定語從句是初三和高中英語教學中的語法項目,尤其是高中的重要語法項目之一,也是所有復合句中最復雜、最困難的從句,而定語從句中又以關系詞的選擇題最為復雜。怎樣快速、準確地選擇定語從句的關系詞有一定的方法和技巧。該方法可分為三步:第一步,判斷從句的動詞的詞性是及物動詞還是不及物動詞,確定從句缺少什么成分,從而確定能使用于這個范圍的關系詞;第二步,看先行詞是指人還是指物,排除不能選擇的選項;第三步,綜合各種情況,看是否有特殊情況(如只能選關系代詞that等),最終確定關系詞。
一、定語從句中的特殊情況
1.在下列情況下只能使用關系代詞that。
(1)先行詞被序數詞、形容詞最高級修飾。
Eg:Did you understand the last report that was made by the foreign scientist?
(2)當先行詞被all,no,any,some,only,very等修飾時。
Is this the very farm that you visited last week?
(3)當先行詞是不定代詞all,everything,nothing,anything,little,few時。
All that she said is true .
(4)以who,which開頭的疑問句里若包含定語從句時,需用關系代詞that,否則會誤以為是兩個句子。
Who is the man that is standing at the door?
(5)先行詞中既有人又有物時。
He talked about the peoples and countries that he had seen.
(6)在“the same...that...”構成的限制性定語從句中,表示“就是那同一個”。
That was the same wallet that I lost in the school.
2.當先行詞前有same或such時,關系代詞一般用as,表示“同類事物中的一個”。
I have never seen such a kind man as he (is).
3.當先行詞是way,表示“方式、方法”時,用that,in which引導定語從句。
I don’t like the way that (in which) you speak to me.
4.which,as引導非限制性定語從句,指代前面整個主句的意思。
兩者之間的區別是:
which:意思為“這”,位于主句后。
as:意思為“如”、“正如”、“正像”,可放在主句前、主句中、主句后,從句中的謂語動詞多為抽象意義的動詞。
Eg:Some of the roads were flooded,which made our journey more difficult.
5.當先行詞為time,表示“次”時,用that引導定語從句或省略that。
Eg:This is the fifth time (that) you have come late this month.
二、具體操作方法
1.定語從句中缺少主語的情況
如果定語從句中的動詞是及物動詞(vt.),動詞后帶有賓語,即:?搖 ?搖+vt. +o結構或不及物動詞(vi.)帶有狀語。即:?搖 ?搖+vi. +adverbial。第一步就能確定該從句缺少主語,在定語從句中能作主語的關系代詞有:who,that,which,whom(口語中)。第二步看先行詞是指人還是指物,若指人時,選who,that,whom(口語中);若指物,則選that,which。第三步進一步確定檢查關系代詞使用得正確與否,考慮特殊情況。
Eg:The teacher who (that) taught us yesterday is our new teacher.
taught是vt.,帶有賓語us,缺少主語,第一步判定that,who,which都可在定語從句中作主語,再看先行詞teacher指人,which不能選,所以此題可選who或that。
2.定語從句中缺少賓語的情況
如果定語從句中的謂語動詞是及物動詞vt.,動詞前有主語S,即:S+vt.+?搖 ?搖結構或者是主語S后跟有不及物動詞和介詞即:S+vi.+prep.+?搖 ?搖結構。這兩種結構中一眼就能確定缺少賓語,定下大范圍可選關系代詞that,which,whom,再看先行詞,指人選that,whom,指物選that,which。
Is that the boy whom (that) you want to see?
3.定語從句中缺少狀語的情況
定語從句的結構如果是下列六種情況:S+vt.+O;S+vi.+prep.+O;S+vi.;There be句型;S+be+predicative;S+be+Past participle那么只能缺少狀語或定語。第二步看前面的先行詞,如果是表示時間的名詞選when,如果是表示地點的名詞選where,如果是reason選why。
Eg:I’ll never forget the days when I stayed with you in the village.
This is the theatre where Lincoln was shot.
This is the reason why he didn’t attend the meeting.
試比較:I’ll never forget the days that I spent in the countryside with my old friends.此句中的定語從句缺少賓語,不是缺少狀語,盡管前面有時間名詞days,也只能選關系代詞that/which。
4.定語從句中缺少定語的情況
在第3點的六種結構中,若主語或賓語缺少定語,不管先行詞指人還是指物,都選whose。
Eg:Have you visited the house whose color is yellow?
That’s the child whose drawing we were looking at just now.
Mr.Pattis ,in whose company Mr.King worked helped Mr.King to keep his job.