定语从句中关系代词which用法说明

定语从句中关系代词which用法说明

1.既可引导限制性定语从句，也可用作非限制性定语从句。如：

The ship struck an iceberg, which tore a huge hole in her side. 船碰在一座冰山上，船帮被撞出一个大洞。

She gave me this jumper, which she had knitted herself. 她送给我这件羊毛衫，这是她亲手织的。

This machine, which I have looked after for twenty years, is still working perfectly. 这台机

器我已经照管了20年，现在仍然没一点儿毛病。

This is the photo (that) I took. 这就是我拍的照片。

The river, which flows through London, is called the Thames. 这条流经伦敦的河叫泰晤士河。2. which引导定语从句时，它在从句中主要用作主语或宾语，但有时也可用作定语，在意义上大致相当于this或that。如：

She was not on the train which arrived just now. 她不在刚才到达的那列火车上。(关系代词which指train，在从句中用作主语)

He never got back the money which he had lent him. 他从未收回他曾借给他的那笔钱。(关

系代词which指money，在从句中用作宾语)

We told him to consult the doctor, which advice he took. 我们叫他去看医生，他听取了我们的劝告。

He is studying economics, which knowledge is very important today. 他学经济学，这种知识现今很重要。

注意，它与用作定语的关系代词whose用法不同——whose引导定语从句时，它在意义上大致相当于one’s。如：

Wolves are highly social animals whose success depends upon cooperation. 狼是高度群体化的动物，它们的成功依赖于合作。

3.关系代词which原则上只指物，不指人；指人要用who。但是，有时指的不是具体的某人，而是指人的属性（如职业、身份、地位、职务、品质、特征等），则要用which 而不用who。如：

He talked like a scholar, which he was not. 他说起话来像个学者，其实他没什么学问。

She talked like a native, which she hardly was. 她说起话来像是个本地人，其实她不见得是。They accused him of being a traitor, which he was. 他们指控他是叛徒，他真是叛徒。

4.注意不要一看到句前有逗号，就以为一定要用which来引导非限制性定语从句。如以下几句逗号后的that均不能换成which（原因是逗号前的句子为状语从句）：

If a book is in English, that means slow progress for you. 如果一本书是用英语写的，那就意味着你要读慢些。

If he’s only interested in your looks, that just shows how shallow he is.如果他只对你的相貌感兴趣，那就说明他相当浅薄。

When I say two hours, that includes time for eating. 我说两小时，那是包括了吃饭的时间。

5.比较下面两句，第一句用了连词but，其后用them；第二句没用连词but，其后用which：She wrote a lot of novels, but none of them were popular.=She wrote a lot of novels, none of

which were popular. 她写过许多本小说，但没有一本是受欢迎的。

6. which有时也可用作定语，尤其用于“介词+which+名词”这类结构中，此时的which含有this或that的意味。如：

He may be busy, in which case I’ll call later.他可能忙，如若如此，我以后再来拜访。

I may have to work late, in which case I’ll telephone.我可能得晚点下班，那样我会打电话的。He lost his temper, at which point I decided to go home. 他发脾气了，这时我就决定回家了。He was appointed Lord Chancellor, in which post he spent the rest of his life. 他被任命为大法官，在这个职位上度过了他的后半生。

The postman comes at 6.30 in the morning, at which time I am usually fast asleep. 邮递员早晨6点30分来，这个时候我通常还睡着大觉呢。

It was derived from Posidonius, for which reason much of its information may well have been out of date. 它源于鲍森杜尼尔斯。由于这个原因，它的大部分信息很可能已经过时。

有时其前也可以没有介词。如：

He is studying economics, which knoweledge is very important today. 他学经济学，这种知识现今很重要。

He spoke in Greek, which language I could only follow with difficulty. 他说希腊语，我听起来很吃力。

7. 关系代词which有时可用于指人。原则上说，which用于指事物，不用于指人。但以下情况属于例外：

1. 用于在指人的名词之后，指不强调性别的婴儿：

He was the last child which was born. 他是最后出生的孩子。(which指小孩)

2. 当不是指具体的某人，而是指人的属性（如职业、身份、地位、职务、品质、特征等）时，则也用关系代词 which而不用 who。如：

They accused him of being a traitor, which he was. 他们指控他是叛徒，他真是叛徒。

She talked like a native, which she hardly was. 她说起话来像是个本地人，其实她不见得是。

8.有时可以见到“介词+关系代词+不定式”这样的结构（可视为一种紧缩的定语从句）。比较：

She must have time in which to grow calm.=She must have time in which she can grow calm. 她必须有冷静下来时的时间。

She had some money in the bank, with which to help her mother.=She had some money in the bank, with which she could help her mother. 她银行里有些钱用来帮助她的母亲。

值得指出的是，这类结构中的介词不能没有，并且该介词也不能位于不定式后面，比较：There the children had a garden in which to play.（很正式）

There the children had a garden in which they could play.（较正式）

There the children had a garden to play in.（较口语化）在那儿孩子们有个可以玩耍的花园。但是不能说：There the children had a garden which to play in.

9.有时可见到由which引导的非限制性定语从句单独成句。如：

Mary is enormously respected. Which is not to say you are not an exceptionally able lady. 玛丽非

常受尊重，但这并是说你不是一位极为能干的女士。

10. 在非常正式的文体中，代词that后可以接一个修饰它的定语从句，这个定语从句通常用which来引导。如：

They say the only real knowledge is that which can be measured. 据说唯一真实的知识是可以检验的知识。

在现代英语中，that which通常用what来代替。如：

We have that which (=what) we need. 我们需要的东西都有了。

That which (=What) many people say is not always true. 很多人说的话并不表示一定是真的。