有這樣一個句子“I don’t think he is a good doctor.”大家對這個句子有不同的翻譯：

1. 我不認為他是個好醫生。2. 我認為他不是個好醫生。哪個正確呢?2是正確的。那么1的錯誤在哪兒呢?這就是“否定轉移”在作怪。這一語法現象在英語中特別常見，它是將語義上屬于從句(一般為that clause)的否定詞轉移到主句中去。允許否定轉移的主句動詞在語義上可分為兩類：

一、表示看法的動詞：be supposed to, believe, expect, imagine, suppose, think等。如：

1. I ____ I_____ you before.

A. think; haven’t seen

B. didn’t think; have seen

C. didn’t think; didn’t see

D. thought; not see

2. She _____ that we ____ anything.

A. didn’t imagine;would say

B. don’t imagine; say

C. doesn’t imagine; would say

D. would imagine; would say(Keys: 1. B 2. A)

二、表示感覺的動詞：appear, seem, look like, feel as if, look as if, sound as if等。如：

1. The baby ____ appear to be awake.

A. don’tB. didn’t

C. doesn’tD. could

2. It ______(看起來) like ______(天不會)going to rain.

(Keys: 1. C 2. doesn’t look;it’s)

在以下特殊情況中，即使有允許否定轉移的動詞，也不能將其否定轉移到主句中。

1. I think是插入語，可看作與其他部分無關時。如：

I wish you were here, then, I think, I should not feel like this.

2. 主句中有情態動詞can’t, mustn’t, wouldn’t等時。如：

I can’t believe that they are married.

You mustn’t think he’s stupid.

3.由于cannot help doing, ought not, need not, not at all等短語的關系而把I think隔離時。如：

I think you ought not to walk at night alone, Mrs. Moore.

“I think the angel is not at all in heaven.” Redmond said.

4.由于受not just…but, just not…enough, not much, not quite等以not為核心的副詞短語的影響，也不便把其否定轉移到主句中。如：

I think I’m just not smart enough to make any sense out of for you.

But I think that Elizabeth was not quite so certain of it as I.

5. 句中含有no, never, nothing, nobody等否定詞時。如：

I should think you never have seen many.

I thought it explained nothing.