英文句子的主詞

先前分享了兩段英文新聞，不才我上大學時英文專業課還算認真，所以現在解析起句子來，不至於太吃力。（自吹自擂一下）

HOWEVER，當我直搗黃龍，揪出主詞動詞時，腦袋背後總有個小小聲音：「你是不是忘了什麼？」那個隱隱約約的不安感，終於在批改翻譯試題時清晰了起來。

原來是忘了提醒大家，主詞怎麼找。找到主詞，動詞才知道該怎麼搭配。

試試這幾題吧。什麼都不必做，只要找到擔任句子主詞的那一個字或那些字就好：

1.          There are different kinds of computer game.

2.          In the Islamic world, women are not allowed to enter the mosque.

3.          After selling at a craft affair, she and her handmade bags are invited for a show at the gallery.

4.          A friend of the actress gave the magazine a candid photograph.

5.          By the end of 2010, China's foreign-exchange reserves came to $2.85 trillion.

6.          Hopefully, the data will help the government arrive at the best decision.

7.          My new car, which seats five people, is great for a weekend tour.

8.          Standing very close to someone can be a sign of anger.

9.          Someone who handles stress well will be more suited for the job.

10.      Following the recent Japanese earthquake and tsunami disasters, a massive amount of rubbish has washed into the Pacific Ocean.

準備看答案了嗎？

1.          There are different kinds of computer game.

2.          In the Islamic world, women are not allowed to enter the mosque.

3.          After selling at a craft affair, she and her handmade bags are invited for a show at the gallery.

4.          A friend of the actress gave the magazine a candid photograph.

5.          By the end of 2010, China's foreign-exchange reserves came to $2.85 trillion.

6.          Hopefully, the data will help the government arrive at the best decision.

7.          My new car, which seats five people, is great for a weekend tour.

8.          Standing very close to someone can be a sign of anger.

9.          Someone who handles stress well will be more suited for the job.

10.      Following the recent Japanese earthquake and tsunami disasters, a massive amount of rubbish has washed into the Pacific Ocean.

主詞叫做「subject of the verb」。我使用的幾家字典中，牛津高階學生字典（Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, OALD）的定義最完整：

a noun, noun phrase or pronoun representing the person or thing that performs the action of the verb, about which something is stated or, in passive sentence, that is affected by the action of the verb

我們來研究一下。

一、主詞的詞類：名詞，名詞字組，或代名詞（a noun, noun phrase or pronoun）。

        Babies are angels.

        The little angel just smiled at me.

        She is so adorable!

二、主詞的內涵：某個人、事、物（person or thing）。

        We can talk all night.

        Our friendship will never die.

        My arms are always ready for you.

三、主詞的功能：

        (1) 是做出動詞行動的這一方（that performs the action of the verb）

                I sat down.

        (2) 是句子內容陳述的焦點（about which something is stated）

                The house is very old.

        (3) 是被動句中，受到動詞行動影響的那一方（in passive sentence, that is affected by the action of the verb）

                The tree was blown down in the storm.

以上定義啦，例句啦，都很簡明易懂。但是現實世界的句子多半沒那麼單純。就拿那十條題目來說，全對的人寥寥可數哩！

模範生句子：雖然有個字搶在主詞之前出場，但是字尾的 –ly 告訴我們，這是修飾整句話的副詞啦

6. Hopefully (副詞), the data will help the government arrive at the best decision.

Ÿ To be honest（副詞性質）, I was a tiny bit frightened of you before.

狀況一：主詞和動詞之間有重重阻礙，例如介係詞字組、形容詞子句、分詞字組。

4. A friend (of the actress) gave the magazine a candid photograph.

7. My new car, (which seats five people), is great for a weekend tour.

9. Someone (who handles stress well) will be more suited for the job.

Ÿ The person (waiting to see you) has fallen asleep on the couch.

狀況二：主詞是動詞變來的，表示一件事，通常後面跟著一些字以表達完整內容。文法書叫它「動名詞」。

8. [Standing very close to someone] can be a sign of anger.

Ÿ [Sitting under the beach umbrella] makes me sleepy.

狀況三：有些句子的主詞躲在動詞後面，例如副詞開頭的倒裝句。

1. There (副詞) are (動詞) different kinds (主詞) of computer game.

Ÿ Here (副詞) comes our bus.

Ÿ On the table in the center of the room (副詞字組) are two piles of magazines.

狀況四：但是躲在介係詞後面的，不是主詞。

2. In (介係詞) the Islamic world (介係詞的受詞), women are not allowed to enter the mosque.

5. By (介係詞) the end (介係詞的受詞) of 2010, China's foreign-exchange reserves came to $2.85 trillion.

10. Following (= After) the recent Japanese earthquake (介係詞的受詞) and tsunami disasters (介係詞的受詞), a massive amount of rubbish has washed into the Pacific Ocean.

狀況五：類似狀況四，介係詞後面的是簡化過的子句，也不是主詞。

3. After selling at a craft affair, she and her handmade bags are invited for a show at the gallery.

= After she sold at a craft affair,…（這句有個毛病，容後討論）

Ÿ Before making the phone call, Ron jotted down what he wanted to say.

= Before he made the phone call,…