英语 英语 日语 日语 韩语 韩语 法语 法语 德语 德语 西班牙语 西班牙语 意大利语 意大利语 阿拉伯语 阿拉伯语 葡萄牙语 葡萄牙语 越南语 越南语 俄语 俄语 芬兰语 芬兰语 泰语 泰语 泰语 丹麦语 泰语 对外汉语

英语语法:153 “Which” Versus “That”

时间:2010-07-03 01:27来源:互联网 提供网友:飘絮330813   字体: [ ]
特别声明:本栏目内容均从网络收集或者网友提供,供仅参考试用,我们无法保证内容完整和正确。如果资料损害了您的权益,请与站长联系,我们将及时删除并致以歉意。
    (单词翻译:双击或拖选)

Since Halloween is coming up, I thought you could use a refresher about “whiches”--more specifically, when to use a “which” and when to use a “that.”
To understand the difference between “which” and “that,” first you need to understand the difference between a restrictive element and a non-restrictive element, because the simple rule is to use “that” with a restrictive element and “which” with a non-restrictive element. OK, don't worry; it's easy.
Restrictive Clauses and Nonrestrictive Clauses
A restrictive element is just part of a sentence you can’t get rid of because it specifically restricts the noun. Here's an example:
Desserts that contain chocolate please Squiggly.
The words “that contain” restrict the kind of desserts we're talking about. Without those words, the meaning of the sentence would change. Without them, we'd be saying that all desserts please Squiggly, not just the ones with chocolate.
Desserts that contain chocolate please Squiggly.
Restrictive elements aren't surrounded by commas.
Here's another example:
Jackhammers that don't have noise-dampening technology are on sale.
We can't get rid of the words “that don't have noise-dampening technology” because then we'd be saying all jackhammers are on sale, not just the special ones; so that means the clause is restrictive.
And another example:
Dogs that howl make me crazy.
I can't get rid of the words “that howl” because then I'd be saying all dogs make me crazy, not just the ones that howl, which isn't true.
On the other hand, a non-restrictive element is something that can be left off without changing the meaning of the sentence. A nonrestrictive element is simply additional information.
Chocolate desserts, which are his favorites, please Squiggly.
Leaving out the words “which are his favorites” doesn’t change the meaning of the sentence. With or without the words “which are his favorites,” we know that chocolate desserts please Squiggly.   Nonrestrictive elements are surrounded by commas.
Here's another example:
Jackhammers, which are useful for breaking up concrete, are on sale.
We could throw out the words “which are useful for breaking up concrete” and the meaning of the sentence wouldn't change. Those words are just extra, meaning they're non-restrictive, surrounded by commas, and “which” is the right word choice.
And another example.
Dogs, which make great companions, are usually furry1.
Again, we could throw out the words “which make great companions” and not change the meaning of the sentence. Dogs are still usually furry. Those words, “which make great companions,” are just extra, meaning they're non-restrictive, surrounded by commas, and “which” is the right word choice.
A Quick and Dirty Tip? If you think of the Wicked Witch (Which) of the West from The Wizard of Oz, you know it’s okay to throw her out. You won’t change the meaning of the sentence without the which phrase. So, you can throw out the which (or witch) clause, commas and all.If you can safely throw out the “which” and the meaning of the sentence doesn't change, then you know “which” is the right choice. If you try to throw out the clause and it does change the meaning of the sentence, then you know that the right choice is “that” instead of “which” because it's a restrictive clause. That's the simplified rule that I find works for a lot of people who get frustrated2 trying to decide which word to use.
“Which” Versus3 “That” – Advanced
There is a more complicated rule, and I'm going to explain it now, so if you don't want to hear it, stop listening for about 15 seconds.
OK, it's true that the word “that” can only be used for restrictive clauses, but some authorities maintain that “which” can actually be used for both restrictive and non-restrictive clauses. One problem with this is that many people don't know that “which” can be used for both. A second problem is that a lot of people follow the restrictive-non-restrictive “rule” that divides the two words, so it's safer to do it that way, since it's always an option anyway. I also believe it's a lot easier to remember the rule if you split “that” and “which” up along restrictive and non-restrictive lines. If you use the simplified tip that it's always safe to throw out the “whiches,” you'll always treat the word “that” properly; but if you love the sound of “which” and want to use it where I'd recommend a “that,” you'll find authorities to back you up, and people shouldn't go around thinking it's clearly wrong to use “which” for restrictive clauses.
“That” and “Which”--Relative Pronouns
I'll finish up with a little grammatical aside. When they're used in the way we've been talking about, “that” and “which” are called relative pronouns. I know it seems weird4 because you usually think of pronouns as words like “he” and “she.” Relative pronouns don't get talked about as much, but they are real pronouns. They head up subordinate clauses. Other relative pronouns include “who,” “whom,” “why,” “where,” and “when.”
Summary
To sum up, the simplest rule is to choose the relative pronoun “that” when you can't get rid of the clause and the relative pronoun “which” when you can get rid of the clause. Remember that it's always safe to throw out the “whiches.”
The Grammar Devotional

Also, I'm delighted to tell you that my new book, The Grammar Devotional, is finally in stores! It's not available as an audiobook because it has puzzles and quizzes, so you have to get the print edition.   The first few weeks of sales are really important because they determine whether bookstores keep the book around for Christmas, so if you want it, please go buy it now. It's The Grammar Devotional, and it has 365 easy tips, quizzes, cartoons, and puzzles to help you be a better writer.

That's all. Thanks for listening.

 


点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 furry Rssz2D     
adj.毛皮的;似毛皮的;毛皮制的
参考例句:
  • This furry material will make a warm coat for the winter.这件毛皮料在冬天会是一件保暖的大衣。
  • Mugsy is a big furry brown dog,who wiggles when she is happy.马格斯是一只棕色大长毛狗,当她高兴得时候她会摇尾巴。
2 frustrated ksWz5t     
adj.挫败的,失意的,泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的过去式和过去分词 );挫败;使受挫折;令人沮丧
参考例句:
  • It's very easy to get frustrated in this job. 这个工作很容易令人懊恼。
  • The bad weather frustrated all our hopes of going out. 恶劣的天气破坏了我们出行的愿望。 来自《简明英汉词典》
3 versus wi7wU     
prep.以…为对手,对;与…相比之下
参考例句:
  • The big match tonight is England versus Spain.今晚的大赛是英格兰对西班牙。
  • The most exciting game was Harvard versus Yale.最富紧张刺激的球赛是哈佛队对耶鲁队。
4 weird bghw8     
adj.古怪的,离奇的;怪诞的,神秘而可怕的
参考例句:
  • From his weird behaviour,he seems a bit of an oddity.从他不寻常的行为看来,他好像有点怪。
  • His weird clothes really gas me.他的怪衣裳简直笑死人。
本文本内容来源于互联网抓取和网友提交,仅供参考,部分栏目没有内容,如果您有更合适的内容,欢迎点击提交分享给大家。
------分隔线----------------------------
TAG标签:   英语语法  Which  Versus  That  英语语法  Which  Versus  That
顶一下
(0)
0%
踩一下
(0)
0%
最新评论 查看所有评论
发表评论 查看所有评论
请自觉遵守互联网相关的政策法规,严禁发布色情、暴力、反动的言论。
评价:
表情:
验证码:
听力搜索
推荐频道
论坛新贴