1.用“连词+分词”来替代从句

当主句和从句的主语一致,谓语的时态又是同时段发生,可以把从句的主语省去,变谓语动词为现在分词或过去分词。如果分词的逻辑或时间意义不明确,还可以保留连词。

例1:Guests mingle while enjoying cake, punch and other treats.

客人们一边吃蛋糕、喝饮料以及享用其它的食品,一边却在一起聊天。

例2:While speaking out against Hitler’s atrocities, the American people generally favored isolationist policies and neutrality. 

虽然美国人谴责希特勒的暴行,但是他们却一惯奉行孤立政策和中立态度。

例3:Plastics are materials which are softened by heat and set into lasting form when shaped in a mold.

注:如果从句的谓语是系动词be,在简化句型时应该把be动词改成being,但是由于being语义意义,所以可以省略,这样就造成了形容词作状语了。

例1:These apples, when ripe, are picked. 

这些苹果一旦熟了就要被摘下来。

例2:She knows all the hazards of smoking while pregnant. 

她知道怀孕时吸烟的一切危害性。

2. 用“介词+分词”来替代从句

一般说来,用on和at表示“as soon as, once”。on后面常接“来、去”之类的词,at后面常接“听到、看到”之类的词。in后面接其他带动作的词,相对于从属连词“while”。

例1:On removing them he was stunned to see that the plates were fogged where the crystals had covered them.  

当他把晶体揭开时,发现盘子上方雾蒙蒙,他吃了一惊。

例2:In running down the stairs, I heard the clock struck twelve.

我在跑下楼的时候,听见钟敲了十二下。

例3:He jumped with joy at hearing the news. 

他一听到这个消息就高兴得跳了起来。

3. 用“介词+动作性名词”来替代从句

同上面一样,At基本上后接sound,sight“听到、看到”之类的词;on接“回来、到达”之类的词;用in,during表示“when, while”;用over表示“while”之意。当然,这一切都是相对的分类。

例1:The little girl passed out at sight of a snake. 

小女孩一看到蛇就昏过去了。

例2:In our hurry to get from one place to another, we failed to see anything on the way. 

当我们急急忙忙从这儿到那儿的时候,一路上什么也没有看见。

例3:On arrival at the railway station, he found the train had already left. 

当他到达火车站的时候,他发现火车已经开走了。

例4:He had intended to go, but on second thoughts, he gave up the idea.

他本来想去,但进一步考虑后,打消了这个念头。

例5:During my absence, would you please take care of my cat?

在我不在的时候,请帮我照看一下猫,好吗?

例6:He fell asleep over a book. 

他看书的时候睡着了。

例7:After reelection he announces that he will not help. 

经过一番考虑后,他宣布将不提供任何帮助。

例8:After graduation, he went to America for his PhD studies.

 毕业之后,他去了美国攻读博士。

4. 用“并列句”代替

例句:Two other poses were tried and I emerged from the booth to find a lot people waiting for my signatures.

又试了两个其他的姿势后,我从拍照亭里出来,发现很多人在那里等待我的签名。