seem 是连系动词,意为“似乎”、“好像”、“看上去”,用来表示说话人内心的、有一定依据的推测、判断或猜想。其用法如下:
一、 “seem(to be) +n(作表语)”,此结构中的 to be 可省略,但名词前一般应有形容词修饰。例如:
It seems(to be) the best answer. 这似乎是最好的回答。
His father seems(to be) a kind man. 他父亲看上去像个和善的人。
It seemed(to be) an interesting book. 这好像是本有趣的书。
二、 “seem(to be) + adj(作表语)”,此结构中的 to be 也可省略。如果 to be 后面是 afraid, asleep, awake 等表语形容词,则 to be 不能省略。例如:
The green leaves seemed(to be) more beautiful after the rain. 绿叶在雨后显得更美。
These girls seem(to be) very happy. 这些女孩子们似乎很高兴。
The boy seems to be afraid of the teacher. 这男孩好像怕老师。
三、 “seem + 介词 like 和 in 引起的短语”, seem like 表示“看上去好像”, seem in 表示“看起来处于……状态”。例如:
Those boats seem like many ducks. 那些船看上去好像是很多鸭子。
The English-Chinese dictionary seems to me like an old friend. 这本英汉词典对我来说好像一位老朋友。
Mrs Brown seems in bad health. 布朗夫人看起来身体不好。
四、 “seem to do something(动词不定式作表语)”,这种结构的否定形式是“do/does/did + not + seem + to do something”或“seem + not + to do something”,其中的动词不定式多为一般式、进行式或完成式。例如:
Tom seems to know everything. 汤姆好像什么都知道。
They seemed not to know each other. 他们看上去好像互不认识。
It doesn’t seem to be raining now. 天看起来不像在下雨。
She seemed to be sleeping. 她好像在睡觉。
Mary seems to have said so. 玛丽好像曾经这样说过。
五、 与代词 it 连用,构成“it seems/seemed that...”句式。该句式相当于“从句的主语 + seem + to do”。例如:
It seems that his temperature is all right. (=His temperature seems to be all right.) 他的体温似乎正常。
It seems that she is thinking. (=She seems to be thinking.) 她好像在思考什么。
It seems that they have been on earth thousands of years.(=They seem to have been on earth thousands of years.) 它们似乎已在地球上生存了数千年。
六、 “it seems/seemed to somebody that...”意为“在某人看来好像、仿佛……”。例如:
It seems to him that he would never be able to work out the problem. 在他看来好像无法解决那个问题。
You are mistaken, it seems to me. 在我看来你搞错了。
七、 “there seems/seemed(to be)...”意为“似乎有……”。例如:
There seems(to be) no answer to the question. 这个问题似乎没有答案。
There seems(to be) a mistake in these answers. 这些答案中好像有错误。
八、 “it seems as if...”意为“看起来像/仿佛……”。此结构中的 it 是形式主语, as if 引导表语从句。例如:
It seems as if it is going to rain. 看起来天快要下雨了。
It seemed as if they would marry in the end. 看来他们终于要结婚了。
九、 seem 与 look 的区别:
seem 和 look 的意思相同,但它们的着重点不同,用法有相同之处,也有一些差别。 seem 指说话人内心的主观判断,而 look 则强调从所述事物外表上看得出的视觉印象。
1. 两者后面都可接形容词、名词、动词不定式 to be 及介词短语。例如:
She seems/looks a nice teacher. 她看上去是个好老师。
My mother seems/looks tired. 我母亲似乎很疲倦。
The patient seemed/looked(to be) very ill. 那病人似乎病得很重。
2. 两者后面都可接 as if 引导的表语从句,但 seem 的主语一般是 it,而 look 的主语可以是 it,也可以是其他的名词或代词。例如:
She looked as if she slept badly. 看她那样子仿佛没有睡好。
下列几种情况下不能用 look 取代 seem:
1. seem 后面接动词不定式 to do 时。例如:
My father seemed to know the news. 我父亲好像知道这个消息。
2. 在“it seems/seemed that...”句式中。例如:
It seemed that you were lying. 看来你在撒谎!
3. 在“there seems/seemed + 动词不定式”句式中。例如:
There seems to be many young people at the concert. 好像有许多年青人在听音乐会。