由於 for 為對等連接詞,因此,以此句 You’d better fix the window, for a typhoon is coming. 為例,一般必須置於句中;而由 because 所引導的子句則可置於句首或句尾。例如: He did not come because he was sick. / Because he was sick, he did not come. (因為他病了,所以沒有來。)
其次,because 一般用來表示產生某結果的必然原因,而 for 則常用來表達推測的原因。 試比較: a. He did not come to work yesterday because he was sick. (因為他病了,所以昨天沒有來上班。) b. He must have been sick yesterday, for he did not come to work. (他昨天一定是病了,因為他沒有來上班。)
另,在 for 與 because 都適用的情況下,一般認為 for 較 because 來得正式。 試比較: c. The boss told Jim to go home, for he looked exhausted. (老闆叫吉姆回家去,因為他看起來非常疲憊。) d. The boss told Jim to go home because he looked exhausted. (因為吉姆看起來非常疲憊,所以老闆叫他回家。)
事實上,除了上述七個對等連接詞外,許多母語人士在日常口語中也常會把介系詞 plus 當作對等連接詞來用。例如: This notebook has a bigger screen, plus it is much lighter. (這台筆記型電腦螢幕比較大,而且重量輕許多。)
對等連接詞除了用來連接對等的獨立子句之外,有時也會用來連接對等的從屬子句。例如: Lynn married a husband who was very smart and handsome, but who just stayed home and watched TV all day. (琳恩嫁了一個聰明又英俊的丈夫,但是他成天就待在家裡面看電視。) ↑句中的 but 連接兩個形容詞子句。
注意,由於上句中的形容詞子句裡也用了對等連接詞 “and”,因此 but 之前最好加上逗號,以避免產生混淆或誤解。
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