省略在英语运用中,尤其是在交际对话中普遍存在,因为它可以避免重复,突出关键词语,能做到言简意赅,并使上下文紧密连接。在历年的高考题中也屡见不鲜。省略有词法上的省略,也有句法上的省略,有的学者把某些替代也看作一种省略。那么--
一、词法上的省略
1. 名词所有格后修饰的名词在以下情况可以省略
1)如果名词所有格修饰的名词在前文已出现,则可以省略。如:
These are Johns books and those are Marys (books). 这些是约翰的书,那些是玛丽的书。
2)名词所有格后修饰的名词如果是指商店、住宅等地点时,这些名词也常常省略。如:
at the doctors 在诊所
at Mr. Greens 在格林先生家
to my uncles 到我叔叔家
at the barbers 在理发店
2. 冠词的省略
1)为了避免重复
The lightning flashed and thunder crashed. 电闪雷鸣。(thunder前省略了定冠词the)
2)在the next day (morning, week, year...)等短语中,有时为了使语气紧凑定冠词the 常可以省略。如:We went to the farm to help the farmers with the harvest (the) next day. 第二天,我们去农场帮助农民收庄稼。
3)在副词的最高级前面的定冠词常可以省略。如:
She sings best in the class. 她在班上唱歌唱得最好。
4)在某些独立主格结构中。如:
Our teacher came in, book in hand. (=Our teacher came in, with a book in his hand.)
我们的老师手里拿着一本书进来了。
5)在as引导的让步状语从句中,当作表语的单数名词提前时,不定冠词要省略。如:
Child as he is, he knows a lot. 虽然他还是一个孩子,却懂得很多。
3. 介词的省略
1)both 后常跟of短语,其后可以接名词复数形式,也可以接代词宾格复数形式。接复数名词时,介词of可以省略,但接代词宾格时,of不能省略。如:
Both (of) the films were interesting. 这两部电影都很有趣。
She invited both of us to her birthday party. 她邀请我们俩去参加她的生日派对。
2)在现在完成时表持续和重复的句型中,一段时间前的介词for可以省略。如:
These shoes are worn out. They have lasted (for) a long time.
这双鞋穿破了,已经穿了很长一段时间了。
3)被动结构中,如果没有必要强调动作的执行者,则可以省略介词by短语。如:
The letter was posted (by me) yesterday. 这封信是昨天寄出去的。
4)和一些动词搭配构成的短语中的介词,如:consider... (as)..., prevent / stop... (from)doing..., have trouble / difficulty... (in) doing...,spend... (in / on) doing... 等中的介词可以省略。如:
Trees can prevent the earth (from) being washed away. 树能阻止泥土被冲走。
Can you stop him (from) going swimming in the river? 你能阻止他下河洗澡吗?
I have some difficulty (in) answering the question. 回答这个问题我有点困难。
4. 动词不定式中的省略
1)有些动词,如:believe, find, think, feel, consider, imagine, prove等后作宾补的结构
to be + n. / adj. 中的to be可以省略。如:
I consider him (to be) lazy. 我认为他懒。
His mother found him (to be) a clever boy.他母亲发觉他是一个很聪明的孩子。
2)感官动词see, hear, feel, watch, notice 等以及使役动词let, make, have后作宾补的动词不定式中的不定式符号to要省略,但变为被动结构时,to必须保留。如:
They made the boy go to bed early.他们强迫这个男孩早睡。
The boy was made to go to bed early. 这个男孩被迫早睡。
注:help后作宾补的动词不定式中的to可以省略也可以保留。
3)在can not but, can not choose but, can not help but之后的动词不定式一般不带to; but之前有实义动词do的某个形式do, does, did, done 时,也不带to, 否则要带to。如:
We have nothing to do now but wait. 我们现在除了等没有别的事可做。
I can not but admire his courage. 我不能不钦佩他的勇敢。
He has no choice but to accept the fact. 除了接受这个事实他别无选择。
4)在并列结构中为了避免重复。如:
Im really puzzled what to think or say. 我真不知道该怎么想,怎么说才好。
但两个不定式有对照或对比的意义时,则后一个to不能省略。如:
I came not to scold but to praise you. 我来不是责备你,而是赞美你。
5)在why, why not 引导的特殊问句中后跟省略to的动词不定式。如:
Why talk so much about it? 为什么大谈这个事呢?
Why not try it again? 为什么不再试一试呢?
6)动词不定式中动词原形部分是否省略,主要看句子前面是否已出现过同样的动词。如果句子前面出现过同样的动词,为了避免重复,句子后面的不定式常省略动词原形,而保留不定式符号to。如:They may go if they wish to(go). 如果他们想去,他们就可以去。
Dont go till I tell you to.直到我告诉你去,你才可以去。
在一些动词afford, agree, expect, forget, mean, pretend, remember, want, refuse, hope, wish, would like (love), try等后跟动词不定式作宾语,不定式中的to可以承前(后)省略。如:
-Will you go to the cinema with me? 你愿和我一起去看电影吗?
-Well, Id like to (go with you). 我愿意。
I would do it for you, but I dont know how to (do it for you).
