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思维方式决定句子结构，英语国家人的线性思维方式（linear thinking）决定了英语句子按线性思维组合排列。
线性思维的特点：主干与细节或者中心与细节分工明确。主干以基本句（见1-2A）的形式出现，相当于树的主干。细节以从句、短语、修饰词的形式出现，相当于树的枝。在语法上这些细节被称为定语、同位语、状语。按线性思维排列的句子层次分明，逻辑清晰，语言简洁。
八个句子成分分工如下：
线性思维主要体现在长句上，因为只有长句才存在主次之分的前提。句子越长，线性思维的痕迹越明显。基本句与汉语的思维接近，尽管少数也有线性思维的痕迹，如1-2A的句型16~23。
同树一样，主次是相对的。主干上分出大枝，大枝上可再分出细枝。以I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your contributions to our company为例。I would like to take this opportunity是主干，to thank you for your contributions to our company是枝；就to thank you for your contributions to our company而言，to thank you 是主干，for your contributions to our company是枝；就for your contributions to our company而言，for your contributions是主干，to our company是枝。
中国学生学习英语有很多困难，但最大的困难是把握不住长句的组合规律（如果英语都是短句，几乎人人都可无师自通），造成这一困难深层次的原因是我们不了解英语国家人的思维方式，不了解基本句、从句、短语、修饰词之间分工的道理。认识线性思维是克服这个困难很有效的方法，只有知道英语国家的人怎么想，才会明白为什么他们的句子那样排列。
我们的教学在分析长句结构时，惯用的方法是分析句子成分。即便我们会熟练使用这种方法，可能还是知其然而不知其所以然。如果了解了线性思维就会做到不但知其然，而且知其所以然。
如1-13所说，线性思维集中体现在长句中。其排列有三种模式：主干位于句首、主干位于句中、主干位于句尾。
1-14的例句中，A是短句，不能充分体现线性思维；B是长句，可充分体现线性思维，划线部分是句子的主干。
英语长句多数按这个模式排列，即主干在前，细节在后，或先概括后细节。除了此处的例句外，it作形式主语（见2-11）和it作形式宾语的句子（见2-63）以及第五章重心后移的句子也属于这种模式。
1. 去年夏天，洛杉矶加菲尔德中学沉浸在一片自豪和兴奋的气氛中，因为该校参加大学微积分分级考试的十八名学生获悉他们都以高分通过考试。这是在全国举行的考试，每一百个要上大学的中学最高年级学生中只有三个人能参加考试。
A. Pride and excitement gripped Los Angeles’s Garfi eld High School last summer. The 18 students had taken the advanced-placement exam for college calculus. It was a test taken nationally by only three out of a hundred college-bound seniors.They learned that they all passed with high scores.
B. Pride and excitement gripped Los Angeles’s Garfi eld High School last summer as the 18 students who had taken the advanced-placement exam for college calculus，a test taken nationally by only three out of a hundred college-bound seniors，learned that they all passed with high scores.
2. 很快，整屋子的人都介绍给了史蒂夫·艾伦。他从房间后面出来，一个四人小乐队伴他向舞台走去，同时演奏着他的主题曲《这可能是了不起事情的开始》。
A. Before long，the full house was introduced to Steve Allen. He emerged from the back of the room and made his way to the stage. He was accompanied by a four piece combo. The combo was playing his theme song. The name of the song was “This Could Be the Start of Something Big”.
B. Before long，the full house was introduced to Steve Allen ，who emerged from the back of the room and made his way to the stage accompanied by a four piece combo playing his theme song，“This Could Be the Start of Something Big”.
3. 一位陌生人背着背包在布满岩石的丘陵上漫步，时不时地停下来与照料山羊群的牧羊人聊聊天。
A. A stranger wandered over the rocky hills. He carried a knapsack on his shoulder. He paused now and then to chat with herdsmen. The herdsmen were tending their fl ocks of goats.
