英文中的分裂句(cleft sentences)

分裂句是複雜句之中，用於強調句子中的一個特定部分。它們在我們不能使用聲音語調來強調某些事的寫作中特別有用，但它們也經常用於演講中。

分裂句的類型

分裂句 – 強調原因、事情、人、地點、日期……

我們可以通過將這些機構與關係子句一起使用，來強調句子中的某個元素。我們使用關係代名詞的方式與我們在任何關係子句中使用它們的方式相同。

Shella hid the book under the mattress. 雪麗把書藏在床墊下。
The person who/that hid the book under the mattress was Sheila.

Sheila hid the book under the mattress.
The thing (that/which) Sheila hid under the mattress was the book.

Sheila hid the book under the mattress.
The place where Sheila hid the book was under the mattress.

I have to call on Monday to schedule an appointment. 我必須在星期一打電話預約。
The day (when/that) I have to call to schedule an appointment is Monday.

I have to call on Monday to schedule an appointment.
The reason why I have to call on Monday is to schedule an appointment.

分裂句 – It + be + 短語 + 關係子句（It is/was…that…）

除了 person who，thing that 等，我們還可以使用介紹性的 it， be 動詞可以使用任何動詞時態，以及我們想要強調的句子中的某一個元素。

Shella hid the book under the mattress.
It was Sheila who/that hid the book under the mattress.

Sheila hid the book under the mattress.
It was the book that/which Sheila hid under the mattress.

Sheila hid the book under the mattress.
It was under the mattress that Sheila hid the book.

I have to call on Monday to schedule an appointment.
It’s on Monday that I have to call to schedule an appointment.

I have to call on Monday to schedule an appointment.
It’s to schedule an appointment that I have to call on Monday.

我們可以在名詞片語後使用 who/which 或 that ，例如 Sheila, the book 等。但是我們應該在副詞片語之後使用that，例如在床墊下 under the mattress, 星期一 on Monday，等等。

注意我們也可以在名詞片語之後使用 when ，但不能在副詞片語之後使用 when。比較：

It’s Monday when I have to call.
It’s on Monday that I have to call.

分裂句 – The thing/s that = What/All

我們也可以使用 what 或 all （更強調）而不是 thing/s that 來強調句子中的一個元素。

Sheila hid the book under the mattress.
The thing (that/which) Sheila hid under the mattress was the book.
What Sheila hid under the mattress was the book.
All Sheila hid under the mattress was the book.

I want some of that cake.
The thing (that/which) I want is some of that cake.
What I want is some of that cake.
All I want is some of that cake.

這裡我們可以參考 Mariah Carey 的經典聖誕歌，其中：All I Want for Christmas is you…

分裂句 – What + 主詞 + do/does/did/ + is/was + (to) infinitive 不定詞

當我們想在句子中強調動詞或動詞片語時(意即強調”動作”時)，我們使用這種分裂句結構。在這結構中，我們使用帶或不帶to的不定詞。

Sheila hid the book under the mattress.
What Sheila did was (to) hide the book under the mattress.

You should save some money.
What you should do is save some money.

He screamed.
What he did was (to) scream.
All he did was (to) scream. (更強調)

分裂句 – What happens is (that) … / What happened was (that)

當我們想要強調一整個句子，而不僅僅是句子中的一個元素時，我們會使用這種結構。

Sheila hid the book under the mattress.
What happened was that Sheila hid the book under the mattress.

He is afraid of losing his investment.
What happens is that he is afraid of losing his investment.