我想为你做这事,但我又不知如何做。
在某些形容词,如:afraid, glad, willing, happy, eager等后承前省略动词原形,只保留不定式符号to。如:-Will you join us in the game? 你愿和我们一起做这个游戏吗?
-Sure, Ill be glad to(join you in the game). 当然,我愿意。
有些动词,如:tell, ask, allow, expect, force, invite, permit, persuade, order, warn, wish, would like, forbid等后跟动词不定式作宾语补足语、主语补足语时,不定式承前省略动词原形,保留动词不定式符号to。如: He didnt come, though we had invited him to (come).
尽管我们邀请他来,他却没来。
注:承前省略的动词不定式如果有助动词have或be,则要保留be或have。如:
-Are you a teacher? 你是老师吗? -No, but I used to be (a teacher). 不,我以前是。
二、句法中的省略
在一些简单句、并列句和复合句中,可以省略主语、谓语、宾语、表语等某一个句子成分,也可以省略多个句子成分。
1.简单句中的省略
1)感叹句中常省略主语和谓语。如: What a hot day (it is)!多热的天啊!
How wonderful!多妙啊!
2)在一些口语中可以省略某些句子成分。如:
-(Will you) Have a smoke? 你抽烟吗? -No. Thanks. 不,谢谢了。
(Is there)Anything else to say?还有别的要说吗?
2.并列句中的省略
1)如果主语不同,而谓语动词中的一部分相同,则省略谓语动词中相同的那部分。如:
John must have been playing football and Mary (must have been) doing her homework.
约翰一定在踢球,而玛丽一定在做作业。
2)主语相同,谓语动词也相同,则二者都可以省略。如:
His suggestions made John happy, but (his suggestions made) Mary angry.
他的建议使约翰高兴,却使玛丽很生气。
3)主语相同,而谓语不同,则可以省略主语。如:
Old McDonald gave up smoking for a while, but (he) soon returned to his old ways.
老麦克唐纳戒了一阵子烟,可很快又抽上了。
4)在并列复合句中,如果that从句从属于第二个并列句且它的谓语动词和宾语等其它一些成分与第一个并列句相同时,这个that从句通常可以省略这些相同的部分。如:
Jack will sing at the party, but I know John wont (sing at the party).
杰克将在晚会上唱歌,但我知道约翰不会在晚会上唱歌。
3.复合句中的省略
1)名词性从句中的省略
(1)作宾语的what从句中的谓语动词与主句的相同,则what从句可以省略谓语,甚至主语。如:Someone has used my bike, but I dont know who (has used it).
有人用了我的自行车,但我不知道是谁。
He has gone, but no one knows where (he has gone).
他走了,但没人知道他去哪儿了。
(2)有时候也可以根据说话的情景来省略主句中的一些成分。如:
(Im) Sorry Ive kept you waiting so long.对不起,让你久等了。
(3)在某些表虚拟语气的主语从句、宾语从句、表语从句和同位语从句中,从句谓语动词中的助动词should可以省略。如:Its important that we (should) speak to the old politely. 我们对老人说话要有礼貌,这很重要。
2)定语从句中的省略
(1)在限制性定语从句中,作宾语的关系代词that, which, who (whom)常可以省略。如:
The man(who / whom) I saw is called Smith. 我见到的那个人名叫史密斯。
Where is the book (which) I bought this morning?今天上午我买的那本书在哪儿?
(2)关系副词when, where, why以及that在the time(day, morning, afternoon, evening, night, week, month, year等) when, the place(desk, table, room, spot, house, town, country, school等)where, the reason why, the way that结构中引导限制性定语从句时,在非正式场合下,可以省略关系副词when, where, why, that。如:
I shall never forget the day (when) we first met.
我永远也不会忘记我们第一次见面的那一天。
The reason (why) he came so early is his own affair. 他来这么早是他自己的事。
The way (that) you answered the questions was admirable. 你回答这些问题的方式令人钦佩。
3)状语从句中的省略
当状语从句中的主语和主句的主语一致,或状语从句中的主语是it,并且又含有be动词时,常可以省略从句中的主语和be动词。
(1)在as, before, till, once, when, while等引导的时间状语从句中。如:
While(I was) waiting, I was reading some magazines. 我一边看杂志,一边等。
(2)在though, although,等引导的让步状语从句中。如:
Though (they were) tired, they went on working. 虽然他们累了,但他们仍继续工作。
(3)在if, unless(=if... not)等引导的条件状语从句中。如:
You shouldnt come to his party unless (you were) invited.
除非你被邀请,否则你不应该来参加他的宴会。
(4)在as, as if, as though引导的让步状语从句中。如:
He did as (he had been) told. 他按照被告知的那样去做了。
He paused as if (he was) expecting her to speak. 他停下来,好像是在期待她说话。
(5)在as(so)... as..., than引导的比较状语从句中。如:
I know you can do better than he (can do). 我知道你能比他做得更好。
This car doesnt run as fast as that one (does). 这辆小车不及那辆跑得快。
三、替代性省略
在一些交际用语中的某些动词,如:think, suppose, expect, believe,guess等后常常和so, not等连用,以替代上文出现的内容。如:
-Do you suppose he is going to attend the meeting? 你认为他会来参加这个会议吗?
-I suppose not. 我认为不会。
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