在日常交際用語和書面表達中,插入語頻頻出現(xiàn).英語中的插入語（Parenthesis）是插在句子中的一個詞,短語或從句,通常被逗號、破折號或句子的其他部分隔開,它與句子的其他部分之間沒有語法上的關(guān)系,因此,有的語法學(xué)家將其歸為獨立成分.
插入語在句中通常是對一句話的一些附加解釋,說明或總結(jié)；有時表示說話者的態(tài)度和看法；有時起強調(diào)的作用；有時是為了引起對方的注意；還可以起轉(zhuǎn)移話題或說明事由的作用；也可以承上啟下,使句子與前面的語句銜接的更緊密一些.
插入語大致可分為以下10種類型：
1.形容詞或形容詞短語作插入語
如：worst still,sure enough,strange,most important of all等.
Strange,there is nobody in the classroom.很奇怪,教室里沒人.
2.副詞或副詞短語作插入語
如：personally,honestly,fortunately,luckily,for us,though,besides,exactly,surely,frankly,still otherwise 等.
Luckily for you,I happen to have the key.
你很運氣,我正好帶了鑰匙.
3.介詞短語作插入語
如：of course,in short,as a matter of fact,by the way,on the other hand,in my opinion,in conclusion等.
In short,we should not stop halfway.
簡言之,我們不能半途而廢.
As a result,they suffered heavy losses.
結(jié)果,他們受到了嚴重損失.
On the contrary,we should strengthen our ties with them.
相反,我們還應(yīng)加強和他們的聯(lián)系.
4.現(xiàn)在分詞短語作插入語
如：generally speaking,judging from/ by …,talking of…,considering…等.
Considering his age,he did very well.
從年齡考慮,他干得挺不錯.
Frankly speaking,I don’t like the job.
坦率地說,我不喜歡這份工作.
Talking of singing,will you go to the concert with me tonight?
說到唱歌,你今晚愿意和我一塊去音樂會嗎?
5.過去分詞短語作插入語
Painted white,we like the house better.
漆成白色,我們更喜歡這房子.
注意：之所以稱它為插入語,是由于這種過去分詞是獨立的,沒有邏輯主語.
6.動詞不定式
如：to be sure,to be frank（坦率地說）,to tell you the truth（說實話）,so to speak （可以說）等.
To be frank,I don’t quite agree with you.
坦率地說,我不太同意你的意見.
That’s a wonderful idea,to be sure.
這個主意好極了,的確.
To tell you the truth,I am not very interested in going to the show.
說實在的,我不太想去看演出.
7.代詞詞組
如：all the same（盡管如此）,all told（總共）,all in all（總的來說）等.
His crew was reduced to twenty-four all told.
他的船員減少到總共二十四人.
All in all,her condition is greatly improved.
總的來說,她的情況有很大好轉(zhuǎn).
8.從句
如：if so / not / any,if I may say so,if you don’t mind,as you know,as you say 等.
If I may say so,we know nothing about it.
正如我所說的,我們對它一無所知.
This man,as you know,is good for nothing.
正如你所說的,這個人是個廢物.
9.句子
如：I say /hear,I think /hope / believe,you know / see,what’s more,that is （to say）,I’m afraid,do you think / suppose等.
It’s a great mistake,I think,not to accept their proposal.
我看,不接受他們的建議是個大錯誤.
The temple disappeared,no one remembers when.
誰也不記得什么時候這座廟就沒有了.
The old man,it is said,was an artist but people hardly know anything about this side of his life.
據(jù)說,這位老人曾是個藝術(shù)家,可是人們對他這方面的生活幾乎一無所知.
10.用標點符號引導(dǎo)插入語
如：He was （strange as it seems）an excellent sportsman.
他（盡管還顯得令人不解）是個出色的運動員.
He was －to me at least,if not to you－a figure that was worth having pity on.
至少我覺得如此,即使你不這樣認為,他是一個值得同情的人.