1. 大多数形容词既作表语又作定语。例:
It is a beautiful city. 这是一座美丽的城市。
The city is beautiful. 这座城市美丽。
2.但是,有些形容词总是作表语而不作定语,这就是表语形容词(predicative adjectives)。我们说:Birds are alike in many ways. ( 鸟在许多方面相似),或者说:Scientists found these birds alike in many ways. (科学家发现这些鸟在许多方面相似);我们不说:The alike birds...。
许多表语形容词以a-开头,例如ablaze(着火的),afire(燃烧的),aglow(发红的),afraid(害怕的),alike(相像的), alive(活着的),alone(孤单的),ashamed(惭愧的),asleep(睡着的),astir(活动的),averse(反对的),awake(醒着的),aware(意识到的), awash(被波浪冲打的), awry(歪的)等。其它的表语形容词:有content(满足的),glad(高兴的),ill(生病的),likely(可能的),ready(准备好的),sorry(遗憾的),sure(肯定的),unable(无能的),unlikely(不可能的),well( 健康的)等。
3. 而另一些形容词又只作定语,不作表语。我们说:atomic energy(原子能),而不说:*The energy is atomic.
常见的定语形容词还有:countless, cubic, digital, east, eastern, eventual, existing, federal, indoor, institutional, introductory, investigative, lone, maximum, nationwide, neighbouring, north, northern, occasional, outdoor, phonetic, remedial, reproductive, south, southern, supplementary, underlying, west, western, woollen 等。
4. 形容词作表语或定语还与词义有关。例如ill作“生病的”讲,一般作表语。我们说:The man was ill. 我们不说:*the ill man?鸦 ill作“有害的、坏的”讲又只作定语。我们说:The war had many ill consequences.(战争造成了很多恶劣后果);我们不说:*The war consequence was ill. 又例:“His wife was late.” 是“他的妻子迟到了。”,而his late wife 则是“他的已故妻子”。
