“问:高中英语教材第一册(上)第55页上有这样一句话:I suggest that you don't ask him home for vacation. 为什么 suggest 后面的从句中不用 not ask, 却用 don't ask? 多谢指教! (广西/钟家杨)
答: 因为本题中的 suggest 作‘暗示’解, 不表示‘建议’。suggest 后面的 that-clause 里, 并非一定要用 should 或省略 should 的动词形式, 如本题中的 not ask 等。suggest 作‘暗示说, 婉转地说’解时, 后接的 that-clause 中不能用 should 或虚拟动词形式。”[《考试报》(高中英语)2003年第2期]
请问您同意上面的解答吗？
答者的思路是:suggest 作“建议”解时,that 从句使用 he (should) be 结构(虚拟语气),suggest 作“暗示”解时,that 从句使用 he is 结构(陈述语气);由于上面句子里的 that 从句使用了陈述语气,故上面的 suggest 肯定作“暗示”解。
细心的读者一定会看出，上句中的 suggest 根本不作“暗示”解，而作“建议”解。不难看出，答者之所以犯错误，是由于他缺少了一个参照点：suggest 作“建议”解时，也可以使用陈述语气，尤其是在非正式语体中：
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Her uncle suggests that she gets a job in a bank. 她叔叔建议她在银行里找个工作。
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I suggest that this is done forthwith. (ALD) 我建议此事应立刻去做。
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Perhaps you could suggest that he talks the matter over with his solicitor. 也许你可以建议他同他的律师谈一谈这件事。
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I suggest that she finishes her degree first. 我建议她首先获得学位。
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He said that he would not be long and suggested that we waited for him. 他说他不会呆很久并建议我们等他。
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Can you suggest how we might tackle the problem? (ALD) 我们怎样处理这个问题,你能给出个主意吗?
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Your niece in the shop suggested I might call and see you. (同上) 你在商店的侄女建议我来拜访你。