该短语是名词短语,通常在句中作主语、宾语或表语,常见搭配有:
1、 It is/was a foregone conclusion that...(“……是必然的结果”,it为形式主语,that从句为真正主语);
2、 直接修饰“结果/结局”类语境(如“election result选举结果”“game outcome比赛结果”等)。
1、 作表语:
The team's victory was a foregone conclusion once their best player returned.
(队里的最佳球员归队后,球队获胜就是必然的结果。)
2、 It引导的形式主语结构:
It was a foregone conclusion that she would get the promotion—she’s the most qualified candidate.
(她会得到晋升是必然的事——她是最合格的候选人。)
3、 作宾语:
Everyone knew the contract renewal was a foregone conclusion, so no one was surprised.
(所有人都知道续约是板上钉钉的事,所以没人感到意外。)
4、 疑问句中使用:
Do you think the project’s failure is a foregone conclusion?
(你认为这个项目的失败是必然的吗?)
该短语仅用于描述“结果已无悬念”的情况,不能用于不确定或有变数的场景(比如不能说“It’s a foregone conclusion that it will rain tomorrow”,除非有100%确定的天气预报);
同义词:an inevitable outcome(必然结果)、a sure thing(板上钉钉的事)、a certainty(确定的事)。
简言之,“a foregone conclusion”就是用来强调“结果早有定数,不用猜也知道”的情况~