He seems to be ill.(=It seems that he is ill.)他似乎病了。
He seems to have been ill.(=It seems that he was [has been] ill.)他似乎生过一场病。
There seems no need to tell her.似无必要告诉她(★There seems to be no need ...之略)。
② 看起来;显得
He seems tired.他显得疲倦。
I seem unable to help him.看起来我是没有办法帮助他。
It seems likely to rain.(=It looks like rain.)看样子可能下雨。
It seems so.=So it seems.大概是这样。
The tower seems very small from the distance.从远处看那座塔显得很小。
The lake seemed very deep to me.我看这个湖非常深。
③[以It为主词]看样子是,看来,仿佛
It seems (that) you were angry.看样子你是在生气。
It would seem that something is wrong with the television.看来是电视机发生什么毛病了(★比It seems that ...更为婉转的表达法)。
It seems to me that you are not really willing to help them.我看你并不真正愿意帮助他们。
It seemed as if she would die.看样子她会死。
字辨
appear: 指外表看似…,有时含有其实未必尽然之意
look: 亦指外表看来似乎…,常常含有其实亦然之意
seem: 指说话者依某种迹象或预示而认为似乎可能
短语
cannot [can't] seem to-V
① 【口】似乎不能…
He cannot [can't] seem to understand what I mean.他似乎不懂我的意思(★这种用法虽然在美国的口语及非正式文章中很常见,但英国人一般都使用He does not [doesn't] seem able to understand what I mean.)。