我们都知道雅思口语四项评分标准中,对于语法方面的要求:
Band 7: Uses a range of complex structures with some flexibility. Frequently produces error-free sentences, though some grammatical mistakes persist.
Band 6: Uses a mix of simple and complex structures, but with limited flexibility. May make frequent mistakes with complex structures, though these rarely cause comprehension problems.
由此可见使用复杂结构的重要性。因此,这也是我们在夯实基础的留预环节中必备的训练。本篇文章将关注解留预课本中分裂句的语法知识点及其应用,帮助同学们在留学考试以及学习生活中用此语法通畅、准确、简洁地表达内容和感情。
(一) 分裂句结构以及使用时需注意的事项
在课堂授课中发现,同学们在突出某部分的回答内容时,往往采取only/ even/just等词汇或短语手段,其实分裂句:it is/was … that…也可以用来加强句子语气,突出说话重点,同时满足grammatical variety,做到丰富句式。留预听说四级教材Unit9中听力句就出现了此用法:Researchers, however, have found, it is not knowing when the conversation will end that makes it so annoying. (译文:然而,研究人员发现,正是不知道谈话什么时候结束让谈话变得如此烦人。) 其中分裂句it is…that中间部分not knowing when the conversation will end便是被突出强调的部分,在此句中说明谈话使人厌烦的原因。
Unit9 Grammar Cleft-Sentence中讲解到:you can use a cleft sentence in conversation to highlight information you want someone to focus on. Move the most important information to the beginning of the sentence. Speakers use this so listeners will focus on the important information.
基本句式及例句:
(Skillful Speaking & Listening 3)
由此总结,分裂句基本句式:it is/was +强调部分+that/who +剩下部分,它能够强调除谓语动词外的大多数句子成分,当强调部分指人时,可以使用who/that,指物则用that。此外还有三个点大家要注意到:
1) 去掉it is/was… that后,强调部分+剩余部分=完整句子。这是判断分裂句与其他句型的区别,去掉it is / was … that…后句意和语法结构仍完整的便是分裂句。如:① It was a parcel that she brought him.(分裂句),本句若将It was 及 that同时省去为:She brought him a parcel.句子同样成立,因此是强调句型。② It is important that he should remember this.(不是分裂句),本句若将It is 及 that同时省去为:He should remember this important. 显然句子错误,因此,本句不是强调句型,而是主语从句。
2) 保持主谓一致和时间统一。如“It is my mother who/that cooks every day.”分裂句中,注意my mother 与cooks保持主谓一致,而be动词is与时间状语every day保持时间统一。was则用在与过去相关的时态中。
3) 保持介词完整。同样我们以句子来理解,原句:He arrived at six. 那么分裂句应为“It was at six that he arrived.”(正确)。“It was six that he arrived.(错误)” 相信通过这个例句,细心的同学已经发现了介词at不可缺失了。同样,其他的介词也是如此。但需注意介词的位置,如果该介词是短语动词的构成部分,则仍在短语动词中,不要提前。例如:refer to为短语动词,“I’m referring to the president.”就应改为分裂句:It’s the president who I'm referring to.
(二) 分裂句与雅思口语
经过上文的讲解相信大家已经知道了分裂句的基本含义和用法,所以当我们想要表示“就是…谁”,“就是…那个东西”,“是…那个地方”,“正是…时候…”等,要突出强调非谓语部分的时候,可以使用到此语法结构。然而,在雅思口语中,有非常多的使用机会来增加我们的语法多样性,下面选出大家常用的三种强调时间,物品或是人物的分裂句运用,一起来看看!
1) 强调时间:IELTS TEST PART 1:When was the last time…?
在雅思口语part 1 中,有很多题目是直接问到时间“When was the last time…?或者是“Have you ever done…?”,那么在这类题型中,我们的回答中一定会涉及到时间。下面通过具体题目来练习一下如何用分裂句给回答增色。
例:When was the last time you took public transportation?
某同学原回答:The last time I took transportation was last week. I took the subway to the other side of town. It’s convenient to get there by taking that.
那么在句中,我们使用了时间状语从句,表达出一个信息点是上一次是上周。当我们学会了分裂句后,我们也可以尝试换做“it was + when I... that ...” 来回答问题,并尝试一句中给出多个信息。
sample answer:It was last week that I took the subway to the other side of town because it was much more convenient. The place I live is far from there. The bus to get there is always slow and jam-packed with passengers. By taking the subway, I can save more than half an hour.
sample answer中,句我们不仅使用了分裂句,还有时间和原因状语从句,表达出多个信息点:上周,乘坐的地铁,去城市的另一边,因为很方便。关于公共交通也有很多其他的表达,在留预入门级的课程中就有补充积累:underground/subway/tube地铁,double decker bus双层公共汽车,ferry轮渡,tram有轨电车,trolleybus无轨电车等。大家可以把这些语料一起积累下来。
2) 强调物品:IELTS TEST PART 1:Have you ever done…?
大家在上文练习了强调时间的分裂句后,我们接着看看其他适用情境。还是通过例题:Have you ever received any important gift?
忘记千篇一律的句“The best present I’ve ever received is a …”,试一试分裂句:“it is/was ... that ...”。课堂上同学们给出了这样的回答:“It was a book from my parents that made a deep impression on me.”用来突出book from my parents, 也用到了表达make a deep impression on sb. 比千篇一律的表达更让人有继续听下去的欲望。也有同学给到:“It is the thoughts that count.”来说明理由。同样还有同学继续模仿上文给出强调时间的分裂句:“It was when my parents and I celebrated my 18th birthday that I received this meaningful gift.”因为他觉得相比较礼物,18岁生日更加有意义。相信看了这么多例句,大家心中也有了自己的答案,快用分裂句来试一试吧。同样,在雅思口语part 1 中,有很多的例题都可以用分裂句,列举给大家,感兴趣的同学可以多多尝试:
3) 强调人物:IELTS TEST PART 2:Describe a person…
雅思口语part 2 也是我们备考口语考试时花费很多时间且需要精心设计词汇和语法的部分,相信描述人物类的题目大家并不陌生。如以下这则:
Describe a person who helps others.
You should say:
who this person is
how often he helps others
why he helps others
and explain how you feel about this person.
对于第①问,很多同学都能掌握我们留预课本三级Unit 5中的教授的方法描述马云:“The helpful person I know is Jack Ma, and he/she is an entrepreneur .” 在学习了分裂句“it is+ Subject + that …”后,大家可以丰富自己的语言表达:
sample answer: It is Jack Ma, a Chinese entrepreneur, who immediately comes to my mind. Jack Ma is a compassionate person. It is he who has founded the world-famous company Alibaba Group which has revolutionized the way people shop and pay and who has donated a lot of money to charities to build school and purchase equipment in rural areas. (译文:我立刻想到的就是中国企业家马云。马云是一个富有同情心的人。正是他创立了世界闻名的阿里巴巴集团,彻底改变了人们的购物和支付方式,也是他向慈善机构捐赠了大量资金,用于在农村地区修建学校和购买设备。)相信用此分裂句突出人物后,大家对马云及他的行为有了更深刻的印象。
通过本文对分裂句的讲解及它在雅思口语part 1和part 2中的真题演练,希望同学们在留预听说课的学习中,熟练地掌握分裂句的使用语境和方法。在生活中当想突出强调时,大家也能运用这个语法合适地表达内容与情感。再通过适当的刻意练习,为雅思口语考试夯实基础,提升英语口语语法多样性!