定語從句語法疑難綜析

朱秀英

一、關于“介詞+關系代詞”引導的定語從句。

1. 此類定語從句的難點是介詞的判定。一般而言，介詞的選擇主要依據從句中的動詞、形容詞、名詞與介詞的固定搭配而定。例如：

In the dark street there wasnt a single person ____ she could turn for help. (MET 1992)

A. that B. who C. from whom D. to whom

(turn to sb. for help為固定搭配，意為“向某人求助”)

The engineer began to research into the question with which he was not familiar. (with是形容詞familiar后的固定搭配)

2. 介詞的判定有時應根據先行詞與從句中的動詞關系或在從句中所起的作用和表達的含義而定。例如：

The writing brush with which he practices calligraphy is made of wolf hair, so, worth 200 yuan. (with which理解為“用毛筆寫”)

She was educated at Beijing University, ____ she went to have her advanced study abroad. (2006 陜西)

A. after that B. from that C. from which D. after which

(after的確定是根據“北大畢業后”)

I saw a woman running toward me in the dark, before I could recognize who she was, she had run back in the direction ____ she had come. (2007 重慶)

A. of which B. by which C. in which D. from which

(from的確定是根據“她從那個方向來”)

3. 注意有些動詞短語不能拆開使用，其介詞不能放在關系代詞前。常見的有：

look for, look after, pay attention to, take care of, depend on, listen to等。例如：

The injured workers whom the doctors and nurses took good care of are now back at home.

4. 在“of+關系代詞”中，介詞of含有兩方面的意義：

1)表示所屬關系“……的……”，此時of which/whom只能在所修飾詞的后面，其語法意義等于whose+所修飾的詞。例如：

He lives in a room the window of which(=whose window) faces south.

2)表示“其中”，這時of which/whom的位置比較靈活，可以放在所修飾的詞前，也可以放在其后。例如：

There are many foreign students in our school, of whom 20 are from Australia.

The books, five of which are to be kept at the library, will be distributed among us.

5. 注意區別“介詞at/in/on +which”引導的定語從句與where引導的地點狀語從句的區別：

——Mom, what did your doctor say?

——He advised me to live ____ the air is fresher. (2007 四川)

A. in where B. in which C. the place where D. where

不少考生選B或C，是因為此題看起來像定語從句，而實際上本題是考查where引導的地點狀語從句。如果原題為He advised me to live in the place…，則選B；若為He advised me to live in…，則選C，兩者都能完成定語從句的結構。

二、關于主謂一致問題。

1. 若關系代詞作從句主語，則定語從句謂語動詞的數取決于先行詞。例如：

The student was the only one that was admitted into the military college.

The student was one of those who were admitted into military colleges.

2. 關系代詞加所修飾的詞(如whose+n.或n.+of which/whom)作主語時,定語從句謂語動詞的數不是與先行詞而是與所修飾的詞(如名詞單復數)有關。

George explained that this was the official dress for taking examinations(先行詞), many of which were held in June.

A survey(先行詞) was carried out on the death rate of new-born babies in that region, the results of which were surprising.

三、關于定語從句與同位語從句的區別。

——Its thirty years since we last met.

——But I still remember the story, believe it or not, ____ we got

lost on a rainy night. (2007 四川)

A. which B. that C. what D. when

此題巧妙地將定語從句、同位語從句及插入語結合起來，形成不大不小的干擾，對學生進行綜合考查。根據對句意的詳細分析，題目考查的不是定語從句，而是同位語從句，故答案只能選B。復習定語從句應該牽涉到同位語從句，才有深度。定語從句和同位語從句的主要區別點在引導詞which和that上：that既可引導定語從句，又可引導同位語從句；而which不可以引導同位語從句。另外，我們也可以從性質上對這兩種從句加以區別，定語從句是從句對先行詞的修飾和限制，屬于形容詞性從句；而同位語從句是從句對前面的名詞，特別是抽象名詞作補充說明，屬于名詞性從句。再如一些省市的同類題：

The fact ____ she didnt said anything surprised us all.

A. why B. that C. where D. because

We expressed the hope ____ Mr and Mrs Smith would come to visit China next year.

A. that B. which C. until D. if

There is much chance ____ Bill will recover from his injury in time for the race.

A. that B. which C. until D. if

四、區別whose作定語和which作定語。

關系代詞whose是形容詞，只能作定語，不能單獨作主語或賓語。which為名詞性關系代詞，通常只能作主語或賓語,但是也有which當形容詞用作定語的時候。例如：

There are still many people whose living conditions are miserable.

In the office I never seem to have time until after 5:30 p.m., ____ many people have got home. (1995 上海)

A. whose time B. that

C. on which D. by which time

I was told to go not by train but by bus, ____ I followed.

A. that B. where C. that advice D. which advice

兩者的區別是：whose是所屬關系，表示“……的”，而which沒有所屬關系，只表示“這、那”等同位關系。

五、注意幾個名詞case，condition，situation帶定語從句時，通常選用where作關系副詞。也就是說，這幾個詞是暗含地點意義的名詞。例如：

I can think of many cases ____ students obviously knew a lot of English words and expressions but couldnt write a good essay.

(2003 上海)

A. why B. which C. as D. where

Hes got himself into a dangerous situation ____ he is likely to lose control over the plane. (2001 上海)

A. where B. which C. while D. why

名詞point在指地點意義時選where，而在表示時間（點）意義時又選when。例如：

We are just trying to reach a point ____ both sides will sit down together and talk. (2006 山東)

A. where B. that C. when D. which

We had reached the point when there was no money left.

六、弄清whatever，whoever和whichever的定語從句結構

what， whatever， whoever和whichever引導的句子雖然通常都被看作是名詞性從句，但是它們都可以作定語從句的特殊關系代詞。它們看似疑問詞，實際上并不含疑問意義。如果將它們分解，則分別是：whatever= anything that， whichever=the one which， whoever=anyone who。例如：

These pictures are so special that I would do whatever I can to save them.

Take whichever you like best.

Whoever knows the truth will tell you about it.

七、注意the way作先行詞，其后的定語從句的特殊形式。

the way作先行詞時，定語從句的引導詞通常是in which和that，或者省略。例如：

What surprised me was not what he said but ____ he said it.

(2004 湖北)

A. the way B. in the way that

C. in the way D. the way which

Theyre also paid $600 for their work—another way this program differs from others…(2006 四川)

I hate his way in which he always criticizes me.

The way that we made the experiment can be counted as innovative(創新的).

八、注意that可以作關系副詞。

that一向被看作關系代詞，其實它還可以作關系副詞，功能上相當于when， where和why。例如：

This is the first time that we have been here to make a tour.

We invited the man to the party the day that you arrived.

This is the house that my father lived.

The reason that he died was lack of food.