
摘要:關系從句是英語語法中最重要的語法之一,也是各類考試中必考知識點。
關鍵詞:從句;先行詞;代詞;副詞
一、概述
關系從句也叫定語從句,可分為:限制性關系從句和非限制性關系從句。
(1)限制性關系從句一般都直接置于其修飾的先行詞之后,前面不加逗號,一般由下列關系代詞引導:
(2)非限制性關系從句,用來對前面某一先行詞進行補充說明,或對前面整句話進行評述(后者只能用which來引導),前面須加逗號,一般由下列關系代詞引導:
(3)先行詞是時間、地點、原因,且在從句中作狀語時,分別用關系副詞when,where,why引導。when和where可以用“介詞+which”替換;why的先行詞只能是reason,why可用“for which”代替。
Eg:
①She remembered the day when (=on which) Paul had first walked into her office.
②We then moved to Pairs,where (=in which)we lived for six years.
③This is the reason why (=for which) you should leave.
二、限制性定語從句
(一)只能用that,不用which 引導定語從句的特殊情況
(1)當先行詞是all,everything,nothing,something,anything,little,none, few 等不定代詞時。
(2)當先行詞被序數詞或形容詞最高級修飾時。
(3)當先行詞被no,every,some,any,only,very,much等限定修飾時。
(4)當先行詞既有人又有物時。
(5)當先行詞為主句的表語或關系代詞為從句的表語時。
(6)There be 句型中,當先行詞為物時。
(7)當先行詞前面有who,which,what等特殊代詞時。
Eg:
①All that we need is the support from you.
②The first lesson that I learned will never be forgotten.
③He is the only person that I want to see.
④The passengers and parcels that filled the car were mixed.
⑤Our school is no longer the school that it used to be.
⑥There is a room in the building that is still free.
⑦Who is the lady that is waiting at the school gate?
(二)只能用which,不能用that導定語從句的特殊情況
(1)which 可以引導非限制性定語從句,that 則不能。
(2)which之前可以接介詞,that 則不能。
(3)當先行詞本身為that時。
Eg:
①He changed his mind,which made me very angry.
②The questions were all on opera, about which I know nothing.
③Whats that which flashed in the shky just now.
(三)準關系代詞as,than,but
as,than,but這幾個連接詞可以像關系詞一樣,前面有名詞作先行詞;但它們后面的定語從句卻不像典型的定語從句。所以這些既像連接詞又像關系詞的詞,稱其為準關系代詞。準關系代詞只有as,than,but,用法如下:
(1)as 主要用在“such (+n)+as”(和….同樣的),“the same(+n)+as”(像….這樣的),the same as,such as,as…as 等結構中:
Eg:
①She has as much money as is required.
②I havent much money but you can use such as I have.
③The town is not the same country as it used to be.
④We do the same work as they do.
(2)than 作為準關系代詞出現在more....than,less...than,fewer...than等結構中,這時than前面要有名詞:
Eg:
①I have more money than is needed.
②Barbara seems to lake a keener interest in piano music than has ever been shown.
(3)But是具有否定意義的準關系代詞代替人或物,在意義上等同于“that/which/who..not”,but前面的主句要有另一個否定意義。
Eg:
①There is no one but is concerned about his future.
②There is nothing but she can do.
三、非限制性定語從句
(一)兩種定語從句關系詞的區別
(1)非限制性定語從句中的關系詞不可省略。
(2)whom在非限制性定語從句中作賓語時不可用who來代替。
(3)非限制性定語從句的先行詞也可為整個主句,此時非限制性定語從句。
常由which引導,還可用in which case,at which point,on which occasion等(從句謂語動,詞要用第三人稱單數)。
Eg:
①A young man had a new girl friend,whom he wanted to impress.
②The son didnt pass the exam,which disappointed him.
③I may have to work late, in which case Ill telephone you.
(二)as與which 引導的非限制性定語從句的區別:
(1)as 只指代整個主句,而which即可指代整個主句也可指代句中的一部分。
(2)as 引導從句時表示“正如”,無具體內容,which引導從句時表示具體的內容。
(3)as 引導的從句位置很靈活,可在主句前面、中間和后面,而which 從句只能放在主句之后。
Eg:
①Air,as is well-known,contains some kinds of gas.
②The night has turned cold,as is usual around here.
③He changed his mind at the last moment,which make me angry.
④I called him by the wrong name,for which mistake I apologized.
四、定語從句與同位語從句的區別
二者形式相似,均位于名詞或代詞后,區別為:
(1)前者相當于形容詞,對先行詞加以限制或修飾;后者相當于名詞,對名詞性成分加以補充說明,是具體內容的體現。
(2)前者的關系詞要代替先行詞在從句中作句子適當的句子成分,有時可省略;后者的引導詞不在從句中充當句子成分,但不可省略。
(3)前者不能用whether,how 等連詞引導,后者可以。
Eg:
①The fact that he had not said anything surprised everybody.(同位語)
②The fact that you are talking about is important.(定語從句)
參考文獻:
[1]伍樂其.專四語法與語匯[M].北京:世界圖書出版公司,2015.
作者簡介:
南玉祥(1979-),男,甘肅天水人,講師,主要從事翻譯和英語語用學研究工作。