Imagine someone asks you if you can speak English.
想象一下有人问你是否会说英语。
You could say:
你可以说：
I can speak English.
我会说英语。
Or you could say:
或者你可以说：
I can’t speak English.
我不会说英语。
In today’s Everyday Grammar, we will explore the connection between grammar and speaking. You will learn about small details in these two statements that can teach you a lot about American English. In particular, you will learn about how auxiliary verbs are used in everyday speech.
在今天的日常语法中，我们将探讨语法和口语之间的联系。您将在这两个陈述中了解到一些小细节，这些细节可以教会您很多有关美式英语的知识。特别是，您将了解辅助动词在日常言语中的使用方式。
But first, let’s start with a few important terms and ideas.
但首先，让我们从一些重要的术语和想法开始。
Definitions
定义
In English, we generally divide words into one of two types – content words and function words. Content words include nouns, adjectives, and verbs. These words are often stressed – meaning said louder or in a higher pitch – in everyday speech.
在英语中，我们通常将单词分为两种类型之一：实词和虚词。实词包括名词、形容词和动词。在日常言语中，这些词经常被重读——意味着大声或更高的音调说。
Function words are words that have a grammatical purpose. Function words include pronouns, prepositions, determiners , and auxiliary verbs. These words are less central to expressing exact meaning. For this reason, they are generally not stressed in everyday speaking.* There are important exceptions , however, as we will see.
虚词是具有语法目的的词。功能词包括代词、介词、限定词和助动词。这些词对于表达确切的含义来说不太重要。因此，它们在日常口语中通常不会受到重读。*然而，正如我们将看到的，也有一些重要的例外。
When are auxiliary verbs stressed?
助动词什么时候重读？
You might be asking yourself the following question: What is the connection between word stress, auxiliary verbs, and the example sentences from the beginning of this report?
您可能会问自己以下问题：单词重音、助动词和本报告开头的例句之间有什么联系？
The answer is this: Although auxiliary verbs are generally not stressed in their positive form, they are often stressed in their negative form. The negative form expresses denial, disagreement, inability, or refusal.
答案是这样的：虽然助动词的肯定形式一般不重读，但它们的否定形式却经常重读。否定形式表示否认、不同意、无能或拒绝。
Think back to the example you heard at the beginning of this report:
回想一下您在本报告开头听到的例子：
I can speak English.
我会说英语。
Note that the content words such as speak and English are stressed.
请注意，诸如“speak”和“English”之类的实词是重读的。
Note that the auxiliary verb can is not stressed. It is in its so-called “weak form.”
请注意，助动词 can 不重读。它处于所谓的“弱形式”。
The normal form sounds like this: can.
正常形式听起来像这样：can。
The weak form sounds like this: can.
弱形式听起来像这样：can。
The difference is in the vowel sound.
区别在于元音。
Now listen to our other example sentence:
现在听我们的另一个例句：
I can’t speak English.
我不会说英语。
This has the negative form of can, can’t, which is short for cannot. Our statement could have been:
它的否定形式是 can, can't，是cannot 的缩写。我们的声明可能是：
I cannot speak English.
我不会说英语。
Note that in both sentences with the negative auxiliary – can't or cannot – there is stress on the auxiliary verb. Let’s listen again to our affirmative sentence with the unstressed auxiliary, and our negative sentence with the stressed auxiliary.
请注意，在带有否定助动词“can't”或“can't”的两个句子中，助动词都有重音。让我们再听一下带有非重读助动词的肯定句，以及带有重读助动词的否定句。
I can speak English.
我会说英语。
I can’t speak English.
我不会说英语。
Closing Thoughts
结束语
The general idea in today’s report is that Americans generally stress auxiliary verbs in their negative forms. They generally do not stress auxiliary verbs when they are in their positive forms.
今天报告的总体思路是，美国人普遍强调助动词的否定形式。他们通常不强调助动词的肯定形式。
This idea holds for all kinds of auxiliary verbs – could, should, would, and so on.
这个想法适用于所有类型的助动词——could、should、would等等。
The next time you listen to Americans speak, pay careful attention to how they use auxiliary verbs – both in negative and positive forms. With time and careful study, you will become much more confident in how you use and pronounce auxiliary verbs.
下次你听美国人说话时，请仔细注意他们如何使用助动词——无论是消极形式还是积极形式。经过时间和仔细的学习，您将对如何使用和发音助动词变得更加自信。
*You can read more about function words in our recent report, Function Words in Everyday Speech .
*您可以在我们最近的报告《日常言语中的功能词》中阅读有关功能词的更多信息。