words + grammar + best practice
Clause: main clause + introducer + sub clause
3 types:
Adv clause: decorate verb
Noun clause: replace a noun
Adj clause: decorate a noun
Adv clause: express reason/result, target, condition/give in, way, compare, time/place
Time Adv sub clause:
same time with verb: when, while, as
His phone rang when/while/as he was sleeping.
His phone rang when/as he opened his eyes.(short time verb)
He sleeps when it snows.(regular thing)
He died when he was 15.(a period)
when to express suddenly: He was sleeping when the phone rang.
while to express compare: He likes sleeping while she likes eating.
as to express with: He snored as he slept.
before verb: before, since
It was ten minutes before he slept.
It was ten minutes since he had slept.
after verb: after
relationship: till/until
He slept until/till the bell rang.
He didn't sleep until/till the bell rang.
inverse:
Not until the bell rang did he sleep.
It was not until the bell rang that he slept.
relationship: as soon as
main happen, sub happen: hardly...when/scarcely...when/no sooner...than
Hardly had he opened his eyes when the phone rang.
sub happen, main happen: as soon as/the minute/the moment/the instant/immediately/directly
He opened his eyes as soon as the phone rang.
Reason Adv sub clause:
because: emphasize reason
ex : Because I'm thinking about my life, let's luchuan!
since: emphasize result
ex : Since I'm thinking about my life, let's luchuan!
as: the well-known reason
ex : As it's 0 o'clock, all restaurants are closed.
for: guessed reason
ex : These restaurants will go out of business, for they closed at night.
Result Adv sub clause:
so+adj/adv+that
ex : The chuan is so much that I'm not hungry anymore.
such+noun+that
ex : The chuan is such good food that I will have it tomorrow.
Target Adv sub clause:
long version: in order that/that/so that/so
ex : In order that we could find the answer to life, let's luchuan.
short version: in order to/so as to + verb directly
ex : In order to find the answer to life, let's luchuan.
short short version: to + verb directly
ex : To find the answer to life, let's luchuan.
in case
ex : You should have a dream in case it comes true.
Condition sub clause:
if/unless:
ex : I'll forgive you if you kiss me./I'll not forgive you unless you by me ten bags.
only if/if only:
ex : Only if it's 2 a.m., I will go to bed./If only I could never sleep.
as long as/so long as/on condition that/provided/providing that/suppose/supposing:
ex : I don't care what you did as long as you love me.
Give in sub clause:
though/although/even though/even if:
ex : Although you're Wu yanzu, still/yet I don't love you.
no matter wh-/wh-ever:
ex : Whoever you are, I dislike you./No matter who you are, I dislike you.
while/as : while must in the front of the sentence, as need to invert
ex : While you're Wu Yanzu, still I dislike you./Handsome as you are, I dislike you.
Noun clause: replace a noun
Subject clause:
The news surprises us.
That he likes the girl surprises us.
Object clause:
He announces the news.
He announces that he likes the girl.
Predicative clause:
The news is a secret.
The news is that he likes the girl.
Appositive clause:
I know the book, The Little Prince.
I know the news that he likes the girl.
To express true thing, use that
It is an undoubted fact that he likes the girl.
To express untrue thing, use whether/if
It doesn't matter whether he likes the girl or not.
To express question, use when/where/why/how/who/whom/which/what
Why he likes the girl is still a mystery.
Adj clause: decorate a noun
relative pronoun: clause miss one part of sentence, who/whom/whose/which/that/as
She has a boyfriend whose legs are long.
decorate main clause: as/which
As we all know, his legs are fake./His legs are fake, as we all know. = His legs are fake, which we all know.
can't use that cases:
Add "," will be non-restrictive adj clause, could use who/whom/which, but can't use that
He has long legs, which are attractive to her.
After prep, must use whom, can't use that
He is the man with whom she was once in love.
relative adv:when/where/why
where could follow with dream/case/situation/point:
She had a dream where she married a long-legged man.
Three same meaning sentence?
The cat is difficult to understand.
To understand the cat is difficult.
It is difficult to understand the cat.
The cat ordered her to work.
She was ordered to work by the cat.
There is only one verb in one sentence, other like to do, doing, done, are non-verb
only to be noun, adj, adv
before verb: done
same as verb: doing
after verb: to do
Doing/Done
doing/done as adv: the doing/done and verb from same person, to express reason, condition, compromise, result
happend with verb at the same time:
active: doing
Eating the jizhuazi, she scratched her foot.
passive: done
Shocked by the spider, she stopped eating.
happend before verb for many times: having done/been done
active: having done
Having eaten the jizhuazi, she scratched her foot.
passive: having been done
Having been shocked for twice, she stopped eating.
With noun: like adj
doing: active or on going
done: passive or have finished
front: only one
the boiling water, the boiled water
back: other adv
the water boiling in the pot
To Do:
follow with noun: like adj
This is the best book to read.
follow with adj: do sth adv
The cat is difficult to understand.
follow with verb directly: to do
She wants to keep a cat.
(wish : hope, expect, want, plan)
(attitude : promise, agree, refuse)
(seemingly : seem, appear)
follow with verb+obj:
The cat ordered her to work
follow with verb+it+adj: to express thought
I find it interesting to keep a cat
as adv:
to express object:
To reward her, the cat gives her a mouse.
to express result:
She hurries back home, only to find the cat has broken a vase.
without to
feel:
I feel my hair (to) disappear
hear (listen to):
I hear you (to) praise me.
let (have, make):
I let him drink.
see (see, notice, observe, watch):
I saw him drink.
to do tense
before: to have done
like:
I seem to have lost a lot of weight.
I planned to have done my homework tonight, but I forgot.
same time: to be doing
like:
The wind happend to be blowing hard when I wore long johns.
It seems to be blowing, so I wear my long johns.
passive: to be done / to have been done
A lot of long johns remain to be washed.