主语从句(Subject Clauses)
在复合句中作主语的从句叫主语从句。引导主语从句的词有连词:that, whether, if;连接代词:what, whatever, who, whoever, whom, whomever, whose, which, whichever;连接副词:when, whenever, where, wherever, how, however, why。
1. 连词that, whether, if引导的主语从句
that在主语从句中不作成分,没有意思,不能省略;whether和if虽不作句子的成分,但有“是否”的意思,且if引导的主语从句不能位于句首。
That the earth turns around the sun is known to us all.
地球绕着太阳转这一点是众所周知的。
That she was chosen made us happy. 她被选上使我们感到高兴。
Whether he will come or not is not yet known.
他是否要来还不知道。(只能用whether)
Whether we’ll go outing depends on the weather.
我们是否去郊游视天气而定。(只能用whether)
It is not certain whether/if the question will be discussed.
那个问题是否将被讨论还不确定。(二者皆可)
典题赏析:
1) __________ we need more equipment ____________ quite obvious.
我们需要更多的设备,这是很明显的。
2) ___________ you come or not ____________ up to you. 你来还是不来由你决定。
3) It is not certain _____________ he will go there. 他是否去那儿还不确定。
2. 连接代词what, whatever, who, whoever, which, whichever引导的主语从句
what, whatever, who, whoever, whom, whomever, whose, which, whichever在主语从句中起代词的作用,可以作主语、宾语、表语或定语,有具体的意思且不能省略。
What surprised us was that he passed the driving test.
使我们感到惊奇的是他通过了驾驶考试。
What we need is more practice. 我们需要的是更多的练习。
Whatever I have is yours. 我所拥有的一切都是你的。
Who will go is not important. 谁将去是不重要的。
Whoever is here gets a prize. 不管谁来,都能获奖。
Which team will win the match is still unknown. 哪个队将赢得比赛还不知道。
Whichever you choose is OK. 不论你选哪一个都行。
典题赏析:
1) ___________ knows the truth will tell you about it. 不论谁知道真相都会告诉你的。
2) ___________ surprised me most was that she spoke Japanese so well.
使我们感到非常惊奇的是她日语讲得如此得好。
3) _____________ team will win the match is a matter of public concern.
哪一个队将赢得比赛是公众关心的事。
3. 连接副词when, whenever, where, wherever, how, however, why引导的主语从句
when, whenever, where, wherever, how, however, why在主语从句中起副词的作用,作状语,有具体的意思且不能省略。
When they will start hasn’t been decided yet. 他们将何时动身还没有决定。
Whenever you come is OK. 你无论何时来都行。
Where he has been is still a puzzle. 他曾去过什么地方仍是个迷。
Wherever she wants to go is not allowed. 无论她想要去哪儿都是不被允许的。
How he became a great scientist is known to all.
他是怎样成为伟大科学家的这一点众所周知。
However late you come doesn’t matter. 无论你来的有多晚都没关系。
Why he did it wasn’t quite clear. 他为什么做那件事是不清楚的。
典题赏析:
1) __________ he won’t go there ___________ clear to all of us.
他为什么不去那儿我们大家都很清楚。
2) ___________ this happened is not clear to anyone. 这事怎样发生的,谁也不清楚。
3) ___________ he goes is welcome. 不论他去哪儿都会受到欢迎。
4. 用it作形式主语的主语从句
如果主语从句太长,为了避免句子结构头重脚轻,我们可以用it作形式主语,而把主语从句放在主句谓语部分之后。常见的结构有:
①It+is+形容词+that…,常见的形容词有known, clear, necessary, likely, unlikely, right, wrong, important, certain, obvious, strange, natural等。
That the earth turns around the sun is known to us all.
地球绕着太阳转这一点是众所周知的。
It is known to us all that the earth turns around the sun
Whether he will come or not is not clear.
他是否要来还不清楚。
It is not clear whether/if he will come or not.
②It+is+名词+that…,常见的名词有a pity, a shame, a fact, an honour, a mystery, a wonder, no wonder, good news, common knowledge等。
It is a pity that he didn’t pass the exam. 他没有通过考试真遗憾。
It is a wonder that he survived the crash. 他从坠机事件中幸存下来真是个奇迹。
It is no wonder that he has achieved so much success. 难怪他取得如此大的成功。
③It+is+动词过去分词+that…,常见的过去分词有said, believed, reported, pointed out, hoped, thought, decided, ordered等。
It is said that he is a famous writer. 据说他是位著名的作家。
It is reported that there will be a storm this afternoon. 据报道今天下午有暴风雨。
④It+特殊动词+that…,常见的特殊动词有seem, appear, happen, matter, turn out, occur to, make a difference等。
It seems that it is going to rain. 天看起来要下雨了。
It happened that I didn’t take any money with me. 碰巧我身上没带钱。
It occurred to me that I didn’t close the window. 我突然想起我没有关窗户。
⑤It+使令性动词+sb.+that...,常见的动词有worry, shock, surprise, satisfy, upset等。
It upset him a lot that he was fired. 他被解雇了使他很难过。
It surprised me that she brought up three children on her own.
