问英语｜英语常见问题解答

that/which¹

问

章振邦等编《新编英语语法》(下)(上海译文出版社,p.705)说：“能在关系分句中作主语补语的关系代词只有that一个词，that作这种用法，既能指人也能指物，但往往省略。例如：Dr Fordham still talks like the man that he was ten years ago. When Lauren was born, Dorothy decided her daughter would be the singer(that) she always wanted to be. My typewriter is not the machine(that) it was.”

这种说法使我迷惑不解:难道 which 不能在关系从句中作主语补语吗?

答

《新编英语语法》的说法是值得商榷的。实际上，无论在限制性定语从句里，还是在非限制性定语从句里，which也可作主语补语，请看下面的实例：

She is the perfect accountant $\left\{\begin{array}{l}which\\*\text{who}\\*\text{that}\end{array}\right\}$ her predecessor was not. (CGEL) 她是最优秀的会计师，而她的前任却不是这样。
This is not the type of modern house $\left\{ \begin{array}{l} \text{which} \\ * \text{that} \\ * (\quad) \end{array} \right\}$ my own is. (CGEL) 这不是现代化房屋的样式, 而我的房子却是。
Anna is vegetarian, $\left\{ \begin{array}{l} \text {which} \\ * \text {who} \\ * \text {that} \\ * (\quad) \end{array} \right\}$ no one else is in our family. (CGEL) 安娜是个素食

者，而我们家的其他人都不是。

She wants low-calorie food, $\left\{\begin{array}{l}which\\*that\\*(\quad)\end{array}\right\}$ this vegetable curry certainly is. (CGEL) 她需要吃低热量的食物，咖喱这种蔬菜肯定是低热量食物。

此外，CGEL认为，在非限制性关系分句里，关系代词that是极为罕见的。

that/which²

问

高中英语第一册 p.40 有这样一道题：

Model: This is the best film ____ (今年放映过)。

This is the best film that (which) has been shown this year.

有人发表文章说这里使用 which 是错误的, 是这样吗?

答

很多人认为,当先行词为表物的名词时,可任意使用 that 或 which。实际上,并非总是如此。这里存在着一个惯用法问题。例如,当先行词有最高级形容词或顺序数词以及 last, next, only 等修饰语时,人们大都喜欢使用 that,而较少使用 which。让我们来考察一些实例:

They eat the finest food that is available. (CGEL) 他们吃能买到的最好的食品。
They eat the finest food (that) money can buy. (CGEL) 他们吃用钱能买到的最好的食品。

但是，使用 which 也并不是错误的，见 that/which $^{3,4}$ 。

that/which³

问

Finally, the thief handed everything ____ he had stolen to the police.

A. which B. what C. whatever D. that(全国高考,标准答案为 D。)

All ____ is needed is a supply of oil.

A. the thing B. that C. what D. which(全国高考,标准答案为 B)

上面两道题均把 which 判为错误。但是,先行词 everything, something, all 等用 which 作关系代词真的就是错误吗?

答

上面的试题不够恰当,因为用 which 作 all, everything, something, anything, nothing 的关系代词并不是错误,它只是没有 that 用得那么普遍而已。还是让我们引用权威语言学家们的论述来作证明。

"That as subject and that or zero as object are preferred to which when the antecedent is non-personal all, anything, everything, nothing, little, or much..." (CGEL, p. 1251)

（“当先行词是非人称的 all, anything, everything, nothing, little 或 much 时, that 与 which 相比, 人们更喜欢用 that 作主语, 用 that 或零关系代词作宾语。”）

由此看来,使用 that 或 which 只是个使用频率问题,而不是正误问题(见 which/that $^{4}$ )。下面让我们用实例来证明这一点:

Then he said something which astonished his guests. 随后他讲了一件使他的客人感到吃惊的事情。
Matter is the name given to everything which has weight and occupies space. 物质是赋予具有重量和占据空间的一切东西的名称。
This is all which Mr. Black could offer. (《新编英语语法》) 这就是布莱克先生所能提供的一切。
Have you anything(which/that) you'd like to sell? (Chambers) 你有什么东西想卖吗? which $^{4}$

that/which⁴

问

《实用英语语法》(张道真编著,外研社,1995,p.96)说:

“which 代表事物,在从句中可以作主语或宾语……that 代表事物的时候更多一些,也可代表人,在从句中可以作主语、宾语或表语。”

据此我得出如下结论：

当中心词为表物的名词,而关系代词在从句中作主语或宾语时,which 和 that 是完全可以互换的。

答

《实用英语语法》，作为一部中级英语语法书，对 which 和 that 所作的陈述是恰当的。你如果是一位英语初学者的话，那你所做的结论是很实用的。但是，你如果具有较高的英语水平，则应查找其他资料，进一步弄清 which 和 that 的惯用法问题。下面提供一些参考资料。通常使用 that 的场合：

A. 当先行词是 all, anything, something, everything, nothing, little, much, none, one 时, 人们大都喜欢使用 that 或省略充当宾语的 that(即零关系代词):

All is well that ends well. 结果好,一切都好。
Have you everything that you need? (Eckersley) 你是否(拥)有你所需要的一切东西?
She has everything (that) a woman could wish for. (GPU) 她拥有女人想获得的一切。
I'll tell you something that you didn't know before. (EED) 我要告诉你你从前不知道的一些事情。
I never have taken anything that didn't belong to me. (Galsworthy) 我从不去获取不属于我的东西。
Much that has been said tonight will soon be forgotten. (CGEL) 今天晚上说的许多话很快就会忘记。
There was little that interested him at the motor show. 汽车展销会上引起他兴趣的东西极少。
The government has promised to do all that lies in its power to help. 政府答应尽全力进行援助。

B. 当被修饰的名词(即先行词)有 only, all, any, few, little, no, one of 等修饰语时,人们通常喜欢用 that 或者省略 that(当 that 作宾语时):

The only thing that impresses me is her directness. 唯一给我留下深刻印象的就是她的直率。

C. 当先行词受最高级形容词、顺序数词、last、next修饰时，通常使用that或零形式：

They eat the finest food that is available. (GCE) 他们吃所能买到的最好的食品。

D. 当先行词既含表人的名词又含表物的名词时,这时只能使用 that:

The generals complained that the Defence Department had not sent the extra men and equipment that they needed. (CGEL) 将军们抱怨国防部没有给增派他们所需要的人员和设备。

that/which⁵

问

Some of the musical pieces for ____ Isadora Duncan choreographed dances were waltzes

and mazurkas by Chopin.

A. them B. that C. which D. what (TOEFL)

答案为 C。能否选 B(that) 呢？

答

见 that... on。