继前两章探讨形容词从句简化、名词从句简化之后,本章探讨 的是比较复杂的副词从句简化。在此重复一下重要的观念:所有从 属从句简化的原则都一样,即为求精简,把从属从句的主语与be 动词省略,只留下补语。省略主语是为了避免重复,但如果省略会 造成句意模糊,主语就得另行处理;省略be动词是因为它本身没 有任何意义。
传统语法将副词从句的简化称为分词构句、独立短语等。这种 标示方式不但不够周延,也不够深入,造成许多学习者的困扰。若 运用简化从句的观念就不会有这些问题。从简化从句的角度来看, 副词从句的简化可分成几种情况,本章先研究简化为Ving补语的 情形。
简化为Ving补语
若副词从句是一般语法书所谓的进行式(be +Ving),那么省略 主语和be动词后就只剩Ving补语。反之,若没有be动词可省略, 也没有语气助动词可供改写,就得先改成进行式,再省略be动词, 仍然可得到Ving的结果。例如:
While he was lying on the couch, the boy fell asleep
副词从句 SVC
(小男孩在沙发上躺着,就睡着了。)
上例中副词从句的主语he就是主要从句的主语the boy,这个 重复就有可以省略的空间。同时副词从句中有现成的be动词,是 Linking Verb (连缀动词),本身没有意义,因此,省去主语与be动 词,不会改变原句的意思:
1.While lying on the couch, the boy fell asleep. 简化副词从句
一、连接词是否保留
副词从句因为已经简化,不再有主语、动词,所以上例中它 的连接词while也没有存在的必要。不过,副词从句的连接词除 了语法功能之外,还有词义的功能:while和before不同,也和if, although等不一样,虽然简化了,副词从句的连接词有时还是要 保留,至于保留与否则完全取决于修辞上是否清楚。简化是为了让 句子更简洁,可是绝不可伤害清楚性。在句子够清楚的前提下,副 词从句的连接词可以一并省去,上例即成为:
-団-
2.Lying on the couch, the boy fell asleep. 简化副词从句
一般来说,while (包括when等)是表示“当 之时”的连
接词,because (包括as, since等)是”因为”的连接词,省略后 通常不妨碍句子的清楚性。但还是要一个一个句子去判断,看看省 略之后读者是否可能会误解。
二、所谓“分词构句” •、;
以例2而言,省去while之后,句子仍然清楚,不过传统语法 学家解释起来就大费周章。他们只看到lying on the couch是现在分 词短语,属于形容词类,但显然不是用来修饰名词类的the boy (它 不是用来特别指出哪一个男孩),而是修饰动词类的fell (用来说明 是何时、在何种状态下睡着)。以形容词修饰动词,这不是犯了词 类错误吗?面对这个矛盾,语法学家于是创造了一个名称:分词构 句 lying on the couch这个分词短语本身就构成一个从句,一个 修饰动词fell的副词从句。
了解简化从句的来龙去脉后,就会了解“分词构句”一词实在 是多此一举。lying on the couch本来就是副词从句while he was lying on the couch的简化,无需用任何特别名称来表示。当然,若 把连接词while保留(如例1),可以更明确表示这是副词从句。在 这个例子中,是否要保留while属于个人的选择:若比较注重句子 的清楚性就保留它,若比较注重简洁性就省略它。不论有无while, 都不影响一个事实:lying on the couch是简化的副词从句。
如果原来的副词从句没有be动词,也没有语气助动词(can、 must、may),只有普通动词,那么就会成为Ving的形式,例如:
Because we have nothing to do here, we might as well go home.
副词从句 s ‘ v
(在这儿也没事做,我们还不如回家算了。)
首先请观察副词从句中的to do here,其实这是简化的形容词 从句(形容词从句的简化已经在前面章节介绍过),原来是that we can do here,修饰先行词nothing0然后再看看副词从句的动词have, 这是普通动词,没有be动词可省略,也没有语气助动词可供改写。 这个动词若不处理掉,句子将无法简化。所以必须加上be动词,原 来的动词 have 就得变成 having: Because we are having nothing to do here , we might as well go home.o请注意:这种修改不是为了要 改成进行式(这个句子并不适合采进行式),而是为了做词类变化: 把having nothing to do here移入补语部分,we are便得以省略,成 为:
Having nothing to do here, we might as well go home.
简花副词从句
四、应该省略的连接词
在做这种简化动作时,表示原因的连接词because, since等等 通常要省略,若保留下来会显得相当刺眼。因为这种句型本身就强 烈暗示因果关系,再加上because会十分累赘。
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五、应该保留的连接词
反之,如果连接词省略会造成句意不清,就得保留,例如:
Although we have nothing to do here, we can’tleave early.