B. A stranger wandered over the rocky hills， with a knapsack on his shoulder，pausing now and then to chat with herdsmen tending their fl ocks of goats.
4. 我当时正站在堆物凌乱的前走廊，看着那四个孩子──都和我的年纪相仿──在那茂密的绿草地上玩耍。那片草地在八月的暑热里闪着柔和的光，像沙漠中的一片绿洲。
A. I was standing on the cluttered front porch. I was watching the four children. They were all about my age. They were playing on the thick green lawn. The lawn shimmered like an oasis in the August heat.
B. I was standing on the cluttered front porch ，watching the four children，all about my age，playing on the thick green lawn shimmering like an oasis in the August heat.
1. 由于在枝繁叶茂的灌木丛中行走，难以保持直线方向，她不断地迷失方向，不时地查看指南针和地图。
A. She was unable to maintain direct bearings in the thick bush. She repeatedly got lost. She puzzled over her compass and map.
B. Unable to maintain direct bearings in the thick bush，she repeatedly got lost，puzzling over her compass and map.
2. 一见到玛丽，他就心慌意乱。他不想让她待在自己身边，就把她托给了他的朋友杰克来照料。杰克一见到玛丽就被她迷住了。
A. He was unnerved at Mary’s appearance. He didn’t want her to be near him. He placed her in the care of his friend，Jack. Upon seeing Mary，Jack was immediately attracted to her.
B. Unnerved at Mary’s appearance and not wanting her to be near him， he placed her in the care of his friend，Jack ，who，upon seeing Mary，was immediately attracted to her.
3. In pursuance of a Letter of Intent dated 23 rd January，1999 and made between Party A and Party B （hereinafter called “Parties”） regarding their proposed cooperation in promoting and developing the foodstuffs industry in Guangdong Province and other areas in China， the Parties enter into this contract on the basis of equality and mutual benefi t and through amiable negotiations to incorporate a joint venture （to be known as Hongda Corporation Limited） under the Law of the People’s Republic of China on Chinese-Foreign Equity Joint Ventures and other laws and regulations promulgated by the People’s Republic of China in order to promote the development of the foodstuffs industry in China and to introduce advanced technical equipment and scientific management in furtherance of such objectives. 依据1999年1月23日甲乙两方（此后称为双方）就拟议合作促进和开发广东省及中国其他地区食品工业的意向书，双方在平等互利的基础上，并通过友好协商签订该合同。根据《中华人民共和国中外合资经营企业法》以及中华人民共和国颁布的其他法律法规，组成股份式合营企业（将被称为：宏达有限公司），以促进中国食品工业的发展和为旨在推动实现以上目标而引进先进设备和科学管理方式。
有些长句的主题分散在细节之间，通常主语的前后跟有修饰语，谓语出现在句子的中部。
4. The constant s unshine and mild climate of southern California make it an ideal site for shooting motion pictures.加利福尼亚南部阳光充足，气候宜人，所以那里是拍摄影片的理想场所。
5. We who，fi rst in the League of Nations and now in the United Nations，have attempted to give an abiding foundation to the peace of which men have dreamed so long have lived to see a world marred by cleavages and threatened by discords ever graver and more violent than those which convulsed Europe after the fall of the Roman Empire. 从起初的国际联盟到今天的联合国，我们试图为人们渴望已久的和平奠定一个永久性的基础，然而目睹的却是一个裂痕纵横的世界。其程度是欧洲自罗马帝国灭亡以来最剧烈的，其规模是那时以来最大的。
常见的有两种情况：
（一）主语的同位语在句首，尤其主语不是名词而是代词时。在例1 B中，如果将thinker，seeker，and creator放在he后面，逗号太多会破坏结构的严密。
（二）一些提供背景的状语应该出现在句首，如例2 B和例3 B。
1. 作为一个思想家、探索者和创作家，他在世时早就是个传奇式的人物了。
A. He was a thinker. He was a seeker. He was a creator. He was a legend long before his death.
B. Thinker，seeker，and creator， he was a legend long before his death .
2. 他躺在光秃的土地上，赤着脚，留着胡须，半裸着身子，看起来像个乞丐，或是个疯子。
A. He was lying on the bare earth. He didn’t have shoes. He had a beard. He was half-naked. He looked like a beggar or a lunatic.
