定語從句的學(xué)習(xí)是高中英語的重點,又是難點。學(xué)生開始學(xué)習(xí)時會感到很難,有越學(xué)越難的感覺。筆者結(jié)多年語法教學(xué)實踐,針對學(xué)生在學(xué)習(xí)過程中所遇到的問題談?wù)勛约旱目捶ǎM軒椭鷮W(xué)生解決疑惑,從而輕松掌握這一語法重難點。
一、認識定語的概念。
定語的定義是:形容詞修飾名詞或代詞的作用叫定語。而表示法可以敘述為:定語由①形容詞;②相當(dāng)于形容詞的詞;③相當(dāng)于形容詞的短語;④相當(dāng)于形容詞的句子充當(dāng)。這個相當(dāng)于形容詞的句子就是定語從句。
先通過大量的舉例使學(xué)生從感性和理性二個角度來認識定語從句和定語的關(guān)系。如:
①This is a small box.
He is a lazy boy.
②This is an apple tree.
There are 55 students in class 1.
③The girl in a hat is Lucy.
Would you like something to eat?
The boy playing over there is my brother.
The cup broken by Jim is valuable.
④The man who I met on the street is my math teacher.
The house where we played cards is small.
二、定語從句和非謂語動詞短語作定語時的轉(zhuǎn)換。
可以通過定語從句和非謂語動詞短語作定語時的轉(zhuǎn)換,使學(xué)生認識定語從句的表達方式,這樣能把非謂語動詞的學(xué)習(xí)和定語從句的學(xué)習(xí)結(jié)合起來,同時也能加深對非謂語動詞作定語的學(xué)習(xí)與認識。如:
1.The girl in a hat is lucy.
→The girl who is in a hat is lucy.
2.The boy playing over there is my brother.
→The boy who is playing over there is my brother.
3.The cup broken by Jim is valuable.
→The cup that was broken by Jim is valuable.
在平時的課堂教學(xué)中向?qū)W生多講這種升降格的做法及應(yīng)注意的時態(tài)和語態(tài)問題,不僅能把非謂動詞短語作定語與定語從句結(jié)合起來,而且能讓學(xué)生更加深刻地認識定語。
三、注意定語從句在英漢兩種語序翻譯上的差異。
英語中定語從句絕大多數(shù)是后置定語,而漢語是前置定語,所以定語從句多譯成主謂結(jié)構(gòu)加“的”的形式,放在被修飾詞的前面。請比較:
1.The man who I met on the street is my math teacher.(我在街上遇到的那個人是我的數(shù)學(xué)老師。)
2.The house where we played cards is small.(我們在里面打牌的那棟房小。)
兩者正好相反的語序加大了定語從句的難度。教學(xué)時應(yīng)精心設(shè)計一些練習(xí),加強學(xué)生對這種差異的認識。
四、認識引導(dǎo)詞在定語從句中的作用。
引導(dǎo)定語從句的引導(dǎo)詞不僅引出從句,指代先行詞,連接著主句和從句,而且還在定語從句中充當(dāng)成分。教師要多講引導(dǎo)詞在從句中所擔(dān)當(dāng)?shù)某煞郑囵B(yǎng)學(xué)生在學(xué)習(xí)時把引導(dǎo)詞的各個作用都考慮到,這樣就能逐步把關(guān)系代詞和關(guān)系副詞的使用區(qū)分開來。請比較下面兩組例子:
(1)a.I won’t forget the day _______ we met for the first time.
b.I will never forget the days _______ we spent together on the farm.
(2)a.This is the school _______ they studied last year.
b.This is the school _______ they visited last year.
有些學(xué)生在上述兩組的空白處分別填when,where,這是由于忽略了引導(dǎo)詞在定語從句中所擔(dān)當(dāng)?shù)某煞侄斐傻摹?/p>
在上述二組中第一個句子填when和where是正確的,因為它們在從句中作時間狀語和地點狀語。在上述二組句子中的第二個句子中,盡管各自的先行詞與第一個句子的相同,但要用的引導(dǎo)詞是否一樣,就要予以認真分析,第一組中第二句中,先行詞作spent的賓語,第二組中的先行詞作visited的賓語,故都應(yīng)填關(guān)系代詞that或which。講解時學(xué)生難以判斷引導(dǎo)詞在從句中所充當(dāng)?shù)某煞謺r,可要求學(xué)生把復(fù)合句拆分成簡單句,還原該引導(dǎo)詞所代替的句子成分,這樣就很容易弄清它所作的成分。
五、介詞 +which 結(jié)構(gòu)中的介詞如何確定。
它還可以替換when,where,why等關(guān)系副詞。
1.說明在“介詞+關(guān)系代詞”結(jié)構(gòu)中,介詞的選用取決于先行詞的意義和從句中謂語動詞的搭配。例如:
①Do you know the boy to whom my mother is talking?(whom前用to,取決于從句中 is talking to的搭配)
②This is the house in which we lived last year.(which前用in,取決于先行詞的搭配in the house)
③I want to find the pen with which I wrote the letter.(which前用with,取決于先行詞的搭配with the pen)
注意:含有介詞的短語動詞一般不能拆開使用,介詞仍需要放在動詞后面,因為短語動詞屬于固定搭配。例如:
④Is this the DVD player which you are looking for?
look for 是短語動詞,不能拆開。
2.舉例說明可用“介詞+關(guān)系代詞”結(jié)構(gòu)替換關(guān)系副詞when,where,why等。例如:
①I still remember the day when I first came to Beijing.
→I still remember the day on which I first came to Beijing.
②The house where he lives needs repairing.
→The house in which he lives needs repairing.
→The house (which/that) he lives in needs repairing.
③The reason why I’m calling you is to invite you to a party.
→The reason for which I’m calling you is to invite you to a party.
