浅谈限制性定语从句和非限制性定语从句

吴安运

定语从句有限制性和非限制性两种。

1. 限制性定语从句

限制性定语从句是先行词不可缺少的部分，去掉它主句意思往往不完整或不明确。限制性定语从句和主句之间没有逗号。例如：

He came at a time when we needed him most. 他是在我们最需要他的时候来的。（去掉定语从句主句意思不明确）

None of the 152 Chinese athletes who were dope-tested in Athens has returned a positive result. 在雅典被药检的152名中国运动员无一结果呈阳性。（去掉定语从句主句意思不完整）

2. 非限制性定语从句

非限制性定语从句是对先行词的附加说明，去掉也不会影响主句的意思或完整性，它与主句之间通常用逗号分开。

当先行词是专有名词或被物主代词、指示代词所修饰时，其后的定语从句通常是非限制性定语从句。例如：

Charles Smith， who was my former teacher， retired last year. 查理·史密斯去年退休了，他曾经是我的老师。

After the war he went to America， where he found work. 战争结束后他去了美国，并在那里找到了工作。

My house， which I bought last year， has got a lovely garden. 我的房子有个漂亮的花园，这房子是我去年买的。

【特别提醒】

（1） 注意非限制性定语从句前的逗号。例如：

There were a lot of young people at the party， most of whom I did not know. 聚会上有许多年轻人，其中大部分我都不认识。（逗号后是定语从句，注意whom）

There were a lot of young people at the party and most of them I did not know. 聚会上有许多年轻人，其中大部分我都不认识。（这是并列句，注意them）

（2） 非限制性定语从句还能将整个主句作为先行词，对其进行修饰，此时从句谓语动词要用第三人称单数。例如：

He seems not to have grasped what I meant， which greatly upsets me. 他似乎沒懂我的意思，这使我心烦。

The weather turned out to be very good， which was more than we could expect. 天气变好了，这是我们都没想到的。

3. 限制性定语从句和非限制性定语从句的区别

例如：

His brother who is an artist is here. 他那个当艺术家的哥哥在这里。（限制性定语从句，暗示他还有其他哥哥）

His brother， who is an artist， is here. 他哥哥是个艺术家，他在这里。（非限制性定语从句，表明他只有一个哥哥。）

There were very few passengers who/that escaped without being seriously injured. 没受重伤而逃出来的乘客很少。（限制性定语从句，大部分乘客都受了重伤）

There were very few passengers， who escaped without being seriously injured. 乘客很少，他们都逃了出来，没有受重伤。（非限制性定语从句，不用that）

4. 关系代词which和whom的选用

在某些特定的情况下，要使用which或whom，一般不用that代替。

（1） 非限制性定语从句中不用that。例如：

He was very rude to the Customs officer， which of course made things even worse. 他对海关官员非常粗鲁，这无疑使得事情更糟。

（2） 介词后不用that。例如：

Do you know the boy to whom I spoke just now？ 你认识那位我刚才跟他讲话的男孩吗？

Kindness is the golden chain by which society is bound together. 善良是金链，社会紧相连。

（3） 如果有两个定语从句，其中前一句的关系代词可用that， 后一句宜用which。例如：

Let me show you the novel that I borrowed from the library which was newly open to us. 我给你看一本我从新开放的图书馆借的小说。

【定语从句综合测试】

选择合适的选项完成句子。

1. ① This is one of the most interesting films ______ shown last week.

② This is the very one of the most interesting films ______ shown last week.

A. which was B. that was C. which were D. that were

2. ① He has two sons， ______ are college students.

② He has two sons， and ______ are college students.

A. both of which B. both of whom C. both of them D. both of it

3. ① He still lives in the room ______ window faces to the east.

② He still lives in the room， the window ______ faces to the east.

③ He still lives in the room ______ is in the north of the city.

④ He still lives in the room ______ there is a beautiful table.

A. which B. whose C. where D. of which

4. ① ______ leaves the room last ought to turn off the lights.

② ______ who leaves the room last ought to turn off the lights.

③ ______ leave the room last ought to turn off the lights.

A. Anyone B. Who C. Those who D. Whoever

5. ① ______ we all know， China is rich in natural resources.

② ______ is well-known that China is rich in natural resources.

③ ______ is well-known， China is rich in natural resources.

A. Which B. As C. It D. That

6. ① I'll never forget the days ______ we studied together.

② I'll never forget the days ______ we spent together.

A. that B. 不填 C. when D. A and B

7. ① This is the only way ______ we can find.

② I don't like the way ______ he spoke to his mother.

A. that B. 不填 C. in which D. A， B and C

E. A and B

8. ① Galileo collected the facts ______ proved the earth and all the other planets move around the sun.

② Galileo discovered the fact ______ the earth and all the other planets move around the sun.

A. that B. which C. 不填 D. A and B

9. ① Is this museum ______ they visited last month？

② The teacher tells us that ______ cleans the blackboard is to be praised.

A. that B. the one C. which D. the one who

10. ① It was eleven o'clock ______ they went out of the cinema.

② It was at eleven o'clock ______ they went out of the cinema.

A. which B. that C. when D. on which