B. Lying on the bare earth，shoeless，bearded，half-naked， he looked like a beggar or a lunatic.
3. 丁玲生在南国的洞庭湖之滨，成长在中国革命的风雨里；在青春的道路上，她享受过为崇高理想斗争和创造的欢乐，也经历过坎坷和不幸。她的一生与中国革命的命运，与中国人民的命运联系在一起。
A. Ding Ling came into the world by the side of Lake Dongting. She grew up in the storms and stress of revolution. She plodded the road of youthful life and experienced the joys of struggle for noble ideas and creative activities，ups and downs，volatile turns of fortune. She throughout her life identifi ed herself with her motherland in the throes of revolution and the joys of revolution.
B. Coming into the world by the side of Lake Dongting，growing up in the storms and stress of revolution，plodding the road of youthful life and experiencing the joys of struggle for noble ideas and creative activities，ups and downs，volatile turns of fortune， Ding Ling throughout her life identified herself with her motherland in the throes of revolution and the joys of revolution.
介词是线性思维的产物，具体表现在：①介词是连接细节的桥梁；②介词是重心后移的重要手段。
介词搭配的重要性仅次于动词搭配，不过掌握介词搭配的难度远远大于掌握动词搭配的难度。在平时的阅读中，要注意观察和记忆介词前后的词，勤查词典进行确认。
有人说，英语是介词的语言。这个说法有点夸张，但从本节、第四章第三节和第五章第三节的例句可以看出这个说法很有道理。没有介词，英语将无法做到逻辑清晰和语言简洁。
介词是表示方向、对象、处所、时间、方式等的词。简单地说，介词是把这些细节连接起来的桥梁。介词大量出现在1-14A（主干在前，细节在后）和1-14B（主干居中或分散在细节之间）两种模式中，如果没有介词作为桥梁，这两种模式中的很多细节将无法连接，句子的框架将崩溃。下面提供两组例句，第一组为1-14A模式，第二组为1-14B模式，划线部分是句子的主干。
──── 主干在前细节在后 ────
1. He arrived in Shanghai by train at three p.m. with two professors from Peking University.他乘火车下午三点到达上海，一同到达的还有北京大学的两位教授。
2. I am grateful to you for your reply of March 3 th to my request for postponement of the date of the meeting.感谢你3月3日对我要求推迟会议日期的答复。
3. They are trying to cut down on the use of private automobiles by introducing the competition in the form of a huge network of city buses with very low fares.他们正在想方设法建立票价低廉的城市公共汽车巨型网络来进行竞争，以减少私人小汽车的使用。4. Christmas is the celebration of the birth of the founder of the Christian faith.圣诞节是庆祝基督教创始人诞辰的节日。
5. He arrived at the island around 1501 after stowing away on a ship bound for Spain.他偷偷地溜上一艘开往西班牙的船只，约于1501年到达该岛。
6. The vast expanse of the United States of America stretches from the heavily industrialized metropolitan Atlantic seaboard across the rich flat farms of the central plains， over the Rocky Mountains to the fertile west coast，then half way across the Pacific to the balmy island state of Hawaii. 美利坚合众国地域辽阔：从高度工业化、遍布大都市的大西洋沿岸，延伸至中部平原肥沃平坦的农场，越过落基山脉，到达富饶的西海岸，然后跨越半个太平洋到达气候温和、由群岛组成的夏威夷州。
7. We are purchasing goods of the same quality from other suppliers at a price much lower than yours.我们正在从其他供应商那里以比你们低得多的价格购买同样质量的商品。
8. She raised a claim against the lorry driver for the damage to her fence.因篱笆受损，她向那个卡车司机提出索赔。（claim against sb，claim for sth/damage to sth）
9. I have covered insurance on my car for 120% of invoice value against all risks with PICC.我已经到中国人民保险公司按发票金额的120%给我的车投了一切险。（insurance on+货物，insurance for+发票金额，insurance against+险种，insurance with+保险公司。）
──── 主干居中或分散在细节之间 ────
