总之，这段时间我一直在研究英文写作，自己写了不少笔记。我看国内网站上英文写作的信息不算多，就索性发出来，也许对一些人会有用。
在英文写作中，最小的单位当然是单词，之后是短语，再之后是子句，再之后是完整的句子。基本所有的英文句子都是由子句构成，要学好英文写作，首先得知道子句是什么。
子句（clause）由一个主语和一个动词构成，如果它本身能表达出一个完整的意思、能作为一个句子存在，那么这样的子句被称为独立子句；如果它无法表达完整意思，那么它被称为从属子句。
独立子句（independent clause）
概念：能够表达出完整的句子，摘出来能为一个句子的子句，就是独立子句。
比如以下加粗部份：
In an era when the average man was about five feet tall, the new emperor stood six feet four.
If opportunity doesn't knock, build a door.
If you've heard this story before, don't stop me, because I'd like to hear it again.
A group of us went to the movie, and we agreed it was enjoyable. （这里有两个独立子句）
从属子句（dependent clause）
概念：虽然也有主语和动词，但是无法表达完整的意思，摘出来无法作为一个单独的句子存在。
比如以下加粗部份：
In an era when the average man was about five feet tall, the new emperor stood six feet four.
The crew could see the whale, which had surfaced only 50m behind them.
A computer once beat me at chess but was no match for me at kick boxing.
I am not tidying the dishes unless Peter helps.
句子如何由子句构成
一个完整的英语句子可以由独立子句和从属子句共同构成，也可以由多个独立子句构成。
1）独立子句+从属子句
独立子句和从属子句可以由连词连起来，也可以由名称代词连起来。
连词包括：but, after, although, as, because, before, even if, even though, if, provided, rather than, since, so that, than, though, unless, until, whether, while, how, that, what, when, where, whenever, once, by the time等。
例子：
（以下黑体为连词，斜体为从属子句，正常体为独立子句）
A computer once beat me at chess but was no match for me at kick boxing.
Don’t throw away the apple because of the core.
The party's policies were based on prejudice rather than on any coherent ideology.
名称代词包括：which, who, whom, whose, why, whoever, whosever
例子：
（以下黑体为连词，斜体为从属子句，正常体为独立子句）
Wives are people who feel they don't dance enough.
Do you know the butcher who went to court on Saturday?
They rode through the herd, which paid little attention to their passage.
2）独立子句+独立子句
独立子句和独立子句之间的连接靠的是连词以及分号（在英语写作中，分号的使用蛮常见的）。
（分号）Her hat is a creation that will never go out of style; it will just look ridiculous year after year.
（分号）My little brother refuses to go to bed early; he is afraid he will miss something.
（连词）He went to the theme park, and he went on all the rides.
（连词）She had just bought two gorgeous dresses, so she needed to get matching shoes.
从属子句的功能
独立子句用来表达句子的主体意思，而从属子句则往往是在整个句子中当作形容词、副词和名词使用的。
1，形容词功能
He who is ashamed of asking is ashamed of learning.
这个从属子句用来形容“他”是怎样的人。
The car that your wife sold me last week has broken down.
用来指名具体是哪辆车。
在形容词功能下，从属子句还细分为限定子句（restrictive clause）和非限定子句（non-restrictive clause）。
两者很容易区分：限定子句前面不加逗号，子句内容是整个主句的一部分，内容重要；非限定子句的前面要加逗号，所提供的内容为补充信息，对于整个主句不是很重要，就像是作者写着写着突然想插点话。
限定子句：
The boy who broke the window is at the door.
“who broke the window"指名了是哪个男孩在门口，它不是插入性信息，因为如果没有它，读者只知道是一个男孩，但不明白具体是谁。
I live in that solitude which is painful in youth but delicious in the years of maturity.
How can you govern a country which has 246 varieties of cheese?
非限定子句：
Simon Baxter, who is a deep-sea fisherman, is training to be a lion tamer.
”who is a deep-sea fisherman"是对Simon Baxter的插入性内容，去除它，读者仍然知道作者指的是Simon Baxter这个人。
Peter Jones, who plays goalkeeper for our village football team, has worked at his father's greengrocers for twenty years.
2，副词功能
副词，哎这个概念比较抽象，其实就是表示地点、时间、程度、方式的词。
He lost his double chin after he gave up chocolate. 表示时间。
I will follow you wherever you go. 表示地点
注意：
从属子句作为副词使用时有一个特点：当从属子句位于整个句子的开头时，它后面会跟一个逗号：When the game has finished, the king and pawn go in the same box.
当从属子句是在整个句子的末尾时，它和主句不分开，没有逗号，比如：I will follow you wherever you go. 绝对不会是，I will follow you, wherever you go.
3，名词功能
She cannot remember what she said last night.
她记不起来昨晚说了什么，“昨晚说了什么”是这句话中的名词，只不过长了一点。
It is even harder for the average ape to believe that he has descended from man.
动词“believe”后跟的是名词。
