英语中形容词的状语功能及语义特征形容词作状语具有双重特点，既要说明其逻辑主语的性质或状态，又要说明句子中的谓语动词；可表示时间、原因、条件、方式、强调或伴随状况等意义；形容词作状语，就结构模式来说，分为不带从属连词和带有从属连词二种。

形容词作状语实际上是一种省略结构。

形容词结构既有限定动词词组也没有非限定动词词组作谓语动词。

因此，它既不同于限定分句，也不同于非限定分句。

基本上属于SVO（主-动-补）句型，只是动词不表现出来，主语也通常不表现出来。

形容词作状语时，一般用逗号将其与句子的其余部分分开。

位置也相对灵活，可位于句首、句末或句中。

本文从形容词作状语的结构模式、句法功能、语义特征等方面做一些简单探讨。

一、形容词作状语的结构模式形容词作状语，就结构模式来说，分为不带从属连词和带有从属连词两种。

1.不带从属连词结构（1）单个形容词结构① Curious，we look around for other guests.由于好奇，我们向四面看看还有什么别的客人。

②The hours passed fitfully ,as I lay awake thinking and praying.时间过得断断续续，那晚我时醒时睡，当我醒着时就思考和祈祷。

（2）并列形容词结构①She was an elderly woman, sensible and trustworthy.她是一个明智的、值得信赖的妇女。

②Large or small, all countries are equal.国家无论大小都应一律平等。

③Finally, tired but happy, they took the bus back to school.最后，他们疲惫而又高兴地坐车回到了学校。

（3）形容词词组作状语①Afraid of difficulties, they prefer to take the easy road.他们由于怕困难，宁愿走容易的道路。

②Unable to find words to express themselves, they silently grasped our hands.由于找不到话来表达自己的感情，他们紧紧握住我们的手。

③Glad that school was finished, the students ran out of the room.一放学，学生都高兴地冲出了教室。

④Pulling off my apron, I rushed to the hospital, heedless of the cold and snow.我解下围裙，朝医院奔去，没有感觉到天气的寒冷和下着雪。

2.带有从属连词结构（1）She spares no detail, whether good or bad, and honestly depicts the kind of life lived by many Chinese in the last half century.事情无论好坏，她均记述详尽，她忠实地写出来许多中国人在半个世纪中的生活。

（2）Although always helpful, he was not much liked by people.虽然他老师帮助别人，还是得不到人们的喜欢。

（3）Though not necessary, he came here last night.尽管没有必要，昨晚他还是来了。

二、形容词作状语的语法功能形容词或形容词短语可作状语，形容词作状语时，可以看作是“being+形容词”结构的省略，可表示时间、原因、条件、方式、强调或伴随状况等意义。

例如：1.表示时间（1）Ripe，these apples are sweet.这种苹果孰了时是很甜的。

（2）Enthusiastic，they are co-operative.热心的时候他们是很合作的。

2.表示原因（1）Afraid of being late, she got up at four o’clock in the morning.她害怕迟到，早上四点钟就起床了。

（2）Anxious for quick decision, they met three times a day.他们急于迅速作出决定，一天碰了三次头。

（3）Cold and hungry, he stopped working and went home. 他又冷又饿，放下工作就回家了。

3.表示条件（1）Angry with her husband, she would complain all day.一旦生丈夫的气，她就会抱怨一天。

（2）Alone，he would have been terrified.如果单独一个人，他是会感到害怕。

4.表示让步（1）Rich or poor, young or old, we all have problems.不管是穷人还是富人，不管是年轻人还是老人，我们都有问题。

（2）Well or sick, calm or worried, she is always restrained in her expression_r_r.不管是健康还是生病，平静还是激动，他总是控制着他的表情。

5.表示方式（1）He went home happy.他高高兴兴地回家了。

（2）Alice tiptoed to the bed, careful not to wake the baby.爱丽丝小心翼翼地走到床前，以免吵醒孩子。

6.表示结果（1）As he looked at, the goat rolled over, dead.当他看着山羊的时候，山羊翻了个身，死了。

（2）He fought hard, unable to get out.他努力挣扎，最终还是没有出来。

7.表示伴随（1）Cheerful, efficient and warm-hearted, they will do everything to make your journey smooth and comfortable.他们乐观、能干、热情，总是想方设法使你一路上顺利舒服。

