every 用法, 例句, 詳解

every 用法 1 (every + 抽象名詞)

問：There is every prospect of success.
這裡的every 用法是作“每一個”解嗎?

答：every 用法與抽象名詞連用時常常表示“巨大的”、“充分的”、“一切可能的”、“完全的”:

1. She had every reason to be pleased. 她有充分的理由感到高興。
2. He gave us every encouragement. 他給了我們巨大的鼓勵。
3. There is every prospect of success. 完全有成功的希望。
4. I have every intention of coming back. 我極想回來。

every 用法 2 (every fifth)

問：Five years ago Premier Chou En-lai promised to send me an invitation to visit China every fifth year until I was two hundred! (許國璋編《英語》(三), p.165)
[原譯] 五年前, 周恩來總理答應說, 每隔五年邀請我來中國訪問一次, 直到我200 歲。
有人說, every fifth year 應譯為“每隔四年”。究竟哪個譯法符合原意呢?

答：首先應指出, 中國内地各種辭書對every three (four, five) days (weeks, months, years) 和every third(fourth, fifth) day (week, month, year) 的譯法是不同的。

1. 《英語慣用法大辭典》: every three weeks 或every third week 作“每隔三個星期”解。
2. 《英漢大辭典》: Take a pill every three hours.每隔三小時吃一粒藥。
3. 《新英漢辭典》: receive an injection every three days (或every third day) 每三天打一針
4. 《英華大詞典》: every four days = every fourth day 每隔三日, 每逢第四日

我們可以這樣來研究這個有關every 用法的問題:

• every other line (day) = 每隔一行(每隔一天), 即每第二行(每逢第二天)
• every third line (day) = 每隔二行(每隔二天), 即每第三行(每逢第三天)
• every fourth line (day) = 每隔三行(每隔三天), 即每第四行(每逢第四天)
• every fifth line (da y) = 每隔四行(每隔四天), 即每第五行(每逢第五天)

由此可以證明, every fifth day (year) = 每隔四天(年) 或每逢第五天(年) 或每五天(年), 以此類推。

every 用法 3 (every…and (every man and woman is/are))

問：“Is it a message of importance?”
“Yes, it is a message of importance for every man and woman who _______.”
A. vote
B. vote
C. voting
D. are vote
every man and woman 充當主詞時其動詞用單數, 還是用複數?

答：在正式英語裡, every man and wowan 的動詞仍需用單數, 如同each…and 一樣(參見each 用法: each…and) 。

every 用法 4 (every ten minutes)

問：(a) Every man working there knew me.
(b) There are buses to the station every ten minutes.
every 作限定詞時, 應與單數名詞連用[如句(a)], 為什麼句(b) 中的every 卻能與複數名詞連用?

答：every ten minutes (每10 分鐘) 的含義是任何學英語的學生都能理解的。但是, 為什麼every 能與複數名詞連用, 卻不是每個英語教師能解釋清楚的。原來, 英語文法中有一條規則: 限定詞應與所修飾的名詞(中心詞) 在數上相一致, 如this (that, a, every, each) man, these (those) men, 但是, 當限定詞與表示度量的名詞片語連用時, 限定詞與其所修飾的名詞(中心詞) 在數上常常有不一致的情況。例如: this (that, a, every, each, another) ten dollars, 類似的例子:

1. I go there every three days.
   我每三天去那裡一次。
2. The American people elect a president every four years.
   美國人每四年選一次總統。

every 用法 5 (every time)

問：Every time I meet him, he tries to borrow money from me.
如何分析上句中的every time 的文法功能?

答：如同each time, the moment, the minute, the second 一樣, every time 也可直接用作從屬連接詞, 引導時間副詞子句。例如:

1. Every time I listen to your advice, I get into trouble.
   我每次聽你的勸告, 都會遇到麻煩。
2. I’ll think of it every time I listen to music.
   我每次聽音樂, 都會想到它。

(參見each time, the moment)

every 用法 6 (every…he(she) / they)

問：every + 單數名詞作主詞時, 其代名詞可使用they(their) 嗎?

答：按照學校文法, 應當採用every + 單數名詞…he (she) 的用法。但是, 英語語言學家目前已普遍承認every + 單數名詞…they(their) 用法的正確性:

1. When every man had assembled, the master paid them their wages.
   大家集合齊了之後, 雇主給他們發了工資。
2. Every member brings their own lunch.
   每個人都自帶午飯。
3. I told every student what I thought of them.
   我跟每個學生講了我對他們的看法。

(參見each 用法)

every 用法 7 (every other/ each other)

問：I have classes _____ day, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
A. each other
B. every other
C. this and the other
D. all other
each other 與every other 有何區別?

答：each other 一般用作受詞或副詞, 作“彼此”、“互相”解。而every other 則用作形容詞, 作“每隔一”解:

1. Write only on every other line. 請隔行寫。
2. The postman came every other day to our village. 郵差每隔一天來我村送信。