核心结论
这一组动词的共同特征是:后面只能接 to do 不定式,不能接 doing 动名词。它们包括12个核心成员:decide(决定)、refuse(拒绝)、fail(未能)、manage(设法做成)、offer(主动提出)、pretend(假装)、afford(负担得起)、tend(倾向于)、hesitate(犹豫)、happen(碰巧)、seem(似乎)、appear(看起来)。
这些动词之所以只接 to do,是因为它们的语义特点:多数表示「心理决策过程」(decide/refuse/hesitate/offer)、「能力或结果」(manage/fail/afford)、或「表象与推测」(seem/appear/happen/pretend),都指向「尚未发生、将要发生或虚拟的动作」,而 to do 不定式恰好表达「指向未来的动作」或「潜在的行为」。
掌握这组动词是解决「动词 + doing vs to do」选择题的关键:考试中常在完形填空、语法填空设置陷阱,要求考生在 manage/decide/refuse 等词后准确填入 to do 形式,或在改错题中识别出错误的 doing 形式。
易错点与直译陷阱
manage 的理解陷阱:manage 不是「管理」而是「设法做成」,manage to do = succeed in doing(成功做到),不能说 manage doing。考试常考 managed to escape(设法逃脱)vs. escaped(逃脱了)的区别,前者强调「经过努力才做到」。
afford 的使用限制:afford to do 意为「负担得起做某事」,多用于否定句和疑问句(can't afford to do / Can you afford to do?),很少单独用于肯定句。错误:I afford to buy it. 正确:I can afford to buy it.
fail 的否定逻辑:fail to do = 未能做到(结果是没做成),不是「做失败了」。He failed to pass the exam = He didn't pass(他没通过考试),不能说 fail doing。
pretend 的时态呼应:pretend to do(假装将要做)vs. pretend to be doing(假装正在做)vs. pretend to have done(假装已经做了)。考试常考:He pretended to be sleeping when his mom came in.(妈妈进来时他假装在睡觉。)
happen/seem/appear 三者都可接 to do,但语义有别:happen to do = 碰巧做(强调偶然性),seem/appear to do = 似乎/看起来做(强调表象推测)。不要误用成 happen doing 或 seem doing。
近似结构辨析
decide to do vs. consider doing:decide(决定)表示「已作出决策」,接 to do;consider(考虑)表示「思考过程」,接 doing。对比:He decided to quit.(他决定辞职。)/ He is considering quitting.(他在考虑辞职。)
refuse to do vs. avoid doing:refuse(拒绝)强调「主动拒绝某请求或要求」,接 to do;avoid(避免)强调「躲开不想发生的事」,接 doing。对比:She refused to answer.(她拒绝回答。)/ She avoided answering.(她避而不答。)
fail to do vs. stop doing:fail to do = 未能做到(结果导向),stop doing = 停止正在做的事(动作中断)。对比:He failed to stop the car.(他未能把车停下。)/ He stopped driving.(他停止了开车。)
manage to do vs. try doing:manage to do = 经过努力成功做到(结果成功),try doing = 尝试做某事(不保证结果)。对比:I managed to fix it.(我设法修好了。)/ I tried fixing it.(我试过修理。——可能没修好)
tend to do vs. be used to doing:tend to do = 倾向于做(习惯性趋势),be used to doing = 习惯于做(已适应的状态)。对比:He tends to arrive late.(他往往迟到。)/ He is used to arriving late.(他习惯了迟到。)
理解与翻译方法
识别方法:遇到选择题「动词 + ___ (to do / doing)」时,先判断动词是否属于这12个「只接 to do」成员。记忆技巧:按语义分三类 —— ①决策类(decide/refuse/hesitate/offer)②能力类(manage/fail/afford)③表象类(seem/appear/happen/pretend/tend)。
翻译技巧:这些动词 + to do 的结构翻译时常需加「要/想/能/会」等助词体现不定式的「未然」特征。如 decided to go 译为「决定要去」,seem to know 译为「似乎知道」,managed to escape 译为「设法逃脱了」(虽然已发生,但 manage 强调努力过程)。
改错检查:写作或改错时,看到这12个动词后面如果出现 doing 形式(如 decided going / refused helping),直接判定为错误,改成 to do。反之,如果题目要求填动词形式,看到这些词后的空格,优先考虑填 to do。
考法提示
语法填空高频考点:给出动词原形(如 decide/refuse),要求填「_______ (do) something」,正确答案是 to do。常见干扰是误填 doing。
完形填空逻辑判断:根据上下文选择 managed to do(成功做到)还是 tried to do(尝试做),或 failed to do(未能做到)还是 avoided doing(避免做)。关键看结果:有结果用 managed/failed + to do,强调过程用 tried doing。
改错题典型错误:He decided going abroad. → 改为 decided to go。 / She failed passing the test. → 改为 failed to pass。
写作高分替换:表达「拒绝」时,用 refuse to do 比 don't want to do 更正式;表达「成功做到」时,用 manage to do 比 succeed in doing 更简洁。
记忆技巧
口诀记忆:「决拒未管提,假负倾犹碰,似现」—— 决定(decide)、拒绝(refuse)、未能(fail)、设法(manage)、提出(offer);假装(pretend)、负担(afford)、倾向(tend)、犹豫(hesitate)、碰巧(happen);似乎(seem)、看起来(appear)。
语义联想:这些词多与「心理活动、能力判断、表象推测」相关,都指向「未发生的动作」→ 自然接 to do(不定式 = 指向未来)。对比:enjoy/finish 等接 doing,因为它们指「正在做或已做的事」。
对比记忆:把 refuse to do 和 avoid doing 放一起记(拒绝 vs 避免),把 manage to do 和 try doing 放一起记(成功 vs 尝试),通过对比强化「只接 to do」的印象。
教学例句
The government refused to negotiate with the protestors, leading to escalated tensions.
政府拒绝与抗议者谈判,导致局势升级。
refuse to do 表示明确拒绝某行为,考试常考否定态度表达。
Despite the financial crisis, the company managed to survive by cutting costs and expanding online sales.
尽管遭遇金融危机,公司通过削减成本和拓展线上销售设法生存了下来。
manage to do 强调「经过努力达成结果」,常与逆境语境搭配。
Students tend to procrastinate when assignments lack clear deadlines.
当作业没有明确截止日期时,学生往往会拖延。
tend to do 表示习惯性倾向,常用于描述普遍规律。
He happened to be in the library when the fire alarm went off, so he helped evacuate others.
火警响起时他恰好在图书馆,于是帮忙疏散他人。
happen to do 强调偶然性,常用于叙述巧合事件。