1) 关系代词用来引导定语从句。它代表先行词,同时在从句中作一定的句子成分,例如:
- The girl to whom I spoke is my cousin.
跟我讲话的姑娘是我表妹。(该句中whom既代表先行词the girl,又在从句中作介词to的宾语。)
2) 关系代词有主格,宾格和属格之分,并有指人与指物之分。在限定性定语从句中,that 可指人也可指物,见表:
限定性指人 | 非限定性指物 | 限定性指人或指物 | |
主格 | who | which | that |
宾格 | whom | that | that |
属格 | whose | of which/whose | of which/whose |
例如:
- This is the pencil whose point is broken.
这就是那个折了尖的铅笔。
(whose 指物,在限定性定语从句中作定语) - He came back for the book which he had forgotten.
他回来取他丢下的书。
(which指物,在限定性定语从句中作宾语,可以省略)
3) 关系代词which的先行词可以是一个句子,例如:
- He said he saw me there, which was a lie.
他说在那儿看到了我,纯属谎言。
说明: 关系代词that在从句中作宾语或表语时可省略, 例如:
- I've forgotten much of the Latin I once knew.
我过去懂拉丁语,现在大都忘了。 - He's changed. He's not the man he was.
他变化很大,已不是过去的他了。