定语从句之专题二:that引导定语从句(系统讲解内在原理)

(本文节选自高伟《魔方英语语法》第十一章第四节。已经登记版权,请勿用于商业用途。)

 

因为引导词对先行词的复指(重复指定),所以,定语从句的引导词有时可以代替或省略。(注意,因为名从和状从没有先行词,所以,名从和状从的引导词不能代替或省略。)。如,

●The school which/that/Ø he once studied in is very famous.(由于which复指先行词the school,所以,有时可以代替为that,也可以省略。)

下文中,1/2/3/4讲代替,5/6讲that省略。

1/2/3/4讲代替

that本身就是为了代替who(m)/which而产生的,同时也就出现了that与who(m)/which的对比问题。

5/6讲省略

that作连词时可以省略的情况,和,that作代词时可以省略的情况

 

 

下边依次讲解。

 

1.that本身是为了代替who(m)/which而产生的。前边讲过,关系代词一般是由疑问代词变来的。但是,that并不是疑问代词,为何也能引导定语从句呢?这是因为,that本身就是为了代替who(m)/which而产生的。

例句(that代替who(m)/which)

●The man ____you met just now is my old friend.  

 (填who(m)/that/∅。who/that指人。作宾语时可以省略。)

●The man ____is walking on the playground is my old friend. 

(填who/that。who/that指人。作主语时不能省略。)

●Take the book ____is lying on the table. 

(填which/that。which/that指物。)

●Do you know the things and persons____they are talking about?

(先行词既有人又有物时,用that。因为that可以指人/物,用一个就可以代替。)

2. that/who(m)/which用法比较表,见下表:

 

情况 \ 引导词

who(m)指人

which指物

that指人/物

①当先行词被强势指定时

×

×

that(人/物)

②当先行词是不定代词时

who(m)

×

that(人/物)

③当主句是there be时

who(m)

×

that(人/物)

④当引导词作表语时

×

which (人/物)

that(人/物)

⑤是否能直接作介词的宾语

whom

which

×

⑥是否能引导非限制性定语从句

who(m)

which

×

 

下边举例说明。

 

各种情况下的先行词

举例

①先行词被强势指定时,宜用that。如,the+最高级+n.;序数词+n.;the only/very/same/last+n.

This is the most interesting film that I have ever seen.

This is the first American film that I have ever seen.

This is the only thing that we can do.

②先行词是指物的不定代词时,宜用that。如,something/anything等;all/few等(+指物名词)。

I want to buy something that will make me look younger.

He was talking with somebody who(m)/that I didn’t know.

先行词是指人的不定代词时,宜用who(m)/that。如,somebody/anybody等;all/few等(+指人名词)。

All the people who/that present burst into tears.

You should hand in all (the things) that you have.

All the books, which had pictures in them were sent to the little girl.(有all但非限定,则用which。)

③主句是there be句型时,先行词指人用who(m)/that,先行词指物用that。

There’re some people who/that have holidays in Hainan.

There is a seat in the corner that is still available.

④引导词在从句中作指人表语时,要用that或which,不能用who(m)。

He is not the man that he was.(用that作指人表语)

The policeman was completely trusted, which in fact he was.(在非限制性定从中,用which作指人表语。)

 

注:⑤的例句见第四节.六.6。⑥的例句见第五节.一。

 

3.that 不但可以代替关系代词(who(m)/which),也可以代替关系副词(when/where/why)。

①一般地,关系代词who(m)/which可以被that代替或省略。

例句(关系代词被that代替,或者省略。)

●He is the man (whom/that/∅) I saw yesterday. 他就是我昨天见的那个人。

●The package (which/that/∅) you are carrying is about to come unwrapped.你拿的包快散了。

②当先行词为the time/place/reason等明确表示时间/地点/原因的词时,关系副词when/where/why可以被that代替或省略。(这是因为,此时的代替或省略,不会产生歧义。)

例句(关系副词被that代替,或者省略。)

●I’ll never forget the day when/that/∅ we met.我永远也忘不了我们见面的那天。

●That is the place where/that/∅ we went before.那就是我们以前去过的地方。

●That’s the reason why/that/∅ I took it.那就是我买它的原因。

4.用that代替who(m)/which,可以防止引导词重复。

何谓“重复”?不是单词的重复,而是词头的重复。(that的词头是th-,与who(m)/which的词头是wh-。)

