英语中的省略现象
在英语中，有时为了言简意赅，突出关键词语；有时为了避免重复；有时因为语法的客观要求，句子中的一个或几个成分不需要表达出来，这种现象称为省略。
英语中的省略要求不破坏语法结构，要保持句子意义的准确无误。
英语的省略大致有以下几种情况：
（一）口头和书面语中为了言简意赅进行省略。
如：
Glad to see you! (It’s glad to see you. 的省略，省略了主语和be动词)
Lovely weather, isn’t it? (同样省略了主语和be动词)
It’s such a warm day, why not go to swim in the river? (这种省略句比Why do you not go to swim in the river更地道。
)
这种省略在使用时似乎需要一定的情景，也就是常和语境搭配。
How they are working! (他们工作多起劲啊！)
Your pardon? = I beg your pardon.
Who next? (Who comes next? 的省略，省略了谓语)
在现代英语中，为了言简意赅省略小品词是一种语法要求。
如：
The boss made his men work eighteen hours a day. 不定式中的to必须省略掉。
但是，该结构如果变成被动语态，to又必须加上去。
如：
John was made to wash the truck for a week as a punishment. (1991年高考题)
He spent three days doing the work. (动名词前的介词in通常省去)
Excuse me (for) my poor hearing. (动名词前的介词for可省去)
I think (that) physics is a difficult subject. (引导宾语从句的that 常省略)
The film (which) we saw last night was wonderful. (定语从句中，关系代词作宾语常省略。
) This is the reason (why) I did it. (定语从句中，关系副词why可省略。
)
有时，这种省略在地道的英语中，句子表现得非常特别。
如：
Long time no see. (老久不见啦。
) 其实等于I haven’t seen you for a long time.
--Does anyone know where Tom lives?
--Me. （相当于I know where Tom lives.）
作主语的人称代词I在省略了全部谓语或谓语动词时用宾格形式。
(二) 口头和书面语中为了避免重复进行省略。
如：
Women who drink more than two cups of coffee a day have a greater chance of having heart disease than those who don’t. (2006全国卷31小题)
这句话中的比较状语从句中，为了避免重复，省略了谓语drink more than two cups of coffee a day。
如果不省略，反而表达不妥。
再如：
We will do what we can to help fulfill the work in time. (can后省略了谓语do)
The boy wanted to ride his bicycle in the street, but his mother told him not to. (1995年高考题) 该句省略了不定式中和前文相同的动词原形短语。
有些动词对下文意思有隐藏的影响，后面的不定式常省略。
如：
His answer seems (to be) right.
The theory proved (to be ) true.
We considered him (to be) an honest man.
I find English (to be) easy to learn.
介词but后的不定式和作表语的不定式，它们前面出现了行为动词do的任何形式；在and 或or并列的第二个不定式中不能带to。
In very cold weather, the hibernating animals had no choice but to lie down to sleep.
He could do nothing but wait.
All we want to do is inform him of the change of the plan.
I don’t know whether to stay or leave.
不能把这种省略的形式和替代混为一谈。
替代是用替代词代替上文中出现过的词语、短语或句子，其目的也是为了避免重复。
如：
The grocer sells ripe bananas, not green ones. (ones替代上文的bananas)
--I hope you enjoyed yourself.
--Yes, I did, thanks.
对话中的did替代上文的enjoyed myself。
（yourself 变为myself是行文的需要）
--Will you be able to finish your report today?
--I hope so. (2006全国卷2第6小题)
对话中的so替代上文的句子。
（三）在表达上为了删繁就简，对从句进行简化进行省略。
如：
If invited, I will go to his party. (If invited=If I am invited.)
When possible, Mr. Li will ask us some questions in English. (When possible=When it is possible) Though young, he knows a lo of things. (Though young=Though he is young)
归纳上面三个例句，可以得出这样的结论：如果状语从句的主语和主句的主语一致，状语从句的结构是“从属连词+主语+be动词+其它结构”，状语从句中的“主语+be动词”可省略。
如果状语从句的主语和主句的主语不一致，状语从句的结构是“从属连词+it+be动词+其它结构”，状语从句结构中的“it+be动词”可省略。
它不同与分词和独立结构作状语的结构；分词和独立结构作状语不是省略，是句法结构的改变。
***巩固练习：
1. When ____, the building will be used as a school for children from poor families.
A. completed
B. completing
C. to be completed
D. is completing
2. In our class Mary’s English is better than ______.
A. anybody e lse
B. anybody’s English
C. anybody else’
D. anybody else’s
3. --Does your brother intends to learn to sing this song?
--Yes, he intends ______.
A. so
B. to
C. that
D. it
4. We must keep the factory ______ poisonous gases into air.
A. sending
B. to send
C. from sending
D. send
5.--Susan, go on. Your sister is cleaning the yard.
--Why ____? John is sitting there doing nothing.
A. him
B. he
C. I
D. me
Keys: ADBCD
解析：
1. 如果状语从句的主语和主句的主语一致，状语从句的结构是“从属连词+主语+be动词+其它结构”，状语从句中的“主语+be动词”可省略。
2. anybody else’s等于anybody else’s English, 避免重复。
3.省略和前文相同的动词短语。
4. keep sb doing 和keep sb from doing是完全不同的结构，不能乱省。
5. 作主语的人称代词I在省略了全部谓语或谓语动词时用宾格形式。