10. By trade a dealer in antique furniture， with a shop in the King’s Road， Boggis has achieved a considerable reputation by producing unusual items with astonishing regularity. 博吉斯是个古董家具商，在国王路上开了一个铺子。由于他令人惊讶地定期摆出一些不寻常的家具，在当地赢得了相当大的名气。
11. The saga of liner Titanic ，which struck an iceberg and sank on its maiden voyage in 1912，carrying more than 1 500 passengers to their deaths， has been celebrated in print and on film， in poetry and song.泰坦尼克号班轮在1912年的处女航中因撞上冰山而沉没，船上一千五百多名乘客全部罹难。此后关于它的传说就一直在各种刊物、电影以及诗歌和歌曲中广泛流传。
12. The other atomic bomb —the one that ended the war in Asia and the last so far used in anger— exploded over the city of Nagasaki at 11:02 a.m. on the morning of 9 th August，1945.第二枚原子弹于1945年8月9日上午11时02分在长崎市上空爆炸。这枚原子弹结束了亚洲的战争，它同时也是迄今为止在愤怒之下使用的最后一枚原子弹。
13. In pursuance of a Letter of Intent dated 23 rd January，1999 and made between Party A and Party B （hereinafter called “Parties”） regarding their proposed cooperation in promoting and developing the foodstuffs industry in Guangdong Province and other areas in China，t he Parties enter into this contract on the basis of equality and mutual benefit and through amiable negotiations to incorporate a joint venture （to be known as Hongda Corporation Limited） under the Law of the People’s Republic of China on Chinese-Foreign Equity Joint Ventures and other laws and regulations promulgated by the People’s Republic of China in order to promote the development of the foodstuffs industry in China and to introduce advanced technical equipment and scientific management in furtherance of such objectives.（译文见1-14B例3。）
介词是把句子的重心由前转到后的移动器。重心后移有两个手段，其中之一是使用带有介词的结构，特别是从句的重心后移多依靠带有介词的结构，详见5-3B。
“名词化+介词”是名词化过程中常见的现象。在一个句子中，“名词化+介词”的数量越多，句子就越难。如下面每组的B句比A句难。名词化详见第四章第三节。
1. 一个陌生人突然出现，我们很害怕。
A. We were frightened when a stranger suddenly appeared.（没有介词）
B. We were frightened by the sudden appearance of a stranger.（两个介词）
2. 我们注意到，她的家人对婚礼延期不高兴。
A. We noticed that her family were dissatisfi ed that the wedding was delayed.（没有介词）
B. We noticed the dissatisfaction of her family with the delay in wedding.（三个介词）
3. 那人因怕被警察认出而吓得发抖。
A. The man trembled because he feared that he would be recognized by the police.（一个介词）
B. The man trembled with fear of being recognized by the police.（三个介词）
4. 买方要求他们订购的东西在一周内交货，我们接受了他们的要求。
A. The buyer requested that their order should be delivered within a week，and we accepted. （一个介词）
B. We accepted the buyer’s request for delivery of their order within a week.（三个介词）
C. We accepted the request of the buyer for delivery of their order within a week.（四个介词）
5. 那个科学家参观了我们学校，这对学生是巨大的鼓舞。
A. The scientist visited our school. This greatly encouraged the students.（没有介词）
B. The visit to our school by the scientist was a great encouragement to the students.（三个介词）
6. 我不明白她为什么拒绝了他的求婚。
A. I don’t understand why she rejected his offer of marriage.（一个介词）
B. I don’t understand the reason for her rejection of his offer of marriage.（三个介词）
词典会对“名词化+介词”进行提示并配备例句，如《朗文当代英语词典》和《牛津高阶英汉双解词典》。