①前句用了“th-”,后句再用“th-”,叫重复;所以,如果前句用了“th-”,后句就不宜用“th-”,而用who(m)/which。②前句用了“wh-”,后句再用“wh-”,也叫重复。所以,如果前句用了“wh-”,后句就不宜用“wh-”,而用that。(一般地,这条规则是软规则,不是硬规则。也就是说,尽量不要重复,但是即使重复了也不算错。)

例句(如果前有疑问词who(m)/which/what等,引导词宜用that。)

●Who is the person that supports your family?

●Which is the bus that you will take?

●They secretly built up a small factory, which produced things that could cause pollution.

例句(如果先行词是that/those时,引导词宜用who(m)/which。)

●People all like those who(常用)/that(不常用) have good manners.

●What’s that which flashed in the sky just now?

 

5.什么情况下可以省略that?

分两类情况,that(连词)引导的名词性从句和that(代词)引导的定语从句。如下表,

在that(连词)引导名词性从句中

在that(代词)引导定语从句中

①that引导句首的主语从句时,that不可省略。(that引导后置的主语从句时,可以省略)

①that作主语时,不可省略。(主句是there be时且that在从句中作主语时,可以省略)

②that引导宾语从句时,可以省略

②that作宾语时,可以省略

(who(m)/which作宾语时,也可以省略)

③that引导表语从句时,可以省略

③that作表语时,可以省略

④that引导同位语从句时,不能省略

④―(that不作同位语)

助记:中学阶段,认为只有第②种情况(加底纹)可以省略,其余三种情况统统认为不能省略即可。

链接:that(代词)作宾语时,有些情况下不能省略。如,①直接跟在介词后作宾语时不能省略。参看第四节.三.介词+whom/which。②在非限制性定语从句中不能省略。参看第五节。

例句(省略连词that)下列例句中的括号表示可以省略。

●It is a pity (that) you don’t know Russian.(主语从句时省略that)

●I hear (that) he has join the club.(宾语从句时省略that)

●I’m afraid (that) I’ve made a mistake.(宾语从句时省略that)

●The reason is (that) you don’t trust her.(表语从句时省略that)

例句(省略代词that)

●The man (who(m)/that) we met yesterday used to be my schoolmaster.(作宾语时省略that)

●The novel (which/that) he reads is borrowed from the library.(省略代词which/that)

●He is no longer the lazy boy (that) he was.他不再是以前那个懒孩子了。(作表语时省略that)

 

6. which/whom作介词的宾语时,可以代替为that吗?可以省略吗?介词与which/whom,靠得紧则不能换不能省,靠得不紧则能换能省。详细地说,①介词与which/whom在一起时,which/whom既不能替换为that/who也不能省略。②介词与which/whom分开时(介词置于句尾),which/whom既可以替换为that/who也可以省略。

This is the pen with which/(that×)/(∅×) I wrote the letter.

This is the pen which/that/∅ I wrote the letter with.

This is the hero of whom/(who×)/(that×)/(∅×) we are proud.

This is the hero whom/who/that/∅ we are proud of.

 

本文小结:定语从句的引导词that的代替与省略。因为引导词对先行词的复指(重复指定),所以,定语从句的引导词有时可以代替或省略。一般地,若不产生歧义,那么可以代替或省略。最常见的考点是:that/who(m)/which的代替和对比,that/who(m)/which作在从句中作宾语时可以省略。

 

分组对比练习

题组25(that/which/who(m)引导定语从句)

第1―3题考查“先行词是指物的不定代词时,如何选择引导词?”,第4―5题考查“引导词在定语从句中作指人表语时,如何选择引导词?”,第6―7考查其它必须用that的情况。

1. I refuse to accept the blame for something ____ was someone else’s fault. (2010,全国II)  that

A. who   B. that   C. as   D. what   

句意:我拒绝接受由于别人的过错而导致的对我的责备。

分析:先行词是指物的不定代词时,关系代词用that。sth that。选B。

2. The thought of going back home was____kept him happy while he was working abroad.(上海高考题)A. that   B. all that   C. all what   D. which   all that。选B。

