狀語從句的省略

徐曉紅

就狀語從句而言，有時為了使語言言簡意賅，常常將狀語從句進行“簡化”。狀語從句的“簡化”現(xiàn)象在口語中較為普遍，而且在高考中的復現(xiàn)率也較高。因此，有必要對狀語從句的省略進行全面、透徹的了解。

狀語從句同時具備下列兩個條件時，從句中的主語和be動詞常可省略：①主句和從句的主語一致，或從句主語為it；②從句主要動詞是be的某種形式。例如：

She stood at the gate as if （she was） waiting for someone.

她站在門口好像在等人。

The woman teacher hurriedly left the classroom as though （she was） angry.

這位女教師匆匆忙忙離開教室，好像生氣了。

The man， while （he is） over eighty， can walk faster than I.

這人雖年過八十，卻比我走得快。

Dont speak until （you are） spoken to.

有人對你說話時你才說。

Be careful while （you are） crossing the road.

過馬路時要當心。

When （it is） heated， ice can turn into water.

冰經過加熱能變成水。

If （it is） possible， he will help you out of the difficulty.

如果可能的話，他會幫你擺脫困境。

You must attend the meeting unless （it is） inconvenient to you.

除非情況對你來說不方便，否則你必須出席這次會議。

另外，比較狀語從句經常省略。例如：

Im taller than he （is tall）.

我比他高。

The higher the temperature （is）， the greater the pressure （is）.

溫度越高，壓力越大。

He has no money. If （he has） any，he will give us.

他沒有錢，如果有，他會給我們的。

Some flowers shut up at night as if （they did this in order） to sleep.

有些花夜間收攏，好像為了睡眠一樣。

在使用條件、讓步、時間、地點、方式、比較或原因等類型的狀語從句時，如果其中謂語部分含有to be的任何一種形式，而主語又與主句的主語相一致或主語為it時，為避免重復，使語言生動、自然、簡潔，常可以省略從句的主語和謂語的部分，特別是動詞be。這就是狀語從句的省略。狀語從句的"簡化"現(xiàn)象常存在于以下幾種狀語從句中。

[條件狀語從句的省略]

即主要由if，unless等引導的條件狀語從句。例如：

She wont go to his birthday party unless （she is ） invited.

The news is quite important to us， if （it is） true.

但如果if引導的是表示假設的虛擬條件句，雖具備條件，也不能用于這類省略。這時如果if從句的謂語動詞中含有were，had，should，則可以用倒裝省略，即將were，had或should提到句首，而將連詞if省略。例如：

Were it not for you， I would also go there with them.

Had you come here earlier， you would have met him.

Should it be fine tomorrow， we would go for an outing.

另外，當once作“一旦，一經”解釋，連接時間或條件狀語從句，其主語與主句的主語相同或其主語為it+be時，常省略從句中的主語或it+be。例如：

Once （it was） published， his work became famous for the absence of rhyme at the end of each line.

Once （you） lose confidence， you can never expect to do your work well.

例1 Unless to speak， you should remain silent at the conference.

A. invited B. inviting

C. being invited D. having invited

解析 A?！癠nless to speak”是條件狀語從句的省略，它們之間省略了you are， 原句可變?yōu)椋篣nless you are invited to speak， you should remain silent at the conference.

例2 If the same treatment again， he is sure to get well.

A. giving B. give

C. given D. being given

解析 C ?！癐f the same treatment again”也是條件狀語從句的省略，它們之間省略了he is，原句可變?yōu)椋篒f he is the same treatment again， he is sure to get well.

例3 The experiment shows that proper amounts of exercise， if regularly， can improve our health.

A. being carried out B. carrying out

C. carried out D. to carry out

解析 C。句子的主語是the experiment；謂語動詞是shows；that引導賓語從句，賓語從句的主干是：proper amounts of exercise can improve our health；if regularly是插入的條件從句， 從句的主語是proper amounts of exercise， 此時應用it代替前面提到的主語， 條件句的主語與主句的主語一致， 并且含有is， 故省略了it is， 完整形式是：if it is carried out。句意：這項實驗表明， 適當?shù)倪\動， 如果有規(guī)律的進行， 能夠有助于我們的身體健康。

[讓步狀語從句的省略]

即主要由though，although，however，whatever，even if，even though，no matter how/what引導的讓步狀語從句。例如：

Though （he had been） defeated many times， he didn't lose heart.

