做蛋糕、穿西裝 - 古德明

做蛋糕、穿西裝 - 古德明

問:「做蛋糕的步驟」是steps to making a cake、steps for making a cake還是steps of making a cake?
答:假如要說「做蛋糕有三個步驟」,我會說There are three steps in making a cake或There are three steps to make a cake。Step之後用「in+名詞/ing動詞」,是說做事的步驟;用「to+原形動詞(infinitive)」,是說為了某事而遵循那些步驟,例如:(1)What is the first step in setting up a company?(要開公司,首先須做什麼?)(2)Steps must be taken to ensure his safety(必須有措施保障他安全)。
Step之後,假如用「to+名詞/ing動詞」,有「走向某目標」含義,例如:He is reading a book titled Ten steps to Success(他在看書,書名《走向成功的十大步》)。文法上,你可以說There are three steps to making a cake,也可以說There are three steps for making a cake:for有「為了(某件事)」的意思。但這兩個說法沒有那麼自然。
Step和of連用也可以,但of是說明step的性質,例如:Let's go through the steps of making a cake(我們試做一次做蛋糕的各個步驟)。
問:以下兩句,文法有錯嗎?──I remember seeing him at Taikooshing a year or so ago. He was in suits and looks well(我記得一年前左右在太古城見過他。他當時穿西裝,看來很好)。
答:第二句應改為He was in a suit and looked well:一套西裝是a suit而不是suits,動詞look也應用過去式。