3. Please send us all the information ____ you have about the candidate for the position. (2014,陕西)

A. that   B. which   C. as   D. what

句意:请把你拥有的关于这个职位的候选人的所有信息发给我们。

分析:先行词是all the information,用that,即,all…that。选A。

4. Her sister has become a lawyer,_____ she wanted to be. (2005,湖北)

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

分析:①引导词在定语从句中作表语时用which指人。②who(m)不能在定从中作表语。选D。

5. When deeply absorbed in work, ______ he often was, he would forget all about eating or sleeping.(2012,北京)  A. that   B. which   C. where   D. when  

分析:引导词在定语从句中作表语时用which指人。选B。

6. An ecosystem consists of the living and nonliving in an area____interact with one another.(2013.上海) 

  A.that    B.where    C.who    D.what    

分析:先行词是the living and nonliving,既有人又有物,用that。选A。

7. Stephen Hawking believes that the earth is unlikely to be the only planet ____ life has developed gradually.(2010,福建)(陷阱题) A. that   B. where   C. which   D. whose  

分析:先行词被强势指定时,关系代词用that(但是关系副词不在此限)。本题应该用the only… where。选B。

 

题组26(用where,which,that,the one选择填空)

   1. Is this the factory ____you visited last week?  Is this factory ____you visited last week?

   2. All ____we need most is more food.    All ____is most needed is more food.  

3. Is this the flat ____you once lived?    Is the flat in ____you once lived?

 Is this flat ____you once lived in?     Is this the only flat ____you have lived in?

 Is it in this flat ____you once lived? 

答案:1.which/that,the one。2.that/Ø,that。3.where,which(介词后不用that),which/that,that(先行词是the only…),that(强调句)。

题组27(引导词的省略)

  1. Women ____ drink more than two cups of coffee a day have a greater chance of having heart disease than those ____ don't.(2006,北京)   A. who; /   B. /; who   C. who; who   D. /; / 

句意:每天喝两杯以上的咖啡的女性比不喝咖啡的女性更容易患上心脏病。

分析:引导词在定语从句中作主语时不能省略,选C。

2. ― Do you have anything to say for yourselves? ― Yes, there is one point____we must insist on.(2006,江西) A. why   B. where   C. how   D. 不填   分析:引导词在定语从句中作宾语时省略,选D。

3. The house I grew up _____ has been taken down and replaced by an office building.(2009,江西)

A. in it   B. in   C in that   D in which  

句意:我成长的那间房子已经被拆掉了,取而代之的是一座办公楼。

分析:不选D,因为,从句=引导词+陈述句语序,所以,不论是which还是in which都要放在句首,不能放在句尾,即,The house (which/that) I grew up in (定语从句) has been….。选B。

4. Having checked the doors were closed, and ____all the lights were off, the boy opened the door to his bedroom.(2007,湖南)   A.why   B.that   C.when   D.where  

句意:这个男孩在核实过所有的门都关了,所有的灯都关了以后,才打开自己的卧室门。分析:此题考查that(连词)引导名词性从句(对比:that(代词)引导定语从句)。关键在于识别并列的宾语从句。check+ (that)从句+that从句。两个宾语从句,前一个可以省略that,后一个不能省略that。选B。

5. Is this the reason ____ at the meeting for his carelessness in his work?(2002,上海春)

A.he explained   B.what he explained   C.how he explained   D.why he explained  

句意:这就是他在会议上对他为什么在工作中粗心大意所作的解释吗?分析:he explained the reason→he explained which/that→(which/that) he explained(代词which/that作宾语时可以省略)。选A。

 

课外阅读

■定语从句的引导词的“超级大转盘”。

正是由于省略与代替,所以定语从句的引导词显得灵活多变。

如,她到的那天是星期四。(下边的说法都对,①最正式,⑦最不正式。)

 

各种引导词

注释

①The day on which she arrived was Thursday.

介词+which

②The day which she arrived on was Thursday.

which引导

③The day that she arrived on was Thursday.

that代替which

④The day she arrived on was Thursday.

省略that/which

⑤The day when she arrived was Thursday.

when引导

⑥The day that she arrived was Thursday.

that代替when

⑦The day she arrived was Thursday.

