each 用法 1 (each vs every 1)
問：(a) Each boy gets a prize.
(b) On the average, I see them once every three weeks.
each 用法作限定詞時, 只能與單數名詞連用[如句(a)], 我不能向學生們解釋, 為什麼在句(b) 中every 可以與複數名詞連用。
答：見every 用法, a good 用法1, 2, estimate 用法。
each 用法 2 (each vs every 2)
問：In fact ________ of the contradictory judgments is valid.
A. some
B. each
C. every
D. both
(研究所考試英語試題, 84B)
each 和every 都作“每一個”解, 為什麼上面的試題只能選B (each), 而不能選C (every)?
答：every 只能用作形容詞, 如every day, every student, 而不能用作代名詞, 因此, 不能說: every of the days, every of the students。而each 除用作形容詞外, 還可用作代名詞。例如:
Each state (or Each of the states / Each on of the states) has is own flag.
每個國家都有自己的國旗。
each 與every 的另一個文法上的區別, 是each 用法還可用作副詞:
- Give them two each.
各給他們兩個。 - He offered me the tin of biscuits and my sister and I had one each.
他把這聽餅乾給了我, 這樣, 我和我姐姐就每人一聽了。
each 用法 3 (each girl / each of the girls)
見most 用法
each 用法 4 (each of…is/are)
問：each of Ns 作主詞時, 其動詞是用單數, 還是用複數?
答：所有的英語文法書都指出, 在each of Ns 作主詞時, 其動詞應當用單數:
但是, 我們在LDCE 上發現了一個反例:
Each of the 2 beautiful girls upstairs is/are married.
樓上那兩個漂亮的女孩都已結了婚。
考生注意: 各類標準英語考試要求each of Ns 的動詞使用單數
each 用法 5 (each other / one another)
問：each other 與one another 到底有無區別?
答：有些英語文法學家甚至在最近出版的著作中還在堅持each other 只能用於兩個人之間。例如S. E. Paces 等人在1976 年出版的Common Errors in English 一書中說: “Use Each other for two persons only. Use One another for more than two persons. Wrong: All men are brothers and should love each other.”有不少考題就是拿這個理論來考學生的:
These three boys help _______ to finish the project. (P) one another (Q)each other(Obje. Eng. Test Pap. To Cert. level, p.22)
這種考法完全脫離了現代英語的實際使用情況。請看下面有關each 用法的實例:
- On the morning of the 18th of June the two enemies faced one another on the field of Waterloo.
- The three gentlemen looked at each other…
- “Do you like music?”“ Yes, and I think music is one way people can get to know _______.”答案為C(each other better) (TOEFL)
許多現代英語學者對each other 只能用於兩個人的說法提出了異議。A. Zeiger 說: “Each other and one another are used interchangeably by almost everyone.”(Encyclopedia of English, p.255) F. Crew 教授說, 對於each other 只能用於兩個人的說法“可以置之不理”。
each 用法 6 (each time)
問：If individuals are awakened each time as they begin a dream phase of sleep, they are likely to become irritable even though their total amount of sleep has been sufficient. (研究所考試英語試題, 95)
謝振元教授主編《研究生入學考試英語複習指南》(1997) (中國人民大學出版社) 對上道題的解答如下:
“應將‘each time’改為‘once’。根據上下文, 此處應為‘一次’的意思, 說‘一次’, 通常不說‘a time’或‘one time’、‘each time’。該說‘once’。”(p. 440)
請問上面的解答是否正確?
答：上面的解答是完全錯誤的。究其原因, 一是編著者不瞭解each time 的用法, 二是沒有搞清句意。根據句意(這裡沒有上下文), 選擇項(B) 根本就沒有“一次”的意思。如果按照該書編著者的改法, 將each time as 改為once as, 則全句仍是個錯句。其實, 上面的試題, 只要將each time as 改為each time 就對了。因為each time 這個片語, 如同the moment, the instant, the minute, the second 一樣, 可以直接用作從屬連接詞, 引導時間副詞子句。
[句意] 如果睡眠的人每次進入夢鄉時, 就被人叫醒, 那麼即使他們睡眠的總量是足夠的, 他們也很可能變得煩躁易怒。(參見every time)
each 用法 7 (each…and)
問：Each soldier and sailor _______ given a gun.
A. were
B. was
C. am
D. are
each soldier and sailor 的動詞應當用單數, 還是應當用複數?
答：如同every man and woman 一樣, each soldier and sailor 的動詞, 在正式英語裡要求用單數(參見every…and) 。
each 用法 8 (each…he (she) / they)
問：At the moment each of the girls was too busy thinking about ________ own personal safety to care much about the luggage.
A. her
B. their
C. his
D. our
(《新編留美託福簽證考試資料》, 臺北時代留學英語中心) 答案為A(her) 。不知能否選B(their)?
答：初學者可把A 看作唯一正確答案。但是, 英語教師則應知道, 現代英語文法學家已承認用法B 的正確性:
- Each of the students should have his/their own books.
每個學生都應該有自己的書。 - Each of the women wore what they liked best.
這些婦女個個都穿著她們最喜歡的服裝。