文法講座二十七：三花 spend/take/cost 加上 pay

spend (花)、take (花)、cost (花)、pay (付$) 這四個特殊動詞的用法如下：

人花了多少錢在…東西上：	人 spend $ on 東西
人花了多少時間在做…事：	人 spend 時間 (in) Ving ( in 為介係詞，所以後方需搭配動名詞 Ving。
某事/物花了某人多少時間：	事/物 take 人 時間
某事/物花了某人多少時間：	It takes 人 時間 + to V原 (不定詞補充說明虛主詞 it )
某事/物花了某人多少錢：	事 / 物 cost 人 $
某事/物花了某人多少錢：	It costs 人 $ + to V原 (不定詞補充說明虛主詞 it )
某人為了某物付了多少錢：	人 pay $ for 物

例句：Ted 昨天花 300 元買一本書。

Ted paid three hundred dollars for a book yesterday.
Ted spent three hundred dollars on a book yesterday.
The book cost Ted three hundred dollars yesterday.
It cost Ted three hundred dollars to buy a book yesterday.

例句：買書花了 Ted 一小時。

Ted spent one hour (in) buying a book.
Buying a book took Ted one hour.
It took Ted one hour to buy a book. 

請選出正確句子：

A. How long do you take to commute to school? 

B. It could cost scientists several years to work out the myth. 

C. I spent five minutes to explain what happened to Liz.

D. Who do you think should pay for dinner on the first date? 

解答：D

A 選項，通勤上學花你多少時間？

由於主詞為人(you)，故應搭配 spend 時間 (in) Ving。正確寫法為：

How long do you spend commuting to school? 或

How long does it take you to commute to school? 

虛主詞 it 代替「通勤上學」這件事，補充說明虛主詞得用 to V原。事情「花」時間，需搭配動詞 take (花)。

B 選項，科學家得花上數年才能解開這個謎。

事「花」時間得用 take。所以 B 選項應改成：

It could take scientists several years to work out the myth. 或

Scientists have to spend several years working out the myth.

C 選項，我花了五分鐘向麗茲解發生了甚麼事。

人「花」時間做…得用spend 時間 (in) Ving。正確寫法為：

I spent five minutes explaining what happened to Liz. 或

It took me five minutes to explain what happened to Liz. 

D 選項，你認為第一次約會時，誰該付晚餐錢？

“do you think” 為插入語，可刪除成為：Who should pay for dinner on the first date? 動詞 pay 的用法為：人 pay $ for 物。