省略that/when

 

晕了没?!其实,万变不离其宗,不外乎:原来的,代替的,省略的。

■定语从句的引导词的常见错误(多词/少词)。

虽然定语从句的引导词非常灵活,但也不是想怎变就怎变!

分类

举例

多余代词

Some of the girls I invited them did not come. (×)

(应该删去them。因为them与省略了的who(m)/that重复)

多余副词

Yesterday we visited the factory where your father worked there. (×)

(应该删去there。因为there与where重复)

缺少引导词

Children eat much sugar often get bad teeth. (×)

(定语从句缺主语,应该加上who/that,即,Children who/that eat....)

■为什么可以省略that呢?

引导词that,不管是作为连词引导名词性从句,还是作为代词引导定语从句,都是作为从句开始的标志。有了这个标志/记号,大家就知道后边跟的是从句,所以一般不能省略。但是,由于that (连词)本身无意义,that (代词)是对先行词的复指,所以,如果不影响识别从句,就可以省略。

(1)引导名词性从句的that(连词),本身没有词义,所以有时可以省略。(注意,由于没有词义,而可以省略的情况,只有that (连词)。)

那么,何时可以省略何时不能省略呢?在名词性从句中,that本身无词义,that只是个记号,用这个记号来识别从句。名词性从句的that,就像学生的学生证,门房大爷如果认得你,则不用检查证件;如果不认得你,则要检查证件。同理,如果省略that后,那个句子仍然只可能被看作从句,则可以省略;如果省略that后,那个句子可能会被误认为主句,则不能省略。(that引导宾语从句时,所有的能省略或不能省略的情况,都可以照此解释。)

例句(that(连词)在名词性从句中的省略)

●That you’re leaving is a pity.(that引导句首的主语从句时,不能省略。为什么呢?如果省略that,则听者会以为you’re leaving是主句,所以不能省略that)

●It’s a pity (that) you’re leaving.(that引导后置了的主语从句时,可以省略。为什么呢?前边的主谓结构(It’s a pity)是主句,后边再出现主谓结构(you’re leaving)自然是从句,所以可以省略that。)

●Do you know (that) he has joined the army?(that引导宾语从句时,可以省略。为什么呢?主谓结构(you know)是主句,再出现主谓结构(he has joined)只能是从句,所以,that有没有都可以。)

●I believe (that可以省) it will clear up soon and that (不能省) they will come to see us.(多个并列的that宾语从句,只有第一个可以省略,其它的都不能省略。为什么呢?由于I believe是主句,再出现主谓结构(it will clear)自然是从句,因此,第一个that可以省略。但是,如果把and后的that省略掉,则听者就不知道they will与it will clear并列呢还是与I believe并列呢?这就引起混乱,所以,they will前的that不能省略。)

(2)引导定语从句的that(代词),对先行词重复指定,所以有时可以省略。(注意,由于复指,而可以省略的情况,除了that (代词)之外,还有who(m)/which。)

那么,何时可以省略何时不能省略呢?一般地,一个句子(或从句),必须有主语和谓语。that作主语时不能省略,是因为省略后,不是句子了(Ø+谓语)。that作宾语或表语时可以省略,是因为省略后,仍然是句子(主语+谓语(或系动词))。

例句(that(代词)在定语从句中的省略)

●They are the boys whom I got to know at school.(在限制性定语从句中,代词作宾语时,可以省略。为什么呢?前边有主谓结构(they are…),再出现的主谓结构(I got…)只可能是从句,所以,有没有that都可以。)

●Yesterday I met Jack, whom his parents were looking for at that time.(在非限制性定语从句中,代词作宾语时,不能省略。为什么呢?若省略了that,这个句子可能被误认为主句或并列句。)

●There is something (that) keeps worrying me.(主句是there be时,that作主语时可以省略。为什么呢?there be句型具有特殊性:主语在be之后。此时sth是前后两句的共同主语,加之,there be的意义很弱,更使得这种共用显得很合理。)

■本文作者:高伟,编著《魔方英语语法》(高中版和教研版)。魔方英语语法的总特点就是拼魔方。具体说,通过矩阵表格,研究语法内在的系统性和原理性,最终达到以简驭繁。作者QQ:529542368。