it happened that...句式

It happened that…是英語中一個很有用的句式，其意為“碰巧……”。句首的 it 可視為形式主語。如：

It happened that the ferry service was canceled. 碰巧渡船服務取消了。

It happened that her parents were both out.  有時剛好她父母會同時不在家。

It happened that the harvest was bad that year. 恰好那年收成不好。

It happened that I had driven that kind of car before. 碰巧我過去曾開過那種汽車。

It happened that I was standing next to him when he collapsed. 他倒下的時候我恰巧站在他旁邊。

類似的結構還有：it chanced that…。如：

It chanced that the man was a doctor. 那男人碰巧是位醫生。

It chanced that she was in when he called. 他打電話時碰巧她在家。

It happened / chanced that she spoke fluent Swahili. 偏巧她很會說斯瓦希里語。

為加強語氣，so 常與 happen / chance 連用。如：

It so happened / chanced that I’d met her a few years before. 碰巧我幾年前見過她。