她独自抚养三个孩子使我感到吃惊。
典题赏析:
1) ____________ is certain that she will do well in her exam. 毫无疑问她考试成绩会很好。
2)It’s __________ __________ that we can’t go. 很遗憾我们不能去。
3) She is very kind to everyone. It is __________ __________ that she is welcome everywhere.
她对大家都很友好,难怪她到处都受到欢迎。
4) __________ __________ that I was on the spot of the accident at that time.
碰巧那时我在事故的现场。
5) It is __________ that Mr. Green has arrived in Beijing. 据说格林先生已经到了北京。
6) It doesn’t __________ __________ she will come or not. 她是否来这无关紧要。
7) It doesn’t interest me ____________ you succeed or not.
8) It __________ __________ me that he was jealous. 我突然想起他是在妒忌。
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1. It 2. a pity 3. no wonder 4. It happened 5. said 6. matter whether 7. whether 8. occurred to
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5. 使用主语从句的注意事项:
①主语从句总是用陈述语序。
What he said was right. 他说的话是对的。
Whether he will be in time for the meeting is doubtful. 他能否赶上会议还不确定。
②如果主句是过去时态,那么从句一般也要用相应的过去某种时态。
What I needed was a good night’s sleep. 我需要的是好好睡一觉。
③单个主语从句作主语时,谓语动词一般用单数;但当what引导的主语从句作主语且表语是名词时,谓语动词的单复数要根据后面表语的单复数而确定;用and连接两个或两个以上的主语从句作主语时,谓语动词用复数;由两个或两个以上的连接词引导一个主语从句时,谓语动词仍用单数。
When we shall start has not been decided. 我们何时动身还没有决定。
What we need is time. 我们需要的是时间。
What we need are books. 我们需要的是书。
When they will start and where they will go have not decided.
他们何时动身,要去哪儿,还没有决定。
When and where the meeting will be held has not been decided.
何时何地举行会议还没有决定。
④what与that引导主语从句时的区别:what不但起连接作用,而且有具体意义,意为“……的事情/东西”,在从句中作主语或宾语。而that在从句中无词义,不作成分,只起连接作用,不能省略。即what作成分,有意思,不能省略;that不作成分,没有意思,不能省略。
What surprises us is that computers can recognise human voices.
让我们感到惊讶的是电脑能分辨人的声音。
What we lack is knowledge. 我们缺乏的是知识。
That he comes from the USA is known to us all. 我们大家都知道他来自美国。
典题赏析:
1) _______________________________(地球是如何形成的)remains a mystery to us.
2) ________________________(不论谁先来)will get a free book.
3) That he will succeed ________________ (be) certain.
4) What we need ______________ (be) more deer.
5) What the children in the mountain need _____________ (be) knowledge.
6) When and where we will go outing ______________(be) not decided.
7) When we shall have our sports meet and how many students will attend it __________ (be) not decided.
8) ______________ the author referred to in his article was unknown to the general readers.
9) They lost their way in the forest and _____________ made matters worse was _____________ the night began to fall.
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1. How the earth came into existence 2. Whoever comes first 3. is 4. are 5. is 6. is 7. are 8. What 9. what, that 10. That
)10) ___________ light travels in straight lines is known to all.
主语从句专练:
1) It is not immediately clear __________ the financial crisis will soon be over.
2) ___________ is obvious to the students that they should get well prepared for their future.
3) ___________ some people regard as a drawback is seen as a plus by many others.
4) ___________ Barbara Jones offers to her fans is honesty and happiness.
5) ____________ struck me most in the movie was the father’s deep love for his son.
6) ____________ one of you breaks the window will have to pay for it.
7) ____________ the delayed flight will take off depends much on the weather.
8) ____________ more and more students show little interest in her classes makes her puzzled.
9) ____________ the astronaut ate his food in space is _____________ we want to know.
10) __________ _________ she was sick I was expected to take her place greatly surprised me, for I didn’t have much work experience.
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1. whether 2. It 3. What 4. What 5. What 6. Whichever 7. When 8. Why 9. How, what 10. That if
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