Would you know what to do during a really big earthquake?

你知道在巨大的地震發生時該怎麼辦嗎？

上列句中的what to do稱作名詞片語。所謂名詞片語乃由『疑問詞 + 不定詞片語』形成, 如:

注意:

a. 上述這些名詞片語中, when、where及how為疑問副詞, 用來修飾其後不定詞片語中的動詞。而what、which及whom則為疑問代名詞, 故要作其後不定詞片語中及物動詞或介詞的受詞, 因此what、which、whom在上列名詞片語中分別作及物動詞do、take、believe及介詞to的受詞。

b. 名詞片語因具名詞的功能, 故在句中可作主詞、受詞或置於be動詞後作主詞補語。本文中的what to do即作及物動詞know的受詞。

例: Where to go on vacation is not decided yet.

　　　　   主詞

　(到哪裡度假尚未決定。)

　Do you know how to make a cake?

          　及物動詞　　受詞

　(你知道怎麼做蛋糕嗎？)

　The question is whom to believe.

　　　　　　  主詞補語

　(問題是要相信誰才好。)

As soon as the quake is over, check the gas pipe in the building.

地震一旦停止, 立刻檢查建築物內的瓦斯管。

上列句中的as soon as是副詞連接詞, 表『一……就……』之意, 其所引導的副詞子句修飾句中的主要子句。as soon as亦可用the instant/moment來取代, 其句型如下:

As soon as + 主詞 + 動詞, 主要子句　　一……就……

= The instant + 主詞 + 動詞, 主要子句

= The moment + 主詞 + 動詞, 主要子句

例: As soon as I arrived home, it started to pour.

　= The instant I arrived home, it started to pour.

　= The moment I arrived home, it started to pour.

　(我一回到家便下起傾盆大雨。)

注意:

本句構亦可用下列句型取代:

no sooner...than...

hardly...when (或before)...

scarcely...before (或when)...

以上句構均譯為『一……就……』。

造句法:

中文: 海倫一看到蟑螂就尖叫了起來。

第一步:

先造一個過去完成式的句子, 表示先發生的動作。

Helen had seen the cockroach.

第二步:

再造一個過去式的句子, 表示後發生的動作。

She screamed.

第三步:

兩句放在一起。

Helen had seen the cockroach. She screamed.

第四步:

將no sooner、hardly、scarcely插入第一句中過去完成式助動詞had之後, 再將than、when、before置於第二個句子之前, 即:

Helen had no sooner seen the cockroach than she screamed.

海倫先看到蟑螂, 沒有比她後來尖叫快多少。(直譯)

→海倫一看到蟑螂就尖叫了起來。(實際翻譯)

Helen had hardly/scarcely seen the cockroach when she screamed.

當海倫尖叫時, 幾乎沒看到蟑螂。(直譯)

　→海倫一看到蟑螂就尖叫了起來。(實際翻譯)

Helen had hardly/scarcely seen the cockroach before she screamed.

在海倫尖叫之前, 幾乎沒看到蟑螂。(直譯)

→海倫一看到蟑螂就尖叫了起來。(實際翻譯)

注意:

由於no sooner、hardly及scarcely均為否定副詞, 故置於句首時, 其後過去完成式助動詞had須與主詞倒裝。故上列例句亦可寫成:

　No sooner had Helen seen the cockcroach than she screamed.

　=Hardly had Helen seen the cockroach when/before she screamed.

　=Scarcely had Helen seen the cockroach when/before she screamed.