副词从句 s v
(虽然这儿没事,我们还是不能提早离开。)
副词从句的主语we与主要从句的主语相同,可以省略。动词 have是普通动词,可以改成having保留下来,成为:
Although having nothing to do here, we can’t leave early. 简化副词从句
本来没事应该可以离开,但是却相反。这种“相反”的逻辑关 系要靠连接词although来表示,所以although不宜省略,不然会让 读者搞不清楚:是因为没事才不能早走吗?
语法上although这个连接词已无必要,只是为了表达逻辑关系 而保留。如果省略它,用别的方式来表示逻辑关系也未尝不可,例 如:
Having nothing to do here, we still can’t leave early.
在主要从句中加个副词still就可取代although来表达”相反” 的逻辑,although省略也不会造成语意不清。再看下例:
He raised his hand, as if he was trying to hit her.
S V o 副词从句
(他举起手来,好像要打她。)
副词从句的he was省略之后,就简化为:
1.He raised his hand, as if trying to hit her.
简化副词从句
例1的连接词as if不宜省略,不然会产生误解:
2.He raised his hand, trying to hit her.
简化副词从句
例2中省略连接词as if,意思就成为:他举起手来,“因为”要 打她。读者看不到连接词,往往会联想最常见的because,因而就 产生误解。这时就不应省略连接词。
六、being的运用
副词从句的be动词一般在简化时要省略,但有些状况下要以 being的方式留下来,以下举几个例子说明:
As I am a student: I can’t affbrd to get married.
副词从句 SV 0
(因为现在我还是学生,所以结不起婚。)
这个句子有几种简化方式。如果把副词从句中的I am省略,剩 下的补语是名词类的a student0假如连接词as再省略,只剩下a
student就省略得太过头了,读者无从判断这是个简化的副词从句 (因形状差太多),反而可能误会a student是主语,或者是同位语。 为了避免误会,一个办法是保留连接词:
As a student, 1 can’t afford to get married.
简化副词从句
只要有连接词,读者可以清楚看出是简化从句,a student是省 略lam以后留下的补语,整个句意就很清楚。另一个办法是省略 连接词as,借用无意义的be动词改成being:
Being a student, I can’t afford to get married.
简化副词从句
being a student因为有being,所以a student很明显是补语,意 思是“身为学生”或“是学生”。谁是?主语当然是和主要从句的 主语I相同:我是,这样句意也就清楚了。
七、兼作介系词的连接词;before, after, since <
还有一种情况需要使用being,情形稍微复杂一些,请看下面 的例子: ,
Before he was in school, he used to be a naughty child.
副词从句 SV c
(上学读书以前,他原本是个小顽童。)
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副词从句中有现成的he was可省略。如果省略,连接词before 也一并拿掉,就成为:
In school, he used to be a naughty child.
这个句子本身没错,只不过和原句意思不同,成为:他从前在 学校里很调皮。会产生句意的出入,主要是因为表示时间关系的连 接词before被省略了。若把before保留呢?
Before in school, he used to be a naughty child.(误)
保留before问题就更大了。因为before这个字除了当连接词以 外,也可以当介系词(例如before 1977, before the war等等)。简 化从句中如果留下before,因为已经省去主语、动词,读者会判断 这个before是介系词,不是连接词。那么before后面就只能接名词 类的东西。before in school这个组合因而成为一项语法错误。这是 词类的错误,修改方法是进行词类变化。若把in school改成名词 类,例如去掉in,就可以放在before之后,成为before school。如 此一来,语法问题是解决了,但是意思稍嫌不清楚。因为before school看起来不像“开始上学读书以前”,反而像“早上开始上课 前”。另一个改法就是借用无字面意义的be动词来作词类变化:
Before being in school, he used to be a naughty child.
简化副词从句
一旦有be动词存在,后面就可以接补语in school a而be动词 本身采用being (动名词)的形状,放在介系词before的后面也符 合词类的要求,这样才算解决了问题。
副词从句的连接词中,before、after, since是身兼连接词与介 系词的双重词类。简化时要注意:它会被视为介系词,故后面只能 接名词类,必要时得加上being来作词类变化。
八、时态的问题
简化副词从句还得注意时态问题,例如:
After he wrote the letter, he put it to mail.
副词从句
(他写好了信,就拿去邮寄。)
这两个从句中的动词wrote与put都是过去简单式,两者的先 后顺序是靠连接词after来区分。在副词从句简化时,有以下两个 选择:
- After writing the letter, he put it to mail.
