1) 关系代词用来引导定语从句。它代表先行词,同时在从句中作一定的句子成分,例如:The girl to whom I spoke is my cousin.跟我讲话的姑娘是我表妹。(该句中whom既代表先行词the girl,又在从句中作介词to的宾语。)
2) 关系代词有主格,宾格和属格之分,并有指人与指物之分。在限定性定语从句中,that 可指人也可指物,见表:
属 格 whose of which/whose of which/whose
This is the pencil whose point is broken.
He came back for the book which he had forgotten.他回来取他丢下的书。
(which指物,在限定性定语从句中作宾语,可以省略)
3) 关系代词which的先行词可以是一个句子,例如:
He said he saw me there, which was a lie.
说明: 关系代词that在从句中作宾语或表语时可省略, 例如:
I've forgotten much of the Latin I once knew.
He's changed. He's not the man he was.