蘇靜芳
雖然It is(was) ...that...結構可以用來強調句子的主語,賓語,狀語等某些成分,但并不是所有的It is(was)...that...結構都是強調結構,有時,為了避免句首的主語從句過長造成句子的頭重腳輕,常用It作形式主語,而將真正的主語從句放在句子后部。二者的結構極其相似,但意義卻完全不同。要準確判斷二者的區別,有兩種方法:
一、邏輯判斷法
強調結構中It is(was)...that...是一固定句式,that引導的并不是主語從句,而在帶有It形式主語的結構中,that引導主語從句。比較:
It was they that were right.正確的正是他們。(強調結構)
It is clear that he is round and tall like a tree.很清楚他又圓又高像棵樹。(It形式主語,that引導主語從句)
二、化簡判斷法
強調結構中,如將It is(was)...that...三個詞去掉后剩余部分組成句子意義仍很完整。如果不是強調結構,將It is(was)...that...三個詞去掉后,不僅剩余部分組不成完整的句子,而且意義上也不完整或者根本講不通。比較:It was in the classroom that we held themeeting.
如果將It was...that去掉后,不僅剩余部分能組成句子:Weheld the meeting in the classroom.而且結果和意義都很完整。因此上句是強調結構。
It is strange that he didn' t come yesterday.如果將此句中Itis...that去掉后,He didnt come yesterday.雖然成立,但strange一詞無所依附,而且意義不完整。因此斷定上句是主語從句結構二不是強調結構。
但是,如果將上句中的形式主語It去掉,二將that引導的主語從句放句首時,句子結構和意義都仍然完整。如:That he didnt come yesterday is strange.
又如:It was well-known that Napoleon always asked the samethree questions.眾所周知拿破侖總是問同意的三個問題。
此句可以去掉It后改為That Napoleon always asked the samethree questions was well-known.此句仍然成立。只是that引導的主語從句放句首不習慣,因此改用形式主語it替代。