seldom

"we rarely met"

误 Seldom he goes to bed before midnight.

正 Seldom does he go to bed before midnight.

析 当seldom放在句首时,句子的主谓必须部分倒装。类似的词还有never, hardly, scarcely等等。

误 She seldom arrives home before midnight, doesn't she?

正 She seldom arrives home before midnight, does she?

析seldom本身带有否定意义,构成附加疑问句时不用否定词not。

误 He is seldom ever on time for his lectures.

正 He is seldom if ever on time for his lectures.

析 表示“很少”“难得”解时, seldom不与ever连用,应用seldom(,)if ever。