強調句式強調狀語的五種類型

■湖南  陳仁禎

強調句式It is (was)…that (who)… 是英語中一個很有用的結構，也是各類英語考試的一個重要考點。綜合起來看，這類考點主要涉及強調狀語的用法，而這類用法歸納起來主要有以下五類。

一、所強調的狀語為單個的副詞

能用于強調句被強調的副詞很多，下面略舉幾例：

It was here that he differed from an Englishman. 他和英國人的不同就在于此。

It was only then that I began to learn the unpalatable truth about John. 直到那時我才開始了解到有關約翰的一些令人難以接受的實情。

It was yesterday that my secretary sent the bill to Mr Harding. 我的秘書是在昨天把賬單送給哈丁先生的。

二、所強調的狀語為副詞性短語

所謂副詞性短語，就是指起副詞作用可用狀語的短語，如last week, some time ago, three days later等。如：

It was about 600 years ago that the first clock with a face and an hour hand was made. 第一面帶有一個鐘面和一根時針的鐘是在大約600年前制造的。

It was only last February that he announced he would run for president. 去年2月他才宣布自己將參加總統競選。

It was last night that John wore his best suit to the dance. 約翰是昨晚穿著他最好的衣服去參加舞會的。

三、所強調的狀語為介詞短語

介詞短語的最主要功能就是用作狀語，所以在強調句中，強調用作狀語的介詞短語的現象十分普遍。如：

It was through hard work that he succeeded. 他是通過自己的勤奮工作而成功的。

It was only after his death that she learned of his affair with Betty. 一直到他死后她才知道他和貝蒂有染。

It was along the Mississippi River that Mark Twain spent much of his childhood. 正是在密西西比河沿岸，馬克·吐溫度過了他童年的大部分時間。

It was for this reason that her uncle moved out of New York and settled down in a small village. 這就是她的叔叔離開紐約，搬到一個小山村住下來的原因。

It is only on the world market that we can prove the competitiveness and quality of our goods. 只有在國際市場上我們才能證明自身商品的競爭力和質量。

It was thanks to your stupidity that we lost the game. 我們輸掉比賽是由于你的愚蠢。

四、所強調的狀語為狀語從句

It was after he got what he had desired that he realized it was not so important. 在他得到自己所渴望的東西后，他意識到那并不是那么重要。

It was because I wanted to buy a dictionary that I went to town yesterday. 我昨天是由于想買本字典而進城的。

It was only when I read her letter that I realised what was happening. 一直到我讀了她的信以后，我才意識到發生了什么事。

五、所強調的狀語涉及not…until…句式

not…until…句式中的until可能是介詞（用于引出介詞短語作狀語）也可能是連詞（用于引出從句作狀語）。這類句式的基本結構是It is (was) not until…that…（注意that后面的句子要用肯定式）。如：

It was not until the meal was over that he turned up. 一直到用餐結束以前，他都沒有現身。

It was not until I met you that I knew real happiness. 直到我遇到你以后，我才真正體會到幸福。

It was not until 1911 that the first of the vitamins was identified. 直到1911年才發現了第一種維生素。

It was not until I saw him laughing that I realized what a fool I had been. 直到我看見他笑了，我才意識到我是多么笨。

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