多姿的that多彩的用法

韩 静

定语从句和名词性从句是英语语法学习中的一大难关。从某种意义上来说,这些从句的学习是整个英语学习过程中的一个瓶颈。能否突破这个瓶颈是能否继续深入学习、研究的关键。而在这些从句的学习过程中that 扮演着不同的角色,对初学者来说that所起的不同作用是很容易混淆的。所以笔者参考了大量中外语法类资料,对that在从句中的运用做了一下归纳和总结,供学习者参考。

一、that在定语从句中的应用:

在定语从句中that是常用的关系词。它在定语从句中作主语、宾语、表语、定语等。同时,它起着三个作用:代替先行词,在定语从句中作句子成分,连接先行词与定语从句。那么我们具体说一下that的用法。

that指人或物,在从句中可作主语或宾语,还可作表语。作宾语或表语时可省略,但大多是不省略的。如:

The picture (that) he was looking at was drawn by his daughter.

他正在看的这幅图画是他女儿画的。

The old man that I visited yesterday is my teacher. 我昨天拜访的那位老人是我的老师。

同时that也是关系副词:

(1)在表示地点时,that=where=介词+which。如:

The house that/where/in which we live is very large. 我们住的房子非常大。

(2)表示时间时,that=when=介词+which。如:

I still remember the days that/when/on which I helped my father. 我仍记得在农场给爸爸帮忙的日子。

(3)表示方式时,that=in which。如:

Can you find any way that/in which we can work out the problem? 你能找出解决这个问题的办法吗?

另外,that 有时还可以代替关系副词why,表示原因。如:

The reason that/why he did not go to school was his mothers illness. 他没上学是因为他妈妈病了。

注:定语从句中that和which 一般可以互换,但下列情况必须用that,不能用which。

(1)先行词被序数词、形容词的最高级、the only, the last, the very 修饰时,关系词用that 不用which。如:

This is one of the most interesting stories that I have ever read. 这是我读过的最有趣的故事之一。

That is the only thing that she can do.

那是她唯一能做的。

(2)先行词是不定代词或被不定代词修饰时,关系词用that 而不用which。如:

Is there anything that I can do for you?

我能帮你做点什么吗?

Everything that you did will be remembered. 我会记住你所有做过的事。

(3)先行词既有人也有物时要用that不用which。如:

The scientist and his achievements that you told me about are admired by all of us. 我们所有人都敬佩你告诉我的那位科学家和他所取得的成就。

二、that在宾语从句中的应用:

that是宾语从句中最常见的连接词,它只起连接主、从句的作用,本身无意义,在口语和非正式文体中常省略。如:

She said (that) she went to Beijing last year. 她说她去年去过北京。

Our teacher told us (that) light travels faster than sound.

我们老师告诉我们光比声音传播得快。

注:下列情况that常不省略。

(1)当宾语从句中的主语是this, that 或this, that 作主语的定语时。如:

I know that that man is his father.

我知道那个人是他父亲。

(2)that引导的宾语从句中如果另有复合句时that不能省略。如:

He told us that if we could all come to help out, the whole situation would be looking up. 他告诉我说如果我们能都来帮忙,整个局势将会好转。

(3)当主句的谓语动词与宾语从句之间有插入语时that不能省略。如:

It says here, on TV, that English is getting more and more important. 电视上说英语变得越来越重要了。

三、that在同位语从句中的应用:

that 是同位语从句中常用的连词,本身无词义,也不充当任何句子成分,但不能省略。从句前面的名词多为news, fact, idea, thought, suggestion等。如:

The fact that some countries are still suffering from poverty is really a great problem to the world. 有一些国家仍然贫困,这对整个世界来说是一个大问题。

I have an idea that it will rain tomorrow.

我认为明天要下雨。

注:怎样区分that 引导的定语从句和that引导的同位语从句:

(1)所修饰的先行词不同。同位语从句的先行词是有限的几个,而定语从句修饰的先行词没有数量限制。

(2)在从句中所起的作用不同。在定语从句中that是关系词,连接主句和从句,在从句中作句子成分。而在同位语从句中that是连词,只起连接主句和从句的作用,不充当任何成分,不可省略,也不能被which 代替。

参考文献:

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2.Leech, G & Svartvit, J. (1974) A Communicative Grammar of English Longman.

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