一个完整的句子有两部分,即主语(subject)和谓语( predicate)。两部分不齐全或句中有省略之处,就叫省略句。省略句是英语,尤其是英语口语中常见的一种现象。
句子中的主语或谓语成分,在恰当情况下,都可以省略。
下列 7 种情况,可以有省略句:
⒈省略主语,如:
① Thank you very much.
② Please come in !
①里的I被省略;②里的You被省略。这种省略是必要的、正确的。
⒉省略谓语动词和其他成分,如:
③ Youth is the time for sowing; age, reaping.
④ He comes to class earlier than I.
③里省略了age后头的is the time for;④里比较副词分句的谓语come to class不见了。当然。我们也可以用助动词 do:than I do.
⒊省略接系动词Be,如:
⑤ Mary is as tall as John.
⑥ His mind is alert ; his energy, unbounded.
⑤里John后头的is省掉了;⑥里的unbounded之前的is也省了,而以逗号取代。
⒋省略补足语,如:
⑦ X: Are you all right?
Y: Yes , I am.
⑧ Jack is not fond of talking; nor am I.
⑦里am后头的补足语(complement)all right和⑧里 I后面的fond of talking都全被省略了。
⒌省略宾语,如:
⑨ X: Who can do it?
Y: I dont know.
⑨里当宾语的名词从句(who can do it)从及物动词know 的后头消失了。
⒍省略主动词及其宾语,如:
⑩ Your classmates can study Chinese. Why cant you?
主动词study和宾语Chinese从疑问句Why cant you 后头溜走了。
⒎省略句中多个成分,如:
● X: When did you learn computer?
Y: Long ago.
整个句子I learnt computer long ago都被省略了,所剩的只是个时间副词。
● You may revise your essay, if necessary.
主语和动词it is,从if 后面消失了。
综上所述,英语口语充满了省略句。虽然每个被省略的成分都可以还原,但是为了句子的简洁和流畅,还是可省则省、可略则略。
谈到句子的简练流利,除上述省略句外,还有其他方法达到这目的。但是这些方法必须等到英语水平较高时,才能领略和使用。例如怎样使分句缩短为短语或单词,又怎样使复杂句变成简单句。这些都要在掌握各种句子结构之后,才能着手。
无论如何,现在举一两个例子看看。
● He scanned the newspaper while he was having breakfast. He scanned the newspaper while having breakfast.(副词分局缩为副词短语)
● Please show me the work which is completed. Please show me the work completed. Please show me the completed work.(从形容词分句缩为单词)
下一篇: 英语讲义【32】形容词后缀不可乱加