用finishing作状语,意味着吃完最后一口饭和讨论的动作是紧密衔接的二个动作。这不大符合实际情况。如果用after介词短语,则finishing是多余的,直接说after lunch即可。所以应该选having finished lunch, 即吃完饭与讨论之间有一定的时间间隔。
三个选项都对:
Having finished lunch, they discussed the case.
=When / After they (had) finished lunch, they discussed the case.
Finishing lunch, they discussed the case.
=When / After they finished lunch, they discussed the case.
After finishing lunch, they discussed the case.
=After they finished lunch, they discussed the case.
我是这样理解的:从语法角度说,正如国平老师说的三个选项都对。但这三个的细微区别主要在文体和表述的时间点:
1. Having finished lunch, they discussed the case.
此句通常指午饭后,强调时间间隔,也许过了一段时间才开始讨论这个事。在有些语境,还暗指二者的关系,比如讨论只有在午饭后才可以,因某种原因不吃午饭不能做。这当然要看具体语境了。
2. Finishing lunch, they discussed the case.
这种用法,可能说明时间紧迫,相当于when/as soon as的含义。请体会以下外刊段落的语境和相关用法:
3. After finishing lunch, they discussed the case.
此句属最为常见的用法,其含义仅表示事件发生的时间顺序而已。1和2多见于书面语。当然曹老师提到的after lunch 更为简练,大众化。
因此,假设这三个选项只能选一个,我就选after finishing. 如果选项里再加上after lunch,我也会首选它。
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