定语从句常见考点分析
2012-04-29王晓珊
王晓珊
摘要: 定语从句是英语语法的重要内容。从中学英语到大学英语,定语从句都是考查学生的一个重要考点。作者结合多年的教学经验,综合各类考试分析,对定语从句的常见考点进行归纳总结,帮助广大学生熟练自如地运用定语从句。
关键词: 定语从句英语考试常见考点
定语从句(Attributive Clauses)是由关系词引导,在句中作定语的从句。它的作用相当于形容词,修饰或限定名词及代词,又称为形容词性从句。被定语句修饰的名词或代词叫做先行词,定语从句由关系词引出,通常紧跟在先行词之后,其基本格式为:n./pron.+引导词+从句。定语从句分为限定性定语从句和非限定性定语从句。引导定语从句的关系词分为关系代词和关系副词。各类考试中,主要考查定语从句引导词的选择及与其他一些语言现象的综合运用,因此,学生在掌握定语从句基本用法的基础上,应主要掌握以下考点。
一、引导词that与which之间的用法区别
1.先行词为不定代词 all,much,anything等或被all,much,every等修饰时,引导词用that。
All that is worth doing should be done well.
2.先行词被序数词、形容词最高级或表示强调的词the only,the very,the right,以及the next,the last等修饰时,引导词用that。
The only thing that they could do was to wait.
3.先行词同时包含人和物时,引导词用that。
Tom asked about the factories and workers that he had visited.
4.无论先行词指人或指物,引导词在从句中作表语时,都用that引导定语从句,that也可省略。
He is no longer the man (that)he was.
5.主句以which,who开头时,从句引导词用that。
Which of his songs that he sang did you like most?
6.当关系词在there be 结构中作实义主语时,常用that指人或指物。
Theres still a room that is free.
7.句子中有两个定语从句,其中一个定语从句的关系代词用了which,另一个宜用that;反之亦然。有时为了明确所指对象避免歧义,须用who指人,which指物,用that则不恰当。例:
Theres only one student in the school who (m) I wanted to see.
这个定语从句的先行词显然是student,为了明确起见,用who/whom 为好。
8.非限定性定语从句中,用which作引导词,指代物或指代整个句子,此时不能用that。
Yesterday she sold her car,which she bought a year ago.
9.在“介词+关系代词”引导的定语从句中,先行词指物,引导词只能用which;先行词指人,引导词只能用whom。
Have you ever met the girl to whom I was talking?
10.当关系代词后面有插入语时,通常用which而不用that。
Here is the English grammar which,as I have told you,will help improve your English.
11.先行词为that或被that修饰时,引导词用which。
That dog which I found in the street belongs to Mary.
二、引导词whose 的用法
1.无论先行词指人还是物,只要在从句中作定语,引导词都用whose.
2.先行词指物时,可以用of which代替whose.
He studies in a school whose buildings(=the buildings of which) are built on top of a hill.
三、as引导的限定性定语从句的用法
1.As引导限定性定语从句,常构成“such/so/as/the same ... as ...”结构,as的先行词可以是人或物,引导词在定语从句中充当一定的语法成分,as引导的定语从句带有比较意义,从句常常只写出比较部分,as本身不可省略。
He used such expressions as he could find in the texts.
2.such ... as与such ... that 的区别。
As在从句中充当成分,引导的是定语从句,意思为“这样的……如/像”,that在从句中不充当成分,引导的是状语从句,意思为“如此……以至于”。
Teachers talked in such simple English that children could understand it .(状语从句)
Teachers talked in such simple English as children could understand.(定语从句)
3.The same ... as 与the same ... that的区别。
在这种结构中,as引导的从句指的是与先行词同类的事物;that引导的从句指的是与先行词同一个事物。
This is the same watch as I lost yesterday.(这块手表和我昨天丢的手表的样式是相同的。 )
This is the same bag that I lost yesterday.(这就是我昨天丢失的那个包。)
四、引导词as与which之间的用法区别
1.As和which都可以引导非限定性定语从句,指代整个句子,相当于and this或and that。
The bridge is really wonderful,as is shown in the picture.
He has to work on Sundays,which he doesnt like.
2.As引导非限制性定语从句时,其意思为“正如(情形或事实)……那样、正像……一样”;which不具有此意,常译为“这”、“这点”。
I travel to the Binhai New Area by light railway every day,as do many businessmen who live in downtown Tianjin.
该句的非限定性定语从句只能用as,不能用which。
3.Which引导的非限定性定语从句只能放在主句之后,用主动语态;as引导的非限定性定语从句可放在主句之前、之后或中间,其后常接expect,know,report等动词的主动、被动语态。在句法上,as常与一些实义动词构成固定搭配,如:as I remember,as has been said before,as often happens等。
He wasnt unconscious,as could be judged from his eyes.
He failed in the exam again,as we expected./which was unexpected.
五、than和but引导定语从句的用法
1.Than用作关系代词,在定语从句中作主语或宾语,其结构为:比较级+先行词+than。Mike bought more English reference books than were needed.
2 But作为关系代词引导定语从句时,一般同具有否定意义的主句连用,其先行词可以是人,也可以是物,其结构为:否定词+先行词+but ,but本身具有否定含义,在意义上等于that ... not,who ... not,which ... not。
There is no parent but loves her child.
六、先行词为way的定语从句
当先行词为way时,定语从句通常由in which/that引导,也可以省略。
The way in which/ that he answered the question was surprising.
七、关系副词的用法
当先行词表示时间、地点或原因的名词,又在句中作状语时,其引导词分别用when、where、 why;也可用“介词+which”来引导:When=in which/ on which 等,where=in which /on which等,why=for which,但这类表示时间、地点、和原因的先行词在从句中作其他成分时,引导词要用that或which。
The day when/on which I met him first was March 8th.
八、定语从句与同位语从句的用法区别
同位语从句表示先行词的内容,that不可换成which;定语从句表示先行词的特征,that可换成which。
Youll tell me the news that youve been admitted to key universities.(同位语从句)
Youll tell me the news that can make me excited. (定语从句)
九、非限定性定语从句与并列句之间的区别
从句子结构形式来看,并列句中的分句虽然可以用逗号隔开,但通常还要有一个表示并列关系的等立连接词,如and,or,but等连接,而非限定性定语从句与主句之间只有逗号没有等立连词;从语法关系来讲,并列句中前后分句之间存在着连续并列、对比转折、因果条件和选择等关系,而非限定性定语从句通常用来修饰先行词;当题干中既有逗号又出现some/many/few/a few/little/much of which/whom结构时,常为定语从句。
My friend showed me round the town,which was very kind of him.(非限定性定语从句)
十、定语从句与主谓一致
1.定语从句中,关系代词that,who,which等做主语时,谓语动词的数应与先行词保持一致。
2.One of+复数名词+关系代词+复数动词;the (only)one of+复数名词+关系代词+单数动词。
He is one of the students who get there on time.
Tom is the only one of the students here who has been to China.
3.非限制性定语从句将整个主句作为先行词对其进行修饰时,从句谓语动词用第三人称单数。
He seems not to have grasped what I meant,which greatly upsets me.
上述所列考点,属于定语从句的重难点,也是必须掌握好的定语从句的基本知识点。在理解的基础上掌握了这些知识点,对有关定语从句的考题就能应对自如,并能提高阅读理解能力和写作能力。
参考文献:
[1]张鸿清编.英语语法精要.南开大学出版社,2000.3,(第1版).
[2]章振邦主编.新编英语语法教程,2000.2,(第3版).