英语句子中的省略
discourse一 省略句的概说
省略句是我们在学习英语过程中能不断体验收获和趣味的一种惯用手法,无论是说话还是写作,都要求生动活泼,简明扼要。按照语法的分析, 有时句子应具备的成分出于修辞上的需要, 会缺少一个或几个句子语法结构所必要的语言成分,但在一定语境中可独立存在,仍能表达其意义完整并发挥交流功能的句子则被称为省略句。省略的结果不仅能使句子结构更加精练,而且可起到连接上下文并使相邻词语达到强调的作用。
英语省略句用词简练, 表意简练, 往往收到一定的修饰效果, 句中的某些成分因上下文已提供了充分明确信息或前文已出现过的某些成分,为了避免不必要的重复,也不会引起言语上的误解,并可突出中心词,从而使整文紧密连接的一种修辞手法,其语法现象就是省略。举个例子:Glad to see you. 这是个简单句,主语I和谓语am可以省略。省略的形式从单词、短语到分句等都可省略, 而且各有其一定的衔接关系。
二 省略句的分类
(一)句中成分的省略
1. 主语的省略
Beg your pardon. (我)请你原谅。(Beg前省略了主语I)
Come on! 得了吧(你)!(Come前省略了主语You)
2. 谓语的省略
John is a lawyer,his wife (is) a cleaner. 
Some of us study Japanese,others (study) English. 
3. 表语的省略
She was a lover of sports as she had been in her youth..(had been后面省略了a lover of sports)
4. 宾语的省略
Let’s do the cases. I’ll read and you’ll type.(read和 type后面省略了宾语cases)
5. 定语的省略
I spent part of the money, and the rest I gave.(the rest后面省略了定语of the money)
6. 状语的省略
She wasn’t cry. Strange! (Strange前面省略了状语how)
7. 词的省略
1)名词、冠词、物主代词或介词如果与前文重复时,可以省略,如:
I like red wine better than white (wine).
The lightning flashed and (the) thunder crashed. 
Please take good care of these flowers and (these) plants. 
We lived in Beijing and (in) Shanghai for some time. 
2)重复出现的形容词,省略后边的;两个或两个以上被形容词修饰的同一名词,前边的则常被省略。
We are young boys and (young) girls. 
There were middle-aged (women) and elderly women to attend the meeting;
8. 英语中一些固定特殊的省略结构
1)在回答一般疑问句的简略答语中,或回答用陈述句,祈使句表示要求、命令的简略回答中,常用Yes /No+主语+助动词,而省略主动词或其它成份,但助动词应和原句的助动词和时间概念须保持相应的一致。
— Could I borrow your dictionary? 
— Yes, of course you can. (句中 could表示委婉语气,并不是过去式,因此答语用can,其后省略borrow my dictionary.) 
— Don't forget to come to my birthday party tomorrow. 
— I won't. (祈使句原含有未来的意味,再加上有tomorrow的限制,因此答语用 won't,其后省略forget to go you’re your birthday party tomorrow.) 
2) 同时省掉句子几个部分有时好几个句子成分都被省掉,除了对疑问句的简略回答外,也出现在反意疑问句中。如:You are a superman,aren’t you (a superman) ? 
3)在以know, forget, remember等动词结尾的简答句后的子句通常也可省略,以避免重复。
— Who won the football match last night?
— Sorry, I don’t know (who won the football match last night.)
4)在以if, when,though,as,as if 等连词引导的从句中,如从句中主要动词是be,可将主语和动词be省掉。
He is very good at dancing, though (he is) very old.
The boy looked as if ( he were ) afraid of nothing. 
5)so,nor/neither 用来表示“……也一样”时的省略结构
— I am a student.
— So am I (a student). 
— We haven't been there.
— Neither (Nor) have we (been there).
(二)句中结构的省略
1. 简单句的省略
1)名词所有格之后的省略
He is going to his uncle’s (house). 
2) 含there be结构中的省略
(Is there) Anything wrong?
3) 独立主格结构中的分词如为being或having been时的省略
The examination (being) over, we all left the school.
4) 不定式的省略
(1)并列的不定式
Her job is to take care of the elders and (to) wash their clothes. 
(2)为避免重复, 作某些动词hope, want等宾语或tell, order, ask的宾补时,省略不定式短语, 只保留不定式符号to.
The child wanted to play in the street, but her mother told her not to. 
( 此句中 not to 后省略了和上文相重复的play in the street.) .
(3)感官动词see, hear, feel, notice, hear或使役动词let, make, have,等后跟不定式作宾补时省略to.
I saw the girl cross the street. 
I had my father repair my bike. 
注意:当感官动词与使役动词用于被动时,需恢复to的省略! 如:The girl was seen to cross the street.
(4)有had better, would rather, can’t but 或Why not等句型后面直接跟动词原形,实际上是接省to的不定式。
You had better tell me the truth.
I could not but (to) laugh at him. 
Why not go and ask the teacher for help?
(5)在回答问句及其它形式的答语中,如有和上文重复的不定式时,在答语中只保留其不定式符号to,而把动词和其它部分省略。
— Would you like to come to dinner tonight? 
— I'd like to. But I'm too busy. ( 此句中的I'd like to 后省略了come to dinner tonight.)
5) 介词(或介词短语)的省略
(1)动名词前面的介词in在一定条件下常被省略
We spent a large sum of money (in) building the mansion. 
而当spend money in doing sth. 结构用于被动语态时in不能省略
A large sum of money was spent in building the mansion. 
(2)near或opposite作形容词表示“在…的附近”或“在…对面”时后接的介词to可省略
It is near (to) the airport, opposite (to) the supermarket. 
(3)of +形容词+名词作补语表示大小、年龄、形状、颜或价格时of常被省略
We are(of)the same age, I suppose. 
(4)含有side, height, length, size, shape等惯用语前介词on有时可被省略
Try to keep your discourse(on)this side of 3000 words. 
(5)有些动词、名词、形容词习惯搭配介词短语, 在以what, when, how, whether, that出现的从句或不定式短语之前有时被省略介词短语as to.
Be careful (as to) how you do that.
6) 同源宾语的省略
同源宾语的修饰语是形容词最高级或含有最高级意义时可以省去该同源宾语 
During the football match, the fans all shouted their loudest (shout). 
She sang her sweetest (song).
7) 英语中惯用的省略句型
即,What/How about后只跟名词、代词或动名词(短语),以及感叹句中的省略现象。
How about the two of us taking a walk down the garden?
What a beautiful view (it is)!
2. 并列句中的省略