VOA慢速英语--How to Show That You Are Not Sure

 

In the 1998 film “Saving Private Ryan,” actor Tom Hanks plays the part of Captain Miller¹. The fictional² Captain Miller was an English teacher before becoming a soldier and fighting in World War II.

In one scene, Captain Miller describes how he has changed:

So I guess I've changed some. Sometimes I wonder if I've changed so much my wife is even gonna recognize me whenever it is I get back to her, and how I'll ever be able to, to tell her about days like today."

These lines give you an excellent example of how speakers show uncertainty³ in everyday speech.

In the first sentence, Miller used a common grammatical⁵ structure: verb + a noun⁶ clause⁷.

In today's report, we will explore this structure and show you how speakers use it in everyday situations.

Noun Clauses⁸

Noun clauses are groups of words that act as a noun. They often begin with “that” or a word beginning with “wh,” such as “where,” “when,” “why,” or “what.” Here are two examples:

I think that she is mad at me.

I wonder where he went?

In the examples, the main parts of the sentences are the words “I think” and “I wonder.” The verbs are followed by noun clauses: "that she is mad at me," and "where he went."

By the way, the word “that” does not add any meaning in these types of clauses, so it is often dropped. Instead of saying "I think that she is mad at me," speakers might say, "I think she is mad at me."

If you want to learn more about why the word "that" disappears from sentences, you should read our previous Everyday Grammar story "The Mystery of the Disappearing That."

Showing Uncertainty with Verb + Noun Clause

Americans often use a verb + noun clause structure to show uncertainty.

The verb shows uncertainty, and the noun clause shows the idea.

Here is an example:

Excuse me, do you know when the last train leaves?

I think (that) the last train leaves at 7.

In the example, the second speaker uses the verb “think” to show uncertainty. The noun clause "the last train leaves at 7" is the main idea of the sentence.

If a person told you, "I think the last train leaves at 7," you should probably ask another person. You do not want to make your travel plans based on uncertain information.

Speakers show certainty⁴ by stating ideas in a simple sentence. In these cases, they generally do not use the verb + noun clause structure.

Think back to the conversation about the train. How could the second speaker give a certain answer?

Let's listen:

Excuse me, do you know when the last train leaves?

The last train leaves at 7.

Common uncertainty verbs

Susan Conrad and Douglas Biber are language experts. They note that Americans often use three verbs to show uncertainty.

These verbs are “think,” “believe,” and “guess.”

#1 and 2 - Think and Believe

Americans often use the verb “think” in the present and past tense.

“Think” shows some amount of uncertainty, but the exact level of uncertainty that it shows varies⁹ among speakers.

How can you tell how uncertain a person might be?

One tip is to listen to the pitch of the speaker's voice. The pitch can often give you a clue about how uncertain the speaker is.

Consider these examples:

I think (that) the bank is open today.

I think (that) the bank is open today.

In the former example you can hear more confidence in the speaker's voice. In the latter example, you hear far less confidence.

In conversation, “think” has a similar meaning as “believe.”

“Believe” is slightly less common and slightly more formal.

So, instead of saying, "I think the last train leaves at 7," a speaker could say, "I believe the last train leaves at 7."

The two sentences have the same meaning and show similar amounts of uncertainty.

Once again, the pitch of the speaker's voice can give you information about how uncertain he or she is.

#3 - Guess

A third common verb of uncertainty is “guess.”

“Guess,” according to Conrad and Biber, is very common in American English but rare in British English.

Americans almost always use the verb “guess” in one way: “I guess.” The phrase still shows uncertainty, but it tells you that the speaker’s claim is probably based on evidence.

Here is an example:

He was smiling as he walked out the front door. I guess he got some good news!

In the example, the first sentence gives some information about the situation. In the second sentence, the speaker makes an uncertain statement based on the information in the first sentence.

Let’s go back to the fictional Captain Miller from the film “Saving Private Ryan.” He gives you another example of how “guess” can show uncertainty in everyday speech. Remember: Captain Miller was talking about being a teacher before he said these lines:

"So I guess I've changed some. Sometimes I wonder if I've changed so much my wife is even gonna recognize me whenever it is I get back to her, and how I'll ever be able to, to tell her about days like today."

In the first sentence, Miller says, "I guess I've changed some." He is showing uncertainty about how much he has changed from his former life as a teacher. Perhaps he does not want to admit that he has greatly changed.

What can you do?

The next time you are watching a film or speaking with an American, try to listen for examples of uncertainty. Ask yourself how the speaker shows uncertainty. Does the person use the verb + noun clause structure, or a different structure?

Learning¹⁰ the subtle¹¹ ways that people communicate in another language can be difficult. But with time and practice, you will succeed.

We are certain of that.

I'm John Russell.

And I’m Jill Robbins.

Words in This Story

scene – n. a part of a play, movie, story, etc., in which a particular action or activity occurs

uncertainty – n. the quality or state of being uncertain ; doubt

clause – n. a part of a sentence that has its own subject and verb

practice – n. the activity of doing something again and again in order to become better at it

1 miller   

n.磨坊主

参考例句：

• Every miller draws water to his own mill.磨坊主都往自己磨里注水。
• The skilful miller killed millions of lions with his ski.技术娴熟的磨坊主用雪橇杀死了上百万头狮子。

2 fictional   

adj.小说的，虚构的

参考例句：

• The names of the shops are entirely fictional.那些商店的名字完全是虚构的。
• The two authors represent the opposite poles of fictional genius.这两位作者代表了天才小说家两个极端。

3 uncertainty   

n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物

参考例句：

• Her comments will add to the uncertainty of the situation.她的批评将会使局势更加不稳定。
• After six weeks of uncertainty,the strain was beginning to take its toll.6个星期的忐忑不安后，压力开始产生影响了。

4 certainty   

n.必然的事，确定的事实，确信，确实

参考例句：

• I can't say with any certainty where I shall be next week.我不能确切地说下周我在什么地方。
• I know for a certainty that the company has been bought up.我确实知道公司已经被人收购了。

5 grammatical   

adj.语法的，符合语法规则的

参考例句：

• His composition is excellent except for some grammatical mistakes.他的作文写得很好，只有几处语法错误。
• He can barely form a grammatical sentence.他几乎造不出合乎语法的句子。

6 noun   

n.名词

参考例句：

• What kind of noun is this?这是哪类名词？
• This word is a collective noun.这个词是个集体名词。

7 clause   

n.（正式文件或法律文件的）条款，从句，分句

参考例句：

• The sentence consists of a main clause and a subordinate clause.这句中有一个主句和一个从句。
• What clause do you require in the contract?你要求在合同中订上什么条款？

8 clauses   

从句( clause的名词复数 )； （法律文件等的）条款

参考例句：

• Relative pronouns and adverbs introduce attributive clauses. 关系代词和关系副词引导定语从句。
• Please underline the noun clauses in the passage. 请用线画出短文中的名词性从句。

9 varies   

变化( vary的第三人称单数 )； [生物学]变异； 相应变化； 呈现不同

参考例句：

• The need for sleep varies considerably from person to person. 不同的人对睡眠的需要差异相当大。
• the stultifying effects of work that never varies 一成不变的工作造成的使人呆滞的后果

10 learning   

n.学问，学识，学习；动词learn的现在分词

参考例句：

• When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时，常会从车上掉下来。
• Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。

11 subtle   

adj.难于觉察或描述的，精巧的

参考例句：

• Her whole attitude had undergone a subtle change.她的整个态度发生了微妙的变化。
• There's a subtle hint of garlic in the sauce.调味汁里稍微有一点蒜味。