一、獨立主格結構的基本概念
由一個名詞或代詞作為邏輯主語,加上一個分詞、形容詞、副詞、動詞不定式或介詞短語作為邏輯謂語構成,這種結構在形式上與主句沒有關系,所以通常被稱為獨立主格結構。
二、獨立主格結構的基本構成形式及功能
獨立主格結構主要起狀語作用,相當于一個狀語從句,多用來表示行為、方式、伴隨等情況,有時也可用來表示時間、原因、條件等情況。獨立主格結構可置于句首、句尾,用逗號與主句隔開。
1)表示時間
Her work done, she sat down for a cup of tea. 她干完了活,坐下來喝茶。
2)表示條件
The condition being favourable, he may succeed. 若條件有利,他或許能成功。
3)表示原因
There being no taxis, we had to walk. 沒有出租車,我們只好步行。
4)表示伴隨情況
The boy stood there, his right hand raised. 那男孩站在那兒,右手舉著。
1.名詞或代詞主格+分詞
①The experiment done, the students went on to take notes in the experiment report.
實驗做完了,同學們繼續在實驗報告上做記錄。
②Time permitting, we can have a walk around the playground after supper.
如果時間允許,晚飯后我們可以到操場上散散步。
2.名詞或代詞主格+形容詞
①Computers very small, we can use them widely. 電腦雖小,我們卻能廣泛地利用它們。
②The clothes very dirty, you’d better wash them quickly. 衣服很臟,你快點兒洗洗吧!
3.名詞或代詞主格+不定式
The last guest to arrive, our party was started. 最后一位客人一到,我們的晚會就開始。
4.名詞或代詞主格+介詞短語
①Our English teacher came into the classroom, papers in hand.
我們的英語老師走進了教室,手里拿著試卷。
②There is a river in the valley, fresh flowers on the banks.
山谷中有一條河,河兩岸長滿了鮮花。
5.名詞或代詞主格+副詞
①The meeting over, our headmaster soon left the meeting-room.
散會了,校長很快就離開了會議室。
②The lights off, we could not go on with the work. 燈熄了,我們不能繼續工作了。
三、形式選擇中應該注意的問題:是選現在分詞還是過去分詞?
在獨立主格結構中,主格詞與分詞構成邏輯主謂關系時,用現在分詞。如:Winter coming,it gets colder and colder.一句中,“春天”和“到來”是邏輯主謂關系,用現在分詞;如果主格詞與分詞構成邏輯動賓關系時,用過去分詞。如:More money given, we should have sent more employees to the mother company to get trained.一句中,“money”和“give”是動賓關系(被動關系),用過去分詞。
在獨立主格結構中,如果強調分詞的時間發生在主句動詞時間之前,常用現在分詞完成時態表示。如:The snow having stopped, she went out to sweep the snow in the yard.
現在分詞與過去分詞的性質完全不同,但在獨立結構中,有時卻有共同之處:現在分詞的被動式有時可以簡化為過去分詞。例如:
As her skirt was caught on a nail, she could not move.
→Her skirt being caught on a nail, she could not move.
→Her skirt caught on a nail, she could not move.
After his work had been finished, he went home.
→His work having been finished, he went home.
→His work finished, he went home.
四、獨立主格結構及分詞短語作狀語的異同
1.獨立主格結構與分詞短語都可以轉換為狀語從句。但是,獨立主格結構轉換為狀語從句后,它有自己的邏輯主語,與主句的主語不一致(例①)。而分詞短語轉換為狀語從句后,從句的主語與主句的主語一致(例②)。
①If time permits, we’d better have a holiday at weekends. 轉換為:
Time permitting, we’d better have a holiday at weekends.
如果時間允許,我們最好周末去度假。
②When we see from the hilltop, we can find the city more beautiful. 轉換為:
Seeing from the hilltop, we can find the city more beautiful.
從山頂上看,我們發現這個城市更美了。
2.還必須注意,分詞結構的邏輯主語并不總是和主句的主語一致,也可以是主句的其它成分,語法上稱作“依著法則”(例①)。而如果一個分詞結構在句子中找不到它的邏輯主語,語法上稱作“懸垂分詞”(例②)。
①Searching for the thief in the city, it had taken the policemen a long time.
在城市里搜查小偷,花費了警察很長一段時間。
②When planting these flowers, care must be taken not to damage the roots.
(人們)種這些花時必須小心,不要損壞了花根。
(1)有些分詞短語可以獨立存在,在句子中沒有邏輯上的主語,實際上已經變成了習慣用法。這些短語有:
Generally speaking總的說來, Frankly speaking坦率地說, Judging from…從……判斷,Supposing假設,等等。
①Generally speaking, the rule is very easy to understand. 總的說來,這條規則很容易懂。
②Judging from what he said, he must be an honest man.
由他所說的來判斷,他一定是一個誠實的人。
(2)有些固定短語是帶to的不定式,表明說話人的立場或態度,在句中作獨立成分。這些短語有:to be honest老實說, to be sure確實, to tell you the truth說實話, to cut a long story short長話短說, to be frank坦率地說, to make matters/things worse更糟糕的是,等等。
①To tell you the truth, I made a mistake in the word spelling.
說實話,我犯了一個拼寫錯誤。
②To make things worse, many of the men have gone off to cities in search of higher pay, leaving women from nearby villages to carry on with the work. 情況更糟的是,許多男人都去城市找工資較高的工作,而留下附近村莊的婦女來繼續承擔修復工作。