the first time还是for the first time?

问题描述

I retired the first time when he was the coach.

the前是不是缺少了for?

老师答疑

刘老师：

▲the first time是个名词词组，后面往往接一从句，现已演变成连词的用法。

你的句子没错，不能加for。以下几种表达都对：the first time之后接一个定语从句，用that，when引导均可，或者干脆省略。

I retired the first time when he was the coach.

I retired the first time that he was the coach.

I retired the first time he was the coach.

【翻译】我在他初次当教练时退的休。

▲for the first time是个介词词组，意为“第一次，首次，初次”，一般用作状语，修饰动词。

She met him at the cinema for the first time.  她第一次碰到他是在电影院里。

I took an airplane for the first time in my life.  我有生以来第一次搭飞机。

请仔细体会和比较以下两句话，并且分析一下两个词组的差别。两句话的意思相同。

Mary was a shy girl the first time (that/when) I met her. （the first time用作连词）

Mary was a shy girl when I met her for the first time.（for the first time用作状语，修饰met）

【注意】如果把句子改为：I retired for the first time when he was the coach.

那么，语法虽然不错，但句子讲不通。你翻译一下试试：

当他当教练的时候，我第一次退休了。（退休还有第2次，第3次？）

这样改的话，for the first time 就是修饰retired。