They worked very hard， though （he was） still rather weak.

與if引導的虛擬條件從句不能用這類省略一樣，as引導的讓步狀語從句同樣不能省略。不過如果讓步狀語從句由as引導時，從句中的表語（一般是形容詞或名詞）或狀語必須提前到as前，構成倒裝。如果作表語的是單數(shù)可數(shù)名詞，則還須省略不定冠詞。例如：

Poor as he was， he was honest.

Hard as he tried， he still failed.

Much as I like her， I wont marry her.

Child as he is， he can express himself in good English.

例4 She stopped to help the boy .

A. although being in a hurry

B. although be in a hurry

C. although be hurry

D. although in a hurry

解析 D。although是從屬連詞，故只能接從句，A選項不是從句，而是非謂語doing結構，故不能選。D選項是although接的從句，也是省略句，省略了主謂，補充完整是：although （she was） in a hurry。

[時間狀語從句的省略]

即主要由when， while， as， before， after， until/till等引導的時間狀語從句。例如：

When （he was） still a boy of ten， he started working to support himself.

Dont leave the machine till （you are） told to.

Ill let you know as soon as （it is） arranged.

但要注意，before和after雖然也可以用作連詞引導時間狀語從句，卻不能用于這類省略主語和be的結構。例如：

The plan should be discussed once again before it is carried out.

上句不能改為：The plan should be discussed once again before carried out.但可以改為：The plan should be discussed once again before being carried out. 句中before不是連詞而是介詞，后面的being carried out是V-ing形式短語作介詞的賓語，整個句子是簡單句，而不是復合句。

例5 When ， the museum will be open to the public next year.

A. completed B. completing

C. being completed D. to be completed

解析 A?！癢hen completed”是時間狀語從句的省略，其之間省略了it is， 原句可變?yōu)椋篧hen it is completed， the museum will be open to the public next year.

例6 It shames me to say it， but I told a lie when at the meeting by my boss.

A. questioning B. having questioned

C. questioned D. to be questioned

解析 C?！皐hen at the meeting by my boss”是時間狀語從句的省略，其之間省略了I was， 原句可變?yōu)椋篒t shames me to say it， but I told a lie when I was questioned at the meeting by my boss.

例7 When first to the market， these products enjoyed great success.

A. introducing B. introduced

C. introduce D. being introduced

解析 B?！癢hen first to the market”也是時間狀語從句的省略，其之間省略了they were， 原句可變?yōu)椋篧hen they were first introduced to the market， these products enjoyed great success.

例8 Children，when by their parents， are allowed to enter the stadium.

A. to be accompanied B. to accompany

C. accompanying D. accompanied

解析 D。when的后面省略了they are。因為children和動詞allow構成被動關系，所以使用過去分詞表示被動。句意：當孩子有父母親陪伴的時候，他們是被允許進入體育館的。本題考查是時間狀語從句的省略，實際上可以把when也省略掉，就變成了非謂語動詞中的分詞做狀語的用法。

[地點狀語從句的省略]

即主要由where，wherever引導的地點狀語從句。例如：

He is always ready to help others wherever （he is） needed.

You can add some words to your composition where （it is） necessary.

[方式狀語從句的省略]

即主要由as，as if引導的方式狀語從句。例如：

The old man sat at the corner alone， as if （he was） thinking of something.

English is not so difficult to learn， as （it is） generally supposed.

[比較狀語從句的省略]

即主要由as， than等引導的比較狀語從句。例如：

In winter it is much colder in Beijing than （it is） in Shanghai.

The project was completed earlier than （it was） expected.

Mary is not so shy as （she was） a year ago when I first met her.

[原因狀語從句的省略]

即主要由because引導原因狀語從句。例如：

He decided not to watch the foot ball match because （he was） not himself.

I forget to post the letter for you because （I was） too busy.

由此，不難發(fā)現(xiàn)，這些省略形式的狀語從句大都以“從屬連詞+形容詞（副詞、介詞短語、不定式短語、現(xiàn)在分詞或過去分詞）”構成的。省略后的句子不僅意思清楚，不會引起誤解，而且結構緊湊，語言簡練流暢，讀起來明快生動。