1. ... following ancient custom，the young women gathered to dance every holiday．

點撥：following ancient custom是現在分詞作原因狀語，表名大家聚集舉辦舞會的原因。

2. For this May- Day dance，all wore white dresses．

點撥：文中為強調這個節目，把狀語for this May-Day提到句首。
3. Durbeyfield lay back in it, singing，...

點撥：singing是現在分詞作伴隨狀況狀語。德北躺在馬車里的時候，伴隨的狀況是在唱歌，兩個動作同時發生。

4. The girl with the ribbon，who was called Tess，turned red and said quickly to her friends...

點撥：who was called Tess是一個非限定性定語從句，修飾前面的先行詞girl，它補充說明girl的名字。這個非限定性定語從句屬于分隔式定語從句，是為了平衡句子結構，因為它大大長于同樣修飾girl的定語with the ribbon。

5. Three young strangers，who were passing by，also stopped to look．

點撥：who were passing by是非限定性定語從句，修飾前面的先行詞strangers，補充說明strangers的行為，它可以位于句子的謂語前。

7. He looked back from the road， and could still see her in her white dress，standing modestly apart from the dancers．

點撥：standing modestly是現在分詞短語做賓語her的補足語，in her white dress也是賓語her的補足語，那么如果這2者同時做her的補足語的話，介詞短語位于現在分詞短語前面。

8. He wished he had danced with her．He wished he had asked her name．

點撥：這2個句子都使用了虛擬語氣。主句中都有wish這個詞，wish是過去式，那么其后的從句中的謂語就要用過去完成時，第一句是had danced，第二句是had asked。

9. He hurried on to join his brothers．

點撥：on在此處是副詞，意思是“繼續”。