简化副词从句
简化的步骤仍是省去相同的主语he,把普通动词改为Ving。如 果像例1选择把连接词after留下来,就可以清楚分出先后顺序,是 正确的简化从句。附带一提的是,after在从句简化后即成为介系 词,后面要接名词。writing the letter是动名词短语,可以符合词类
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要求。然而若把连接词after —并省略就会出现问题:
Writing the letter, he put it to mail.(误)
因为after省略了,读者看到的印象会是:When he was writing the letter, he put it to mail.(他正在写信的时候,拿去邮寄。)这 就不合理了。读者在看不到连接词时,会假设时间副词从句的连接 词是when。所以如果要省略aher,在时态上要做如下的处理:
- Having written the letter, he put it to mail.
简化副词从句•
这是用完成式与简单式的对比来交代写信在先,邮寄在后。句 子还原后就能看得更清楚:
When he had written the letter, he put it to mail.
副词从句
若连接词是不能表达先后功能的when,就得靠动词时态来表 达。had written (过去完成式)在先,put (过去简单式)在后。以 这句来说,副词从句的动词had written没有be动词,也没有语气 助动词(had是时态助动词),简化方法就只有加-ing成为having written。连接词when属于可省略之列。例2即是简化结果,也是 正确的简化从句做法。
九、Dangling Modifier 的错误
副词从句的简化有一个相当严格的要求:主语只有在与主要从
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句相同时才可省略。如果忽略这一点就径行省略,会产生语法、修 辞的错误。这项错误一不小心就会发生,修辞学中甚至有一个特别 的名称来称呼它:Dangling Modifiers (悬荡修饰语)。请看下例:
When the child was already sleeping soundly in bed, her mother 副词从句 s
cun* to kiss her goodnight.
v
(小孩已经在床上睡得很熟了,这时她妈妈来亲她一下道晚安。)
副词从句的主语是小孩(the child),主要从句的主语却是她妈 妈(her mother)0如果忽略这一点而径行简化,省去主语与be动词, 就会得岀这个结果:
Already sleeping soundly in bed、her mother came to kiss her Dangling Modifier
goodnight,(误)
看到already sleeping soundly in bed这个简化从句时,知道有 个人在床上熟睡,可是主语省略了,不知是谁在睡,这时候读者只 能假定就是主要从句的主语her mother,这个句子就因而发生了沟 通的错误。简化副词从句属于副词类,是一个修饰语,可是却找不 到依归,有如悬荡在半空中,所以这是个被称为Dangling Modifier 的错误。碰到这种问题,有两种常用的修改方式,其一是从主要从 句下手:改变主要从句的结构,让它的主语与副词从句的主语相
Already sleeping soundly in bed, the child did not know it when
简化副词从句 s v
her mother came to kiss her goodnight.
(小孩在床上熟睡着,并不知道妈妈来亲她道晚安。)
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主语相同时,简化副词从句就可尘埃落定,找到修饰的对象。 另一种改法是从副词从句下手:保留不同的主语。
十、所谓“独立短语”
副词从句简化时,若主语与主要从句不同就不能省略。这时可 以选择保留主语,只省略be动词和连接词。在主语后面保留现在 •分词或过去分词的补语。上面的例子可以修改如下:
The child already sleeping soundly in bed her mother came 简化副词从句 s v
to kiss her goodnight.
传统语法称这种保留主语的简化副词从句为“独立短语”。那 是把already sleeping soundly in bed视为形容词短语看待,修饰前 面的名词the childo可是名词the child就无法成功纳入主要从句来 诠释。传统语法分析不够深入,因此碰到困难就取个名称来搪塞, “独立短语”的名称就是这样来的——无法纳入主要从句中,就叫 它“独立”好了!
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从简化从句的角度来看就能完整地了解。简化时以不妨碍清楚 性为原则。一般的副词从句要省去主语,是因为和主要从句主语重 复,省略不会影响语意。可是主语不同时,一旦省略就会造成语意 不清。这时的选择就是不省略,把主语保留下来,如此而已。
十一、保留主语时的注意事项
简化副词从句时,如果主语不同而需保留,有两点必须注意: 第一,连接词要省略。简化从句一般是省略主语、be动词与连接词 (视情形决定是否省略)。如果主语要保留,连接词又留下,就只是 省掉一个be动词,那么并没有达到简化的效果。
When the child already sleeping soundly in bed, her mother came to kiss her goodnight.(误)
这个句子看起来不像简化从句,反而像写错了,漏掉一个be 动词。
简化副词从句若保留主语,第二件注意事项是:后面必须配合 分词补语(现在分词或过去分词)。因为只有如此,才可明显看出 这是省略be动词的简化从句。The child sleeping soundly清楚说明 the child是主语,sleeping soundly是补语,省略be动词与连接词, 形成简化的副词从句。传统语法把“独立短语”视为“分词构句” 的变化,就是因为保留主语和使用分词补语有必然的关联性。
副词从句的简化有很多变化,大约可以分成五种不同的情况来 探讨。本章先谈了一种情形:Ving补语。其他情形留待下一章继续 探讨。下面附上一篇练习,复习从属从句的简化。有些题目是复习 前两章关于形容词从句与名词从句简化的观念,有些题目则要等到 副词从句全部讲完才能完全清楚。读者不妨先做做看。遇到不会做 的题目先别着急,等到简化从句讲完时再来回顾,就不会有问题 了。
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Test 19
练习一
将下列各句中的副词从句(即画底线部分)改写为简化从句:
1.While he was watching TV, the boy heard a strange noise coming from the kitchen.
