒有類似觀念，即使英文程度不錯的人也常常弄錯。再舉數例：
Photo: AdobeStock l 圖片:AdobeStock
我已經醒來兩小時了。I have been up two hours.
（而不是 I have waken two hours. 或 I have got up two hours.）
他已經退休三年多了。He has been retired over three years.
（而不是 He has retired over three years.）
我大學畢業已經五年了。I have been out of college five years.
（而不是 I have graduated from college five years.）
以上所述是極重要的英文文法觀念，可惜一般英語學習書中極少論及。
2. 三小時前我已經把公寓油漆好了。
ˇ I finished painting the apartment three hours ago.
χ I have finished painting the apartment three hours ago.
註︰現在完成時態 have finished 指現在，但 three hours ago 指過去，顯然有矛盾。不少學生常犯這樣的錯誤，必須注意用了 ago，動詞就必須用過去一般時態。
3. 他在暑假期間讀完了五本小說。
ˇ He finished reading five novels during the summer break.
χ He had finished reading five novels during the summer break.
註：本句屬於過去時態，但不能因為在中文中出現了「曾」、「過」、 「了」等，就認為在英語中該用過去完成時態。過去完成時態表示「在過去某一特定時間已完成的動作」，或表示「在過去某項動作之前已經完成的動作」。例如：
He had finished his work at six yesterday evening.
He had finished his work when I called on him at six yesterday
evening.
4. 他下個月要來這裏。
ˇ He is coming here next month.
χ He is going to come here next month.
註︰be going to 和動詞原形連用表示未來的動作，例如：The weather forecast says it is going to rain.；但較少和 come 一起用。「go, come, stay, leave, start」等動詞，往往用現在進行時態表示未來的動作。例如：
He is not going to tonight’s meeting, is he?
He is staying with the Smiths for two days.
Mr. Li is leaving for Bombay in a week or two.
The movie is starting in ten minutes.
5. 明天天氣好，我們就會去游泳。
ˇ If it is nice out tomorrow, we will go swimming.
χ If it will be nice out tomorrow, we will go swimming.
註︰用 if 引導的、表示未來的條件從屬句，通常用一般現在時態，不用將來時態，而主句則常用將來時態。觀察下列各句（第三句是例外）：
I will let you know if the question is settled by then.
If you go there at five they will be waiting for you.
If he does not come tomorrow, report it to his manager.
If it rains, I will stay at home.
Exercises
A. 他已經醒來一小時了。
He has __________ one hour.
1. waken 2. got up 3. been up 4. awake
B. 伊士曼太太在一週內將前往孟買。
Mrs. Eastman __________ for Bombay in a week.
1. will leaves 2. going to leave 3. is leaving
Answers: A. 3 B. 3
文章由書林出版公司提供：
www.bookman.com.tw
蘇正隆 — 台灣翻譯學學會前理事長、師大翻譯研究所兼任副教授; 編著《走讀自然.花言樹語》，《英語的對與錯》，《世紀病毒：必讀防疫英文知識與詞彙》...等。國家教育研究院中英雙語詞彙審議委員；研究領域為翻譯、術語及詞典編譯，從事植物與人文導覽數十年，亦曾應邀遠赴國外大學做植物人文導覽。
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