Question

有关英语的语法问题，高手进！！！

what is harder to establish is whether the productivity revolution that businessmen assume they are presiding over is for real.

问题：1.前面what is harder to establish 是主语从句吗？
2.后面assume后面是宾语从句吗？为什么assume后面不加that？

Answer 1

1. 正解。名词性从句做主语。

2. 整句话是主系表结构：

   主语： What is harder to establish

   系动词：is （whether前面的is）

   表语：whether从句  【whether ... is for real】

3. 其中：whether-clause里面的that ... presiding over是定语，先行词是productivity revolution

4. assume 引起宾语从句的时候，(that)是可以省略地。

   更难确定的一件事情是，商人们认为他们正主宰的生产力革命是否真实。

Have I made myself clear?  

楼主加油!

追问

记得老师说过，that引导的名词性从句that不能省略，否则会引起歧义？

追答

that引导名词性从句如果做主语/表语的话——主语/表语，主语/表语，主语/表语，（重要的事情只说三遍哦！）确实不能省略呀！例如：
That she has passed the exam really astounded me a lot.
她考试通过了，确实使我大吃一惊。
但是，that引导的名词从句在句中做宾语，在非正式口语和写作中，都是可有可无的。
He told me (that) YOU would award me 10 points after a while.
他说你会给我悬赏10分。（Really？）

Answer 2

What is harder to establish is whether the productivity revolution that businessmen assume they are presiding over is for real.
主语从句：What is harder to establish
表语从句：whether the productivity revolution that businessmen assume they are presiding over is for real.
表语从句里嵌套的定语从句：
that businessmen assume
表语从句里嵌套的宾语从句：they are presiding over
句子主干：What is harder to establish is whether the productivity revolution is for real.
assume 为观点类动词，后面的that被省略