為什麼沒有are？ - 古德明

2012年10月13日 - 蘋果

問：以下一句，willing之前為什麼沒有are？─He is fighting alongside his sons, all of them willing to die（他和兒子一起作戰，幾人都不惜一死）。

答：All of them willing to die是英文所謂分詞子句（participle clause）。

分詞子句可用現在分詞（present participle，即ing動詞）或過去分詞（past participle，即ed動詞）；其主詞（subject）一般和主要子句（main clause）相同。這兩點，讀者應該都懂得，不必細說，僅舉一例：Willing to die/ Prepared to die, he is fighting alongside his sons（＝He is willing to die/ He is prepared to die, and is fighting alongside his sons他不惜一死，和兒子一起作戰）。這一句willing和prepared的主詞是he。

但是，分詞子句也可以有獨立的主詞，例如：His chest bleeding / His chest wounded, he is still fighting alongside his sons（＝His chest is bleeding/ His chest is wounded, but he is still fighting alongside his sons他胸膛流血／他胸膛受傷，但仍然和兒子一起作戰）。這一句bleeding和wounded的主詞則是his chest，不是he。

讀者示下那一句，就是本身有主詞的分詞子句，等於He is fighting alongside his sons, and all of them are willing to die。改用過去分詞，則可說：He is fighting alongside his sons, all of them prepared to die。