問:Also(此外)一字,可不可用來起句?敝校英文文法書說可以,我班的英文老師卻說不可以,外籍英文老師也同意她的說法。
答:第五版《朗文當代高級英漢雙解詞典》also條下有注:「在書面英語中,句子不要用also開頭,而要用furthermore或moreover。」可見的確有人認為also不宜用來起句。
不過,第七版《牛津高階英漢雙解詞典》also條下卻有以下例句:I didn't like it that much. Also, it was much too expensive(那個我不大喜歡,而且太貴)。英文用法指南 Collins COBUILD English Usage also條也有以下例句:I thought it was the perfect answer. Also, Tony and I had never done a historical subject(我認為那是個最好的答案,而且我和東尼都從來沒有致力於歷史課題)。以上例句,一為口頭語,一為書面語。這樣以also開頭的句子,一般用來帶出前文未述的一點,而不是闡釋前文所述的一點。例如以下一句,Also就應用For one thing(原因之一)取代:I didn't like it that much. Also, it was much too colourful(那個我不大喜歡,原因之一,是顏色太過鮮豔)。
使用倒裝法(inversion)的句子,也可用also起句,例如:Also present at the Executive Council meeting were police chiefs and gang leaders(=Police chiefs and gang leaders were also present at the Executive Council meeting出席行政會議者,還有警方長官和幫會頭目)。