分析英语独立主格结构的特点

摘要: 英语独立主格结构因其结构和用法的特殊性,历来是高中生最难理解和掌握的知识点之一。独立主格结构频频出现在阅读理解、语法填空、完形填空等题型的篇章里面,而且它往往是阻碍学生正确理解文章意思的“元凶”。如果学生能够掌握它的构成和用法,将会有助其正确分析、理解长句、难句的结构和意义,从而迅速理清文章的脉络,达到准确理解把握篇章含义的目的。本文即从十个方面分析了独立主格结构的特点。

关键词: 英语独立主格结构把握篇章含义特点

分析下面句子划线部分的逻辑主语:

A:Listening to the radio,I heard a knock at the door.

B:Hit by the arrow,he fell from the horse.

C:So many friends being absent,we decided to put the party off.

D:All the officials having arrived,the meeting was declared open.

A句“Listening to the radio”是一个作状语的现在分词,它后面句子中的主语I即为它的逻辑主语,全句意思为:当我听着收音机的时候,听到有人敲门。

B句的意思是:他因为中箭,从马上摔了下来。过去分词短语“Hit by the arrow”的逻辑主语与其后句子的主语是一致的,都是he。

C句划线部分有自己独立的逻辑主语,即为“So many friends”。全句意为:因为那么多朋友缺席,我们决定推迟聚会。

D句意为:官员们都到齐了,宣布开会。划线部分拥有自己独立的逻辑主语,即“All the officials”。

A、B两句划线部分是分词短语充当状语,它们后面句子的主语就是它们的逻辑主语。

C、D两句划线部分都是由一个独立的主格加上现在分词短语构成,这种结构在语法上属于独立主格结构。

英语独立主格结构因其结构和用法的特殊性,历来是高中生最难理解和掌握的知识点之一。独立主格结构频频出现在阅读理解、语法填空、完形填空等题型的篇章里面,而且它往往是阻碍学生正确理解文章意思的“元凶”。如果学生能够掌握它的构成和用法,将会有助其正确分析、理解长句、难句的结构和意义,从而迅速理清文章的脉络,达到准确理解把握篇章含义的目的。下面笔者将从十个方面分析独立主格结构的特点。

1.独立主格结构在形式上由两部分组成。第一部分由名词或代词充当,第二部分由分词、动词不定式、形容词、副词、名词、介词短语充当。例如:

The meeting over,our headmaster soon left the meeting room.(名词+副词)

散会了,校长很快就离开了会议室。

It being a fine day,the students went out for sightseeing.(代词+现在分词)

因为天气很好,学生都外出游览去了。

The manager looks worried,many things to settle.(名词+动词不定式)

经理看上去很着急,有这么多的事情要处理。

2.独立主格结构的逻辑主语与句子的主语不同,它独立存在。例如:

More time given,we should have done the job much better.如果给我们更多的时间,我们会把工作做得更好。

He sat in the front row,his mouth half open.他坐在前排,嘴半开着。

Two hundred people died in the accident,many of them children.两百人死于事故,其中有许多儿童。

3.名词或代词与后面的形容词、副词、介词短语、分词、不定式等存在逻辑上的主谓关系。例如:

The work done(=After the work had been done),we went home.工作完成后,我们才回家。

Weather permitting(If weather permits),they will go on an outing to the beach tomorrow.如果天气允许的话,他们将在明天组织一次海滨小游。

The food being cooked(While the food was being cooked),the boy was watching TV.小孩一边做饭,一边看电视。

4.独立主格结构一般用逗号与主句分开,但与主句之间不能使用任何连接词。对比:

(正确)Time going on,everything has changed.随着时间的流逝,一切都发生了变化。

(错误)As time going on,everything has changed.

(正确)More time given,we should have done the job much better.假如给我们更多的时间,我们会把工作做得更好。

(错误)If more time given,we should have done the job much better.

5.独立主格结构没有所有格形式。对比:

(正确)The chief-editor arriving,we began the meeting.主编来了,我们开始开会。

(错误)The chief-editor’s arriving,we began the meeting.

比较动名词复合结构:The chief-editor’s arriving made us very surprised.主编的到来使我们感到意外。

(正确)His first shot failure,he fired again.他第一枪没击中,又打了一枪。

(错误)His first shot’s failure,he fired again.

比较名词所有格:Because of his first shot’s failure,he fired again.因为第一枪的失误,他又打了一枪。

6.独立主格结构可用完成时态,作时间或原因状语,表示该动作发生在谓语之前。例如:

The listeners having taken their seats,the concert began.听众坐好后,音乐会开始了。

Tom having been late over and over,his boss was very disappointed.由于汤姆一再迟到,他的老板非常失望。

7.在“名词(或代词)+介词in的短语”构成的独立主格结构中,一般不用形容词性物主代词和冠词。例如:

Miss Smith entered the classroom,book in hand.史密斯先生走进了课室,手里拿着一本书。

比较with的复合结构:Miss Smith entered the classroom,with a book in his hand.

The soldiers dashed in,rifle in hand.士兵们端着枪冲了进来。

8.在下列两种情况下,独立主格结构中的being(或having been)不能省略:

(1)独立主格的逻辑主语是代词时。例如:

It being Sunday,we went to church.因为是星期天,我们去做礼拜了。

It being a holiday,all the shops were shut.由于今天是假日,所有商店都关门了。

(2)在“There being+名词”的结构中。例如:

There being no bus,we had to go home on foot.因为没有公共汽车,所以我们不得不步行回家。

There being nothing else to do,we went home.没有别的事可做,我们就回家了。

9.介词的复合结构也能构成独立主格结构,其结构为:介词(with或without)+宾语+宾语补足语。例如:

The park is beautiful,with all the trees putting on a tender green(=all the trees putting on a tender green).树叶都绿了,使得公园很漂亮。

With Tom helping me(=Tom helping me),I was able to finished my work on time.在汤姆的帮助下,我得以按时完成作业。

Without a word more spoken,she left the meeting room.她没再说什么话就离开了会议室。

The girl hid her boxwithout anyone knowing where it was.小女孩把盒子藏了起来,没有人知道它在哪里。

10.独立主格结构在句中通常用作状语,表示时间、条件、原因、伴随状况等。例如:

An important lecture to be given tomorrow(=As an important lecture will be given tomorrow),the professor has to stay up late into the night.(原因状语)

因为明天要发表一个重要的演讲,教授不得不熬夜到很晚。

He was lying on the grass,his hands crossed under his head(=and his hands were crossed under his head).(伴随状语)

他躺在草地上,两手交叉枕在脑后。

参考文献:

[1]熊新华.名家指路 2009高考总复习 英语.珠海出版社,2008.4.

[2]李玉杰.实用英语语法.河南大学出版社,1989.7.

[3]刘锐诚.学生实用(高中)英语语法.人民日报出版社,2007.6.