高中生如何掌握好定语从句的用法

不要让高一学生被定语从句给“电”住了
定语从句常见理解性错误归纳与讨论

定语从句（Relative Clause）是英语复合句中最重要的从句之一，当前牛津英语教材从初中（9A）就开始让学生建立感性认识，到高一上学期模块1以全册的三个单元relative pronouns, preposition+which and preposition+whom 和 non-restrictive attributive clause 系统介绍了定语从句，所以整个高一上半学期的重要语法项目就是定语从句，是学生应该掌握的基本语法。于是笔者在本校高一年级第一学期第一模块学完后开展了定语从句专项测试调查，测试形式为：单选、改错、填空、翻译，结果发现仍然有大量的错误，本校为四星级高中，学生基础不弱，但并未达到期盼的目标。那么是哪些错误呢? 本文就一些理解性错误作出归纳和讨论。
一 基本概念不清
例：句子翻译
这个过去是模特的女孩现在是个著名演员。
The girl used to be a model is a famous actress now.
解：请看概念：在复合句中，修饰某一名词或代词的从句叫做定语从句。定语从句在句子中的作用相当于形容词，故又称为形容词从句。在定语从句中的引导词叫做关系词。
1. 英语中从句都须通过引导词引出，定语从句也不例外。
2. 英语里的形容词常对应汉语里的“。。。。。。的”。
正答：The girl who used to be a model is a famous actress now.
析：从识别从句本身的结构形式入手，可通过用刮号划出复合句中的从句部分来解决。如：
This is the story (that we wrote for our storytelling contest).
The girl (who is the monitor of our class) lives next door to me.
The money (with which you were to buy dog food) is gone.
I used to live in a town (where there were no parks or cinemas).
这样，主从句结构分明，语意也易理解。再看：
Is this factory ______ his father works in?
A. where   B. which       C. the one          D. that
解：中国学习者更喜欢看陈述句，转变题干为陈述句是常见的手段，This factory is ___ his father works in. (This is factory __ his father works in. 因单数可数名词factory 前无冠词，此变式是错误的) 如果假定空白处为一关系词，那么到句尾为从句部分：This factory is (which/that his father works in). 显然，主句是不完整的，从语意上知道 This factory is the factory which/that his father works in. 为避免重复，表语the factory 由the one 来替代，从而：The factory is the one (that) his father works in.
二 关系词功能不明
例：把下列两个独立的句子合成一复合句
Did you enjoy the film? You saw the film yesterday.
That five-star hotel is located in the center of Shanghai. I stayed there last summer.
答：Did you enjoy the film which you saw it yesterday?
That five-star hotel where I stayed there last summer is located in the center of Shanghai.
解：关系词在定语从句中一方面代指前面先行词，同时在从句中充当一定的逻辑成份，或主语、或宾语、或表语，或状语。若复合句中仍保留独立句中的代词，则产生了语意的重叠。
正答：Did you enjoy the film which you saw yesterday?
That five-star hotel where I stayed last summer is located in the center of Shanghai.
又如一改错题：
I, who is your brother, have the right to prevent you from doing that.
解：关系词who 即代表I，所以定语从句中的谓语动词和先行词在人称和数上保持一致。从句谓语应改为am.
析：要体会给出的两个独立句在语法上是相互独立的，但在语意上是通过代词紧密联系的，合并中，关系词在引出从句的同时，已担当了代词的语意功能。精选此类题型多操练是很好的解决手段。特别如：
I have a large quantity of books. Some of them were bought when I was at college.
It may rain tomorrow. In that case, our football match will have to be cancelled.
The teacher discussed with Jim. One of his problems was poor study habits.
三 误用关系词代词与关系副词
例：改错
1. I'll never forget the days when we spent together on the farm.
2. This is the factory where he was invited to visit last month.
解：关系代词和关系副词都起着引导定语从句的作用，但关系代词在从句中通常充当逻辑主语、宾语或表语，关系副词在从句中作状语。通过划出从句部分，对从句句子结构的分析是解题的关键，通过分析，从句若缺主语、宾语或表语，再根据先行词特征，综合判断；从句若仅缺状语，再根据先行词为地点、时间或原因，综合判断。
正答：I’ll never forget the days that we spent together on the farm.
This is the factory that he was invited to visit last month.
析：学生初期只观察先行词为时间（day）、地点（house）等，就断定关系词，造成误判；部分学生不会对句子成分进行分析以及对动词的及物与不及物不明是他们解题的障碍，学习五种基本句型和关注词汇的词性是解决的方法之一。
四 误用 as 和 which
例：Bamboo is hollow, ____________makes it very light.
A. as          B. which             C. it             D. that
解：as 和 which 用来引导定语从句时，它们之间的区别在于：引导定语从句的 as 可以放到主句前面也可以放到主句后面，而引导定语从句的 which 只能放到主句后面。 as 引导的定语从句表示“正像……那样，正如……”。例如： as is often the case （这是常有的事）， as we all can see （我们可以看得见）， as is known to all （大家都知道）， as has been pointed out （正如所指出的那样）， as is announced （正如所宣布的那样）。因此该句应选B. which ， which 在意思上指前面整个主句的内容。
析：以下两句供学生体会 1. The young lady married a handsome man, as we expected.
2. The young lady married a rich but old man, which puzzled as all.
五 不识庐山真面貌
例：She didn’t tell others the difficulty she had ___ the job in the big city.
A. to find           B. found            C. finding          D. find
解：许多学生被迷惑而选择了B。此题确实有很大的迷惑性，要通过几步来认清其本质。第一，找出定语从句部分，补全被省去的关系词。第二，把关系词所指代的先行词the difficulty还原到从句中，也就是把定语从句转成一个独立的句子，发现：She had the difficulty__ the job in the city. 常用句子结构somebody have/has some difficulty (in) doing something浮出水面。
析：加强常见此类短语的记忆，了解短语中名词因被关系词充当而在外形上空缺的特征。可通过含这类短语的句子在转换成被动语态时的两种方式帮助体会，如：
We should pay much attention to the present oil price.
The present oil price should be paid much attention to.
Much attention should be paid to the present oil price.
The boy was proud of the progress he had made ______ English.
A. in learning           B. to learn           C. of learning          D. learn
相信学生会识别出make progress in doing something 的真面貌。
六 限制性和非限制性定语从句的模糊
例：翻译
这幢房子很漂亮，是我们上个月买的。
This is the beautiful house which we bought last month.
解：定语从句有限制性和非限制性两种。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明确；非限制性定语从句是先行词的附加说明，去掉了也不会影响主句的意思，它与主句之间通常用逗号分开。如果将上句反转换成中文：这是我们上个月买的那幢漂亮房子。
正答：The house, which we bought last month, is very nice.
析：再看下句 汤姆的爸爸本周末就要回来了，他爸爸在北京工作。
Tom’s father who works in Beijing will come home this weekend.
此句在英美人士看来：One of Tom’s fathers will come home this weekend. This father works in Beijing. 而非限制性定语从句Tom’s father, who works in Beijing, will come home this weekend.自然不会产生误解。
    定语从句是英语语言中的重要语法项目之一，中学生阅读和写作都离不开定语从句，但教师有时急于求成，往往在2-3节课内倾蘘灌输，学生难接受。师生必须循序渐进，预定整个高一上半学期从形式到内涵到特例，充分体会和运用好它。