"tend to do" 是英语中常用的短语,意为"倾向于做某事;往往会做某事;常常做某事",用来描述人、物或情况的习惯性、规律性或内在倾向。
主语 + tend to + 动词原形(强调"倾向于做的动作")
注:"tend" 是不及物动词,后面需接不定式(to do)作宾语,不能接动名词(doing)。
根据主语的不同,"tend to do" 可用于以下场景:
① 描述"人的习惯/性格倾向"
(主语是人,强调个人的常规行为或性格特点)
She tends to smile when she's nervous.(她紧张时往往会微笑。)
I tend to forget names if I don't write them down.(如果不写下来,我常常会忘名字。)
② 描述"事物的特性/自然倾向"
(主语是物或抽象概念,强调事物本身的规律或属性)
This type of fabric tends to shrink in the wash.(这种面料水洗后容易缩水。)
Hot weather tends to make people feel sleepy.(炎热的天气往往会让人犯困。)
③ 描述"普遍情况/统计规律"
(主语是群体或抽象类别,强调普遍存在的趋势)
Young children tend to be curious about everything.(小孩子往往对一切都好奇。)
People in big cities tend to live faster-paced lives.(大城市的人往往生活节奏更快。)
④ 描述"过去的倾向"
(用过去式 "tended to",强调过去的习惯,现在可能改变)
He tended to be late for class when he was a freshman.(他大一的时候上课常常迟到。)
直接在 "tend" 后加 "not",即 tend not to do(不倾向于做;很少做)
They tend not to take risks in business.(他们在生意上很少冒险。)
I tend not to eat spicy food at night.(我晚上很少吃辛辣食物。)
两者都有"可能做"的含义,但侧重不同:
"tend to do" 强调习惯性、规律性的倾向(更偏向"经常发生");
"be likely to do" 强调可能性(更偏向"有概率发生,不一定是习惯")。
*例:She tends to drink coffee in the morning.(她习惯早上喝咖啡。)→ 规律;
She is likely to drink coffee this morning.(她今早可能会喝咖啡。)→ 可能性。*
"tend to do" 是表达"倾向/习惯"的高频短语,核心是描述"反复出现的行为或内在趋势",用法简单且场景广泛,掌握其结构(主语+tend to+动词原形)和不同语境的例子即可灵活运用。