seem 是連系動(dòng)詞,意為“似乎”、“好像”、“看上去”,用來表示說話人內(nèi)心的?有一定依據(jù)的推測(cè)、判斷或猜想。其用法如下:

　　一、 “seem(to be) +n(作表語)”,此結(jié)構(gòu)中的 to be 可省略,但名詞前一般應(yīng)有形容詞修飾:

　　It seems(to be) the best answer. 這似乎是最好的回答。

　　His father seems(to be) a kind man. 他父親看上去像個(gè)和善的人。

　　It seemed(to be) an interesting book. 這好像是本有趣的書。

　　二、“seem(to be) + adj(作表語)”,此結(jié)構(gòu)中的 to be 也可省略?如果 to be 后面是 afraid, asleep, awake 等表語形容詞,則 to be 不能省略:

　　The green leaves seemed(to be) more beautiful after the rain. 綠葉在雨后顯得更美。

　　These girls seem(to be) very happy. 這些女孩子們似乎很高興。

　　The boy seems to be afraid of the teacher. 這男孩好像怕老師。

　　三、“seem + 介詞 like 和 in 引起的短語”, seem like 表示“看上去好像”, seem in 表示“看起來處于……狀態(tài)”:

　　Those boats seem like many ducks. 那些船看上去好像是很多鴨子。

　　The English-Chinese dictionary seems to me like an old friend. 這本英漢詞典對(duì)我來說好像一位老朋友。

　　Mrs Brown seems in bad health. 布朗夫人看起來身體不好。

　　四? “seem to do something(動(dòng)詞不定式作表語)”,這種結(jié)構(gòu)的否定形式是“do/does/did + not + seem + to do something”或“seem + not + to do something”,其中的動(dòng)詞不定式多為一般式?進(jìn)行式或完成式:

　　Tom seems to know everything. 湯姆好像什么都知道。

　　They seemed not to know each other. 他們看上去好像互不認(rèn)識(shí)。

　　It doesn’t seem to be raining now. 天看起來不像在下雨。

　　She seemed to be sleeping. 她好像在睡覺。

　　Mary seems to have said so. 瑪麗好像曾經(jīng)這樣說過。

　　五、與代詞 it 連用,構(gòu)成“it seems/seemed that...”句式?該句式相當(dāng)于“從句的主語 + seem + to do”:

　　It seems that his temperature is all right. (=His temperature seems to be all right.) 他的體溫似乎正常。

　　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.) 它們似乎已在地球上生存了數(shù)千年。

　　六、“it seems/seemed to somebody that...”意為“在某人看來好像、仿佛……”:

　　It seems to him that he would never be able to work out the problem. 在他看來好像無法解決那個(gè)問題。

　　You are mistaken, it seems to me. 在我看來你搞錯(cuò)了。

　　七、 “there seems/seemed(to be)...”意為“似乎有……”?例如:

　　There seems(to be) no answer to the question. 這個(gè)問題似乎沒有答案?

　　There seems(to be) a mistake in these answers. 這些答案中好像有錯(cuò)誤?

　　八、 “it seems as if...”意為“看起來像/仿佛……”。此結(jié)構(gòu)中的 it 是形式主語, as if 引導(dǎo)表語從句:

　　It seems as if it is going to rain. 看起來天快要下雨了。

　　It seemed as if they would marry in the end. 看來他們終于要結(jié)婚了。

　　九、 seem 與 look 的區(qū)別:

　　seem 和 look 的意思相同,但它們的著重點(diǎn)不同,用法有相同之處,也有一些差別? seem 指說話人內(nèi)心的主觀判斷,而 look 則強(qiáng)調(diào)從所述事物外表上看得出的視覺印象。

　　1. 兩者后面都可接形容詞?名詞?動(dòng)詞不定式 to be 及介詞短語:

　　She seems/looks a nice teacher. 她看上去是個(gè)好老師。

　　My mother seems/looks tired. 我母親似乎很疲倦。

　　The patient seemed/looked(to be) very ill. 那病人似乎病得很重。

　　2. 兩者后面都可接 as if 引導(dǎo)的表語從句,但 seem 的主語一般是 it,而 look 的主語可以是 it,也可以是其他的名詞或代詞:

　　She looked as if she slept badly. 看她那樣子仿佛沒有睡好。

　　下列幾種情況下不能用 look 取代 seem:

　　1. seem 后面接動(dòng)詞不定式 to do 時(shí):

　　My father seemed to know the news. 我父親好像知道這個(gè)消息。

　　2. 在“it seems/seemed that...”句式中:

　　It seemed that you were lying. 看來你在撒謊!

　　3. 在“there seems/seemed + 動(dòng)詞不定式”句式中:

　　There seems to be many young people at the concert. 好像有許多年青人在聽音樂會(huì)。