2.Because she lives with her parents, the girl can’t stay out very late.
3.If you have finished your work, you can help me with mine.
4.As he is a law-enforcement officer, he cannot drink on duty.
5.The actor has been in a state of excitement ever since he was nominated for the Oscar.
6.After he addressed the congregation, the minister left in a hurry.
7.As it was rather warm, we decided to go for a swim.
8.When the students have all left, the teacher started looking over their examination sheets.
9.I know all about com farming because I grew up in a Southern farm.
10.As the door remained shut, the servant could not hear what was going on inside.
练习二
请选出最适当的答案填入空格内,以使句子完整。
- on the sofa, we began to watch television.
(A)Sat
(B)Seat
(C)Seated
(D)Set
2.Returning to the room, .
(A)the book was lost
(B)I found the book missing
(C)missing was book
(D)the book was missing
3.The average age of the Lishan apples today is about fifty years.
(A)grow
(B)grown
(C)growing
(D)to grow
4.Underground money lenders make most of their income from interest on loans.
(A)earn
(B)earned
(C)to earn
(D)was earned
5 the driveway, the house appeared to be much smaller than it had seemed to us as children many years ago.
(A)Standing in
(B)Seen from
(C)Crossing
(D)Driving down
6.After finishing my degree,
(A)my education will be employed by the university
(B)employment will be given to me by the university
(C)the university will employ me
(D)I will be employed by the university
7.The man the paper is my father.
(A)reads
(B)reading
(C)is reading
(D)read
- , he washed the cup and put it away.
(A)Drinking the coffee
(B)Having drunk the coffee
(C)Having drank the coffee
(D)After drank the coffee
- to the south of China, not far away from the coast of Mainland , Hainan Island has long played an important role in China’s tourism.
(A)Its location
(B)Locating
(C)Is located
(D)Located
10.John Williams wrote his first novel .
(A)while he worked a porter at a hotel in Paris
(B)while working as a porter at a hotel in Paris
(C)while worked as a porter at a hotel in Paris
(D)while he was worked as a porter a hotel in Paris
Answer 19
练习一
1.(While) watching TV, the boy heard a strange noise coming from the kitchen.
2.Living with her parents, the girl can’t stay out very late.
3.If having finished your work, you can help me with mine.
4.Being a law-enforcement officer, he cannot drink on duty.
5.The actor has been in a state of excitement ever since being nominated for the Oscar.
6.After addressing the congregation, the minister left in a hurry. 或 Having addressed the congregation, the minister left in a hurry.
7.It being rather warm, we decided to go for a swim.
8.The students having all left the teacher started looking over their examination sheets.
9.I know all about corn farming, having grown up in a Southern farm.
10.The door remaining shut, the servant could not hear what was going on inside.
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练习二
1.(C)
seat是及物动词,本句是we were seated on the sofa的简化。
2.(B)
Returning to the room是简化从句,必须与主要从句同一主语。 四个答案中只有B的主语是人,符合这个要求。
3.(C)
空格部分是that are growing today的简化,成为growing today (今天在长的)。若是B,应为that are grown today (今 天种下去的)这一句的简化,文法也通,但是如果今天才种 下去,不可能“平均年龄50岁二所以不行。
4.(B)
这是that is earned on loans这个形容词从句的简化。
5.(B)
四个答案都是副词从句简化,条件是要与主要从句同一主语 (the house),所以只有A或Bo the driveway是“车道”,房子 不能站在它里面,所以排除掉A,剩下B (When it was seen from的简化)。
After finishing my degree 是 After I finish my degree 的简化, 所以主要从句只能用I作主语,因而只有D。
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7.(B)
空格以下是who is reading the paper的简化。
8.(B)
A看起来像是when he was drinking the coffee的简化,既然 还在喝,不应洗杯子。所以选完成式的B,表示“喝完之后气
9.(D)
这是 Hainan Island is located to the south…这一句的简化。
10.(B)
这是 while he was working as a porter…的简化。A 中 while he worked a porter当worked的宾语使用,是误把不及物的 work当作及物动词使用。