不定詞
不定詞の作り方
不定詞は動詞の基本形です。英語の不定詞について述べる際は、通常最も一般的な現在不定詞を指しています。しかし、不定詞にはその他に四つの形状があります：完了不定詞、完了不定詞継続, 不定詞継続と 受動不定詞です。
不定詞には二つの形状があります：
- to不定詞 = to + 基本形
- to なし不定詞 = 基本形
現在不定詞の基本形は、辞書にある動詞の形状です。
| To不定詞 | Toなし不定詞 |
|---|---|
| to sit | sit |
| to eat | eat |
| to have | have |
| to remember | remember |
不定詞の否定は not を不定詞の前に置きます。
例
- I decided not to go to London.
- He asked me not to be late.
- I'd like you not to sing so loudly.
- I'd rather not eat meat.
- I might not come.
To不定詞の機能
To不定詞は、様々な構文で使われ、何かの目的や、何かに対する誰かの意見を表現することがよくあります。To不定詞は、数多くの動詞の後に使われることもあります。 不定詞が後に続く動詞のページをご覧下さい。
行動の目的や意図を示すto不定詞
この場合 to はin order to やso as toと同じ意味です。
例
- She came to collect her pay cheque.
- The three bears went to find firewood.
- I am calling to ask you about dad.
- You sister has gone to finish her homework.
文章の主語となるto不定詞
これは形式的な使い方で、口頭よりも文書に書く場合により多く使われます。
例
- To be or not to be, that is the question.
- To know her is to love her.
- To visit the Grand Canyon is my life-long dream.
- To understand statistics, that is our aim.
何かが何に使われるのかを示すto不定詞
このパターンでは、to不定詞は名詞や代名詞の後に置かれます。
例
- The children need a garden to play in.
- I would like a sandwich to eat.
- I don't have anything to wear.
- Would you like something to drink?
形容詞の後の to不定詞
形容詞と一緒に to不定詞を使うのは、よくあるパターンです。 この句の形状：
主語 + to be + 形容詞 + (for/of someone) + to不定詞+ (残りの文章)
| 主語 | + to be | + 形容詞 | (+ for/of someone) | + to不定詞 | (+ 残りの文章) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| It | is | good | to talk. | ||
| It | is | good | of you | to talk | to me. |
| It | is | important | to be patient. | ||
| It | is | important | for Jake | to be patient | with his little brother. |
| I | am | happy | to be | here. | |
| The dog | is | naughty | to destroy | our couch. |
コメントや判断のto不定詞
名詞に関するコメントや判断を行なために to不定詞を使うパターン：
主語 + to be + 名詞句 + to不定詞
| 主語 | + to be | + 名詞句 | + to不定詞 |
|---|---|---|---|
| It | was | a stupid place | to park. |
| That | is | a dangerous way | to behave. |
| What you said | was | a rude thing | to say. |
| This | is | the right thing | to do. |
| Those | were | the wrong kind of eggs | to buy. |
| Jim | is | the best person | to hire. |
形容詞と一緒に使うto不定詞
To不定詞は、満足や不満足の理由を表現するために副詞 too や enough と一緒に頻繁に使われます。そのパターンは、 too や enough が、それが修飾する形容詞、副詞や名詞の前後に置かれます。そしてその後、その量が多すぎる、十分である、あるいは不十分であるかの理由を説明するためにto不定詞を用います。一般に、to不定詞とそれ以降をすべて取り除いても、その文は文法的に機能します。
例
- There's too much sugar to put in this bowl.
- I had too many books to carry.
- This soup is too hot to eat.
- She was too tired to work.
- He arrived too late to see the actors.
- I've had enough food to eat.
- She's old enough to make up her own mind.
- There isn't enough snow to ski on.
- You're not old enough to have grand-children!
疑問詞と一緒に使う to不定詞
動詞 ask, decide, explain, forget, know, show, tellとunderstandの後に、 where, how, what, whoとwhenといった疑問詞 + to不定詞を続けることができます。
例
- She asked me how to use the washing machine.
- Do you understand what to do?
- Tell me when to press the button.
- I've forgotten where to put this little screw.
- I'm not sure I know who to call.
Toなし不定詞の機能
助動詞の後のtoなし不定詞
例
- She can't speak to you.
- He should give her some money.
- Shall I talk to him?
- Would you like a cup of coffee?
- I might stay another night in the hotel.
- They must leave before 10.00 a.m.
知覚動詞の後のtoなし不定詞
知覚動詞と一緒に使う場合のパターン：動詞 +目的語+to不定詞.
例
- He saw her fall from the cliff.
- We heard them close the door.
- They saw us walk toward the lake.
- She felt the spider crawl up her leg.
動詞 'make' と 'let'の後のtoなし不定詞
例
- Her parents let her stay out late.
- Let's go to the cinema tonight.
- You made me come with you.
- Don't make me study that boring grammar book!
'Had better'の表現の後のtoなし不定詞
例
- We had better take some warm clothing.
- She had better ask him not to come.
- We had better reserve a room in the hotel.
- You'd better give me your address.
- They had better work harder on their homework.
"Why"と一緒に使うtoなし不定詞
提案する場合、疑問詞 why の後にtoなし不定詞を使うことができます。
例
- Why wait until tomorrow?
- Why not ask him now?
- Why leave before the end of the game?
- Why walk when we can go in the car?
- Why not buy a new bed?