句子是构成篇章的基本单位。要读懂一篇文章，首先要理解每个句子。同样，要写出一篇文章，首先要写好每个句子。一个句子最短的基本成分是“主+谓”，最长的基本成分是“主+谓+宾+补”。基本成分的修饰语为附属成分：定语—修饰限制名词或代词的单词﹑短语或从句；状语—修饰限制谓语﹑句子或句子里一部分的单词﹑短语或从句。
一、附属成分作定语
英语中的定语可分为限制性定语和非限制性定语。用来作定语的有：名词﹑数词﹑形容词﹑代词﹑副词﹑介词短语﹑非谓语动词和定语从句等等。
1. 限制性定语：单个词放在被修饰的词前面，短语和从句放在被修饰的词后面。
（1）名词﹑形容词﹑副词﹑数词﹑代词或介词短语等；
She worked in a shoe factory.
②Please don’t be so cruel to a ten-year-old child like that.
副词作定语一般放在被修饰的词后面, 以表示位置的居多。如：
Do you know the man over there?
④Poor Jack tottered toward a hospital nearby.
present, absent, a-开头的形容词和形容词短语作定语放在被修饰的词之后。可以理解成which /that / who +is（was） / are（were）引导的定语从句的省略。如：
All the people present at the party were his supporters.
⑥I think he is the oldest man alive in the small town.
（1）非谓语动词（短语）,一般可转换成限制性定语从句。
Let’s find a restaurant to have lunch in.
句中黑体部分可改为：where/in which we can have lunch
The repairs cost a lot, but it’s money well spent.
句中黑体部分可改为：that/which was well spent
【注】 -ing形式作定语时只能用一般式， 表示与谓语动词动作同时发生，不可使用其完成式。如：
Suddenly, a tall man driving a golden carriage seized the girl and took her away, disappearing into the woods.
句中黑体部分可改为：who/that was driving a golden carriage
The flowers smelling sweet in the botanic garden attract the visitors to the beauty of nature.
句中黑体部分可改为：that/which smell sweet in the botanic garden
（3）限制性定语从句。
We are living in an age when/in which many things are done on computer.
②Many people who had seen the film were afraid to go to the forest when they remembered the scenes in which people were eaten by the tiger.
2. 非限制性定语，一般放在后面，对中心词起修饰作用，而不对其进行限制。省略之后对句子意思的表达影响不大。
（1）名词﹑数词﹑形容词等短语，可理解为一个省略的非限制性定语从句。
David, our English teacher, appreciated your idea much.
句中黑体部分可改为：who was our English teacher
He was sent to France, a European country.
句中黑体部分可改为：which was a European country
（2）非谓语动词（短语）,一般可转换成非限制性定语从句。如：
The manager, making it clear to us that he didn’t agree with us, left the meeting room.
句中黑体部分可改为： who made it clear to us that he didn’t agree with us
（3）非限制性定语从句，常可转换成分词或并列句。如：
John said he’d been working in the office for an hour, which was true.
句中黑体部分可改为：and it was true
The famous basketball star, who tried to make a comeback, attracted a lot of attention.
句中黑体部分可改为：trying to make a comeback
【注】 as引导的非限制性定语从句常可提前，但and引导的并列句应在前一个分句后。如：
As is often the case, we have worked out the production plan.
可改为：We have worked out the production plan and it is often the case.
二、附属成分作状语
状语是用来修饰限制谓语﹑整个句子或句子里的一部分。常用来作状语的有：形容词﹑副词﹑介词短语﹑非谓语动词和状语从句等等。状语和句子间的逻辑关系各有不同，可以分成不同的状语：原因状语、时间状语、条件状语、结果状语、让步状语、伴随状语、目的状语、结果状语等等。
（1）形容词﹑副词和介词短语等作状语。如：
Thirsty, he went into a tea house. （thirsty 是形容词，可看成是分词短语being thirsty的省略，对主语he进行补充说明）
She sat quietly in her seat.（quietly是副词，修饰动作sat）
【注】 形容词通常不作状语，偶尔有形容词作状语，通常表示原因、方式、伴随、时间、让步等。如：
He came in, full of fear. （表伴随，相当于When he came in, he was full of fear.）
Ripe, the fruit tastes better. （表时间，相当于When the fruit is ripe.）
Right or wrong, I will stand on your side. （表让步，相当于Whether you are right or wrong.）
（2）非谓语动词（短语），可转换成状语从句。如：
Lost in the mountains for a week, the two students were finally saved by the local police. =句中黑体部分可补充为：After they were lost in the mountains for a week.
It was unbelievable that the fans waited outside the gym for three hours just to have a look at the sports stars.
句中黑体部分可改为：in order that they could have a look at the sports stars
（3）状语从句。
The house could fall down soon if no one does some quick repair work. （表条件）
Roses need special care so that they can live through winter. （表目的）
Since /as the weather is so bad, we have to delay our journey.（表原因）
He speaks English as though he were an Englishman. （表方式）
熟练掌握句子的附属成分，对准确理解句子意思大有裨益，对长句的理解很有好处。在阅读中，有利于将长句读短，去掉枝蔓，抓住核心，提高篇章的理解能力。了解句子的附属成分也有助于写作。正确使用好句子附属成分能将意思表达更加准确，叙述更加生动，丰富表达方式，增强文章感染力。
真题精练
1. （2006年上海）I made so many changes in my composition that only I could read it. To _____ else, it was hard to make out.
A. none B. everyone C. someone D. anyone
2. （2006年北京）There have been several new events _____ to the program for the 2008 Olympic Games.
A. add B. to add C. adding D. added
3. （2006年广东）No matter how frequently _____, the works of Beethoven still attract people all over the world.
A. performing B. performed
C. to be performed D. being performed
4. （2006年陕西）He hurried to the booking office only __ that all the tickets had been sold out.
A. to tell B. to be told C. telling D. told
5. （2006年天津）The Beatle, ___ many of you are old enough to remember, came from Liverpool.
A. what B. that C. how D. as
6. （2006年江西）The hurricane damaged many houses and business buildings; _____, it caused 20 deaths.
A. or else B. therefore
C. after all D. besides
7. （2006年湖南）I had just stepped out the bathroom and was busily drying myself with a towel _____ I heard the steps.
A. while B. when C. since D. after
8. （2006年浙江）I was given three books on cooking, the first _____ I really enjoyed.
A. of that B. of which C. that D. which
9. （2006年上海）—It’s a top secret.
—Yes, I see. I will keep the secret _____ you and me.
A. with B. around C. among D. between
10. （2006年江苏）My most famous relative of all, _____ who really left his mark on America, was Red Sussel, my great-grand father.
A. one B. the one C. he D. someone
（Keys: 1. D 2. D 3. B 4. B 5. D 6. D 7. B 8. B 9. D 10. C）