上次我們舉出一英文例子，說它用了幾個連接字很巧妙地把多個意思連貫起來在一句裏：

·        The teacher who taught me the history of how Napoleon was defeated has gone to a remote part of the world where few tourists go.   

(中)：教我拿破侖如何被擊敗的歷史的老師已經去了一個很偏僻的，甚少旅客到的地方。

現在讓我們先看看這些連接字：  conjunctions, relative pronouns, prepositions  究竟是什麽東西：

Conjunction (連詞)

(and, but, or, when, before, until, after, either, neither, because, unless, since…)

conjunction 可以把不同的名詞或句子連起來，這些 Conjunction連接字，中文也有相同 ：

·        I like apples and pears.

(中)：我喜歡蘋果和梨子。

·        Ice cream is delicious, but fruit is better for you.

(中)：雪糕好吃，但水果對你更有益。

·        Please choose between red or blue.

(中)：請選擇紅色或藍色。

·        An eclipse occurs when the moon comes between the sun and the earth.

(中)：日蝕發生是當月球走進太陽和地球中間之際。

·        Many farmers are forced to sell their properties after the big drought.

(中)：在大旱之後很多農夫都被逼出賣他們的產業。

·        You should not eat dessert before you eat the main meal.

(中)：你不應在吃主餐前吃甜品。

·        You cannot put the carriage before the horse.

(中)：你不可以把馬車放在馬前面。（俚語：不可顛倒次序）

 (before, after 也可以是preposition – 遲些再解釋)

·        The police will not rest until the criminal is captured.

(中)：直至罪犯被捕獲為止警察不會休息。

·        He was asked to either do his homework or mow the lawn.

(中)：他被要求選擇做功課或剪草。

·        I cannot open the door because it is jammed.

(中)：我不能開門，因為它卡住了。

·        Liz will not forgive Peter unless he apologised.

(中)：麗絲不會原諒彼得，除非他道歉吧。

·        The world has progressed a lot since electricity was discovered.

(中)：自從電能被發現後這世界已進步了很多。

從上面可見得：Conjunction 可以把兩個或多個名詞連起，亦可以把句子連起成為更長的句子。

下兩次我們會介紹英文relative pronouns 和 prepositions 的特徵。