有些词仅属于一个词类,如quickly为副词,come为动词,beautiful为形容词。但绝大多数词都可以属于两种或多种词类,例如:
Let's go.
咱们走吧。(go用作动词)
I'd like to have a go at it.
我想试一试。(go用作名词)
I haven't seen him since 1998.
我1998 年以后就没见到他了。(since作介词)
We met in 1980. I have never heard from him since 1980.
我们1980 年见面以后,我再也没有接到他的音信了。(since作副词)
Let's sit round the table.
咱们围着桌子坐。(round作副词)
I'll come round this afternoon.
我今天下午回来。(round作副词)
There sat a round table in the room.
房里有一张圆桌。(round作形容词)
The doctor is out on his rounds at the moment.
医生此刻正巡视病房。(round作名词)
She rounded the corner at 95 miles per hour
她以每小时95 英里的速度拐弯。(round作动词)
因此在学一个词时,先要知道它属于哪个词类,然后再弄清它是否还可用作其他词类。英语中的一个词,常可用作另一词类,如:
It's a bookshop.
这是一家书店。
where do you shop for clothes?
你在哪里买衣裳?
It's a good buy.
这是一样便宜货。
Where did you buy it?
你是在哪里买的?
It's a small park.
这是一座小公园。
Let me see if I have any smalls.
我看看有没有小号的。
这种现象叫作词类的转换(conversion)。