（2）Breathless, she refused in through the back door.他气喘吁吁地从后门冲了进来。

He spent 7days in the wind and snow，cold and hungry．Helpless，we watched the house being destroyed before our eyesThey all rushed up，eager to help．She returned to work，unhappy．8.表示强调（1）John is big and busy.约翰非常忙。

（2）The building is fine and tall.这座建筑非常高达。

三、形容词作状语的语义特征形容词作状语具有双重特点，既要说明其逻辑主语的性质或状态，又要说明句子中的谓语动词。

形容词作状语时的逻辑主语的形式一般有三种情况：1.句子主语作形容词的逻辑主语。

例如：（1）Breathless, she bounded in through the gate. (She was breathless and she breathlessly bounded in though the gate.) 他气喘吁吁地从大门奔进来。

（2）She slept the whole day, sad and tired. (She was sad and tired and she slept the whole day because she was sad and tired.)因为他相当疲劳，就睡了整整一天。

（3）Eighty years old, she is still very active. (She is eighty years old and she is still very active though she is eighty years old.)她虽然八十高龄，但身体仍然相当健旺。

2.句子作形容词的逻辑主语有些形容词如strange, funny, curious, odd, important, surprising, remarkable等作状语时，表示的是评注性的说明，是说话者的某种看法，前面可以加more或most，经常可以转化为It…… that句型。

例如：(1) Worse, Balton’s health deteriorated further. (=Balton’s health deteriorated further was worse.或It is worse that Balton’s health deteriorated further.)更糟的是，柏敦的健康进一步恶化。

(2)More remarkable, he has made a breakthrough in his research.更值得注意的是，他的研究获得了突破。

（3）Strange , he is ignorant of it.很奇怪，那件事他竟一点也不知(NMET 2006) 32题:________and happy, Tony stood up and accepted the prize.A. SurprisingB. SurprisedC. Being surprisedD. To be surprising此题正确答案是B｡有人做出如下简析: 本题考查形容词的特殊用法即形容词作状语｡surprised在此处用作形容词(惊奇的),表示伴随状态,与happy并列｡因为逻辑主语是Tony,所以不用surprising｡Being surprised中的being通常省略,最佳答案是B｡人教版的新编高一英语教材Unit 7课文最后一句是: Strong, proud and united, the people of St Petersburg are the heroes of Russia.该句在教材167页的注释为:“句子前面的形容词短语strong, proud and united可视为状语,在正式英语里可以这样用”｡教参146页对该句的解释是:“strong, proud and united为前置定语,相当于一个非限定性定语从句: The people of St Petersburg, who are strong, proud and united, are the heroes of Russia”｡而在薄冰所著《高级英语语法》中,此类现象又被归为主语补助语｡可见,对该形容词进行句法分析并不是一件容易的事情｡但该结构本身确实值得注意,因为它极易与副词或副词短语充当状语相混淆｡请看下例:1. Hopefully, we can get this done before dark.2. Helpless, we watched our home destroyed before our eyes.仔细分析两句就能发现: 第一,例1中,副词hopefully修饰整个句子,它在逻辑上和后面一整句话We can get this done before dark.构成了主谓关系｡即That we can get this done before dark is hopeful.例2中形容词helpless修饰主语,和句子的主语we构成逻辑上的主谓关系,即We are helpless.第二,例1可以变为主语从句: It’s hopeful that we can get this done before dark.例2则相当于状语从语: We are helpless when we watched our home destroyed before our eyes.从这两点考虑,2004年春季上海卷34题就很容易了｡________, some famous scientists have the qualities of being both careful and careless.A. Strangely enoughB. Enough strangelyC. Strange enoughD. Enough strangeStrange的逻辑主语不是some famous scientists, 而是some famous scientists have the qualities of being both careful and careless.该句可以变为: It’s strange enough that some scientists have the qualities of being both careful and careless.所以正确答案选A｡综上所述,可以这么说,碰到这类题时,凡是对整个句子作评述性的说明时,要选副词性的词语;凡是说明主语的性质和状态的句子中则要选用形容词性的词语｡此外,还要注意形容词和形容词化的过去分词当状语与双重谓语的差别｡总之,修饰全句的词语均属插入语｡。