Question

搞不懂句子成分

A common case was when shellfish fossils found across Europe were said to be imprints of the Devil's Toenail.
这个when shellfish 怎么能直接加was呢？ when后面的句子怎么划分句子成分？

Answer 1

大句子是主系表结构：
主语：a common case；was之后直到末尾是表语从句，由疑问副词when做引导词。对于疑问副词引导的表语从句，应熟悉。比如：This is where I was born.（这就是我出生的地方）。
从句中：
主语：shellfish fossils，之后的found across Europe是一个过去分词做主语的后置定语，表示被动。
were said to be直到句末的应该能看懂了吧，"据说是..."

Answer 2

你好。你的句子有问题。应该是：
A common case was THAT shellfish fossils found across Europe were said to be imprints of the Devil's Toenail ----------用that取代when。这样的话，shellfish- - - - Devil's Toenail就成了这个句子的从句部分-------表语从句。如果还是用when- - -- 的话，语感告诉我，是一个不地道的英语句子。

追问

嗯，我也觉得when是不对的。但是这是托福阅读里面的句子。╮(￣▽￣")╭ 弄不明白。所以有没有可能when和that的成分是一样的？作为宾语从句的引导词？啊！或者本来应该是when shellfish fossils were found across Europe was said to be 什么什么。这个when引导的句子在宾语从句里面做主语。然后were省略了？

追答

when shellfish fossils were found across Europe was said to be
---------这样的话，句子又要改写了：
A common case was ONE when shellfish fossils WERE found across Europe THAT were said to be imprints of the - - -.

ONE ==a case

Answer 3

"常见的情况是"这个was是前面主语case的数。全句可能的意思是：
一种常见的情况是，当贝壳类化石被发现时，整个欧洲都认为那是魔鬼的脚趾甲。
when shellfish fossils found当贝壳化石被发现
只能提示你这么多，只懂得这么多，呵呵。

Answer 4

A common case 是整个句子的主语，was作为其谓语是没有问题的
shellfish fossils found across Europe，这里的found across Europe作为定语修饰shellfish fossils
were作为shellfish fossils谓语动词也是没有问题的

整个句子结构很明确，还有不懂的楼主可追问

Answer 5

我也觉得你这个句子应该有误喔。a common case一般只可以接where(+某种情形)或者that（+某件事）来引导。
所以这个句子应该改成A common case was that shellfish fossils found across Europe were said to be imprints of the Devil's Toenail
这是由连词that引导的表语从句。而且that不可以省略。
A common case是主语。was是谓语。
that shellfish fossils found across Europe were said to be imprints of the Devil's Toenail. 是从句。从句中， shellfish fossils是主语， found across Europe是定语， were said to be imprints of the Devil's Toenail是谓语。be said to do sth.表被动哦~

Answer 6

A common case was (that){ [when shellfish fossils (which was)<found across Europe>]were said to be imprints of the Devil's Toenail.} 如果看不懂我这种符号表示方式请留言。