→The reason(which/that) I’m calling you for is to invite you to a party.
六、關(guān)系代詞whose不僅可以指人,而且還可指物,歸納說明關(guān)系代詞whose的用法。
1.關(guān)系代詞whose既是who的所有格,又是which的所有格,在定語從句中作定語。因此,除指人之外,whose還可以指物。如:
①I saw a woman whose bag was stolen.(指人所屬的關(guān)系)
②please show me the book whose cover is red.(指物的所屬關(guān)系)
2.關(guān)系代詞whose指物時,可用“of+which”結(jié)構(gòu)代替。詞序是:限定詞(冠詞、指示代詞、物主代詞等)+n.+“of+which”;也可以是:“of+which”+限定詞n.。如:
①I live in the room whose window faces south.
→I live in the room the window of which faces south.
→I live in the room of which the window faces south.
②Which is car whose owner you know?
→Which is the car the owner of which you know?
→Which is the car of which the owner you know?
七、注意句子中定冠詞的修飾作用,判斷定語從句的關(guān)系代詞,調(diào)整句子結(jié)構(gòu),還原定冠詞的位置。
先看下面兩個句子:
①Is this shopping mall _______ sells many kinds of mobile phones?
②Is this the shopping mall _______ sells many kinds of mobile phones?
A.whereB.the one thatC.which
兩個句子都是疑問句形式,可先將它們變成陳述句形式:
①→This shopping mall is _______ sells many kinds of mobile phones.
②→This is the shopping mall _______ sells many kinds of mobile phones.
由此可知,句①缺少先行詞和引導(dǎo)詞,所以要選B。而句②缺少從句中作主語的關(guān)系代詞,因而要選C。假如遇到題干為疑問句、倒裝句、強調(diào)句等特殊語序的選擇題時,最好先將句子還原為陳述語序,再選擇。這樣,可以降低題目難度,有利于把握句子結(jié)構(gòu),明確題意,從而準(zhǔn)確作答。
再比較下面兩個句子:
③He is the (only) one of the students who _______ Russian in our school.
A.know B.knows C.knew
④Titanic is one of the most wonderful movies that _______ been produced in Hollywood.
A.haveB.has C.were
針對這兩題,學(xué)生往往會選A。實際上,由于定冠詞的作用,已使句子的先行詞發(fā)生了變化。句③在one前加了the(only),表示后面的定詞從句修飾的就是先行詞“the(only)one”,而不是“the students”,所以動詞用單數(shù)knows;而句④中的one前沒有定冠詞,后面的定語從句修飾的是先行詞movies,所以動詞用復(fù)數(shù)have。
八、句子中逗號或句號的作用。
說明標(biāo)點符號對句子結(jié)構(gòu)的影響,試比較以下三個句子:
①He has two sons.One of _______ wants to be an astronaut.
②He has two sons,and one of _______ wants to be an astronaut.
③He has two sons,one of _______ wants to be an astronaut.
A.them B.they C.whom D./
除了在“one of”前面使用的標(biāo)點符號不同和句②有并列連詞and之外,上述三個句子完全相同。根據(jù)句意,這三句話的空白處都需填入一詞,否則句意不完整。句①是兩個完整的簡單句,句②的連詞and前后是并列分詞,句①、②的空白處應(yīng)是一個可與one of共同作主語的人稱代詞,因此,都可填them。句③用的盡管也是逗號,但沒有并列連詞and,并且句③的逗號表示其前后是同一句子的兩個部分。從句子的結(jié)構(gòu)可知,在該逗號之后應(yīng)是一個定語從句。定語從句的引導(dǎo)詞要用關(guān)系代詞,而不能用人稱代詞,所以,句③要填whom。
九、誤將強調(diào)句型當(dāng)定語從句。
去掉It is (was)...that的結(jié)構(gòu),還原此結(jié)構(gòu)中間的成分。試比較以下三個句子:
①It was in the kitchen _______ the fire broke out.
A.whereB.thatC./
②Was it because it snowed last night _______ you didn’t come?
A.thatB.when C./
③It is the first American movie _______ I’ve ever seen.
A./ B.whatC.that
句①、②、③均填that,但并非都是定語從句。針對形似定語從句而實際上并不是定語從句的句子,應(yīng)注意先去掉It is(was)...that這個結(jié)構(gòu)后,再還原整個句子。如果句子還原后,在語法和句意上都完整,則屬于強調(diào)句型,而非定語從句。否則,是定語從句。句①、②均可還原,而且語法和意義都完整,所以是強調(diào)句型;句③還原后,結(jié)構(gòu)和意義產(chǎn)生歧義,則是定語從句。
十、合并成含定語從句的復(fù)合句時,去掉已被替代了的詞語。
把兩個或多個句子合并成含定語從句的復(fù)合句,是弄清定語從句的一種有效方法。但是,做這種練習(xí)時,不少學(xué)生用了關(guān)系代詞或關(guān)系副詞以后,卻沒有去掉已被替代的詞語,造成錯句。請比較:
①She is a girl.
I met her at the party.
→(誤)She is a girl (who/whom) I met her at the party.
→(正)She is a girl (who/whom) I met at the party.
②The hotel wasn’t clean.
We stayed at the hotel.
→(誤)The hotel where we stayed at it wasn’t clean.
→(正)The hotel where we stayed wasn’t clean.
③I will never forget the days.
We spent those days together on the farm.
→(誤)I will never forget the days that we spent those days together on the farm.
→(正)I will never forget the days(that/which) we spent together on the farm.
要解決上述問題,教師可列出正、誤句子;要求學(xué)生觀察、體驗、探究等積極主動的學(xué)習(xí),培養(yǎng)他們自我糾錯的能力。只有這樣,才能突破定語從句這個重點和難點。