英语短语
● 陈清霖
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短语或词组（phrases）是英语句子结构中重要的成分,不可忽视.
英语短语是由至少两个字合组而成为一个有意义的单位.
短语通常没有主语,也没有谓语动词,但是每个短语都有一定的结构和语义,在句子中形成一个重要的环节.
论功能,英语短语可分为名词短语（noun phrase）、形容词短语（adjective phrase）和副词短语（adverb phrase）三种.
名词短语,主要有三种形式,即：一名词组；二动名词组；三不定式动词组.
名词短语和名词功能一样,可在句子中充当主语,如例①；宾语,如例②；补足语,如例③：
① The state of Johore lies in the southern part of Malaysia.
② I enjoy teaching English.
③ Who is to accompany you to the airport?
①是名词组；②是动名词组；③是不定式动词组.
形容词短语也有三种,即：一介词组,如例④-⑥；二现在分词组；如例⑦-⑧；过去分词组,如例⑨-⑩：
④ The boy on my right is the monitor.
⑤ Bankers are people of great wealth.
⑥ I published books on language learning.
⑦ Hearing the scream,the small girl cried.
⑧ Have you seen the thief running for his life?
⑨ Taken aback,the boy burst into tears.
⑩ The rat,chased by a cat,ran into a ditch.
由介词组成的形容词短语紧跟在被修饰的名词之后.由现在分词或过去分词组成者,则可以在名词之前,如例⑦和⑨或名词后头,如例⑧和⑩.
副词短语主要由介词协助组成,作用和一般副词一样,修饰动词,但位置灵活,可以在句前,也可以在动词之后.例如：
11 The naughty boy was asked to stand in front of the classroom.
12 Don't run across the road.It is dangerous to do so.
13 In 1989,I stayed a few months in the University of London as a visiting scholar.
在这些短语中,由介词引荐者既有形容词的功能（见例④-⑥）,又可负起副词的使命.这样一来,我们应如何判辨两者的差别呢?方法简单,就是从短语在句中的功能着手：修饰名词的是形容词性的、修饰动词的是副词性的,如：
14a The students in this class are very active.
b If you like,you may study in this class.
15a Two boys at the back of the class are talking.
b An unwell student has fallen asleep at the back of the class.
“In this class”和“at the back of the class”在14a和15 a里修饰名词“students”和“boys”,因此属形容词性短语.反之,在14b和15b中,则分别修饰动词“may study”和“has fallen asleep”,因此是副词性短语.