董晨

定語從句是用來修飾主句中某一名詞或代詞的從句。它一般都跟在所修飾的名詞或代詞的后面，被定語從句修飾的名詞或代詞稱為先行詞，引導定語從句的詞叫關系詞。

關系詞的選擇取決于先行詞在從句中所作的成分，若先行詞在從句中作主語、賓語或定語，則選擇關系代詞；若先行詞在從句中作狀語，則選擇關系副詞。

一、關系代詞的選擇

1. Tom is a boy who （that） studies hard.

指人，作主語

2. Jane is a girl whom （that） you can trust.

指人，作trust的賓語

3. Bob is the boy whose father is a pilot.

指人，作定語

4. A plane is a machine which （that） can fly.

指物，作主語

5. Is this the book which （that） you bought yesterday？

指物，作賓語

6. My uncle bought a house， whose roof （=the roof of which） was green. 指物，作定語

注意：

1. 若先行詞在從句中作賓語時，關系代詞可以省略。如例2和例5兩句中的關系代詞都可以省略。

2. 一般說來，無論先行詞是指人還是指物，也不論代表先行詞的關系代詞在從句中作主語還是作賓語，都可以用that，但需注意的是，that還有“六用，三不用”原則。

六用

（1）當先行詞是指事物的anything， everything， nothing， none， all， few， little， much等不定代詞，或先行詞被any， every， no， all， few， little， much修飾的事物名詞時，多用that。如：

I cannot learn anything that does not interest me.

Ive read all the books that were borrowed from the library.

（2）當先行詞被the only， the very， the same， the right/just， one of等修飾時，多用that。如：

This is the very book that I am looking for.

This is the only watch that I have.

（3）當先行詞既有人又有物時，宜用that。如：

They talked about the persons and the things that they remembered in the school.

（4）當先行詞為序數(shù)詞或先行詞被序數(shù)詞修飾時，多用that。如：

It was the first skyscraper that was designed by our own engineers.

（5）當先行詞為形容詞最高級或先行詞被形容詞最高級修飾時，多用that。如：

Shakespeare is the greatest English writer that ever lived.

（6）當主句是以who 或which 開頭的特殊疑問句時，為避免重復，多用that。如：

Who is the lady that is talking to our teacher？

Which is the house that caught fire last night？

注意：一個句子中含有兩個定語從句，一個關系代詞用that，另一個用which。如：

Let me show you the book that I borrowed from the library which was newly open to us.

三不用

（1）先行詞是指人的one， anyone， everyone， those， people， he等，或指人的先行詞位于there be之后時，用who 或whom，不用that。如：

He who laughs last laughs best.

God helps those who help themselves.

One who has travelled far and wide will probably have a broad outlook.

We should forgive people who hurt us.

Is there anybody else who should be invited？

（2）直接位于介詞之后， 用which或whom，不能用that。如：

Here is the car about which I told you.

Who is the man with whom you just shook hands？

（3）在非限制性定語從句中，用who， whom， which，不能用that。如：

I have lost my pen， which I like very much.

二、關系副詞的選擇

1. 當先行詞是表示時間的名詞，且在定語從句中作時間狀語時，用when。如：

October 1st，1949 was the day when the Peoples Republic of China was founded.

注意：有時雖然先行詞是表示時間的名詞，但如果定語從句中缺少的是主語或賓語，此時應使用關系代詞。請比較：

I will never forget the days when I worked in the city.

先行詞 作時間狀語

I will never forget the days （that /which） I spent in the city.

先行詞 作賓語

2. 當先行詞是表示地點的名詞，且在定語從句中作地點狀語時，用where。如：

Everyone wants to visit the place where Lu Xun once lived.

注意：where 和when 一樣，在定語從句中只能充當狀語；否則，必須用關系代詞。請比較：

This is the factory where my father worked last year.

先行詞 作地點狀語

This is the factory （that /which） my father visited last year.

先行詞 作賓語

3. 當先行詞為reason，且在定語從句中作原因狀語時，用why。如：

The reason why she told a lie is unknown.

注意：當在句中不是作狀語，而是作主語或賓語時，用that。請比較：

The reason why he was late for class is that he got up late.

先行詞 作原因狀語

The reason that/which he gave us was hard to accept.

先行詞 作賓語

即學即練：

1. This is the school __________we visited yesterday.

2. This is the school ____________ my father works.

3. The boy ______ parents are dead was brought up by his grandfather.

4. Can you see the house of______ the window face the south？

5. This is the very thing _______ I am looking for.

6. Who is the man _______ spoke to you at the gate？

7. I believe the reason ___________he likes traveling.

8. I believe the reason ___________he gave me for his decision.

9. The way _______ he explained to us was very simple.

10. The way _______ he explained the sentence to us was very simple.

參考答案：1. that / which 2. where / in which 3. whose 4. which 5. that 6. that 7. why / for which 8. that / which 9. that / which 10. that /in which