一、基本概念

1.定语：修饰、限定、说明名词或代词的句子成分。

比如：a handsome boy, 那么我们这边的handsome 就是用来修饰名词boy的，所以handsome这个词是定语

记忆：定语是修饰名词或代词的词、短语或句子。

也就是定语它只围绕着名词或代词转。

2.定语从句(relative clause)：修饰名词或代词的句子(用一个句子来充当定语)。

比如：He is a boywho is handsome.

这边的who is handsome 就是定语从句，当然这个句子没有任何意义，如果出现写作中，我们会认为这是一个凑数的定语从句，像这样的简单表达我们直接用handsome形容词做定语即可(可能学生在写作中会写出这样完全没有营养的定语从句)。

I used to live in the housewhich was surrounded by flowers and birds. 像这样的句子就一个简单的句子来表示，所以我们会认为这是一个恰当好处的定语从句。

注意：到了系统的学了非谓语动词之后，这个句子也可以用一个简单句表示

I used to live in the house surrounded by flowers and birds.

这里就是用非谓语动词(过去分词)做定语。

3.先行词被修饰的词

比如上文中的boy/house

注意：定语从句中的先行词一般是名词/代词(大家在记单词的时候，最好也记下单词的词性)

4.关系词(引导词)

引出定语从句的词

如：上文中的who/which

那么定语从句中，最重要的就是掌握关系词的用法

二、关系词

1.关系代词(代表先行词，在从句中作一定的成分)

在把握具体关系代词用法时，首先了解定语从句中的主语和宾语

I used to live in thehousewhich was surrounded by flowers and birds.

I used to live in thehousewhich my grandfather had lived in.

这两个句子中的先行词都是house，但是他们在定语从句中充当的成分是不一样的。

第一个句子Which was surrounded by flowers and birds. 这里的which其实就是指代前文中的house，在这个定语从句中The house was surrounded by flowers and birds. house 作主语。(一般来说在谓语动词前-句首，都是主语，除去倒装句)

第二个句子，我们在还原在，即 将The house my father had lived in. 修改成 My father had lived inthe house.

显然，我们这里的house是作介词in的宾语(如果对于宾语不熟悉，可以去看下宾语从句这篇文章)。

通常如果先行词作宾语的话，我们的关系词可以省略，即：

I used to live in the house my father had lived in.

所以，把握主语和宾语，就能完美区分那些省略掉关系词的定语从句。

1.1 who

一般而言，关系代词为who时，先行词是人，可以作主语、宾语

I really admire those people who have acchievd great success.

I can't help those people who I hate. (宾语)

1.2 whom 作宾语

I can't help those people whom I hate.

1.3 that 先行词既可以是人，也可以是物，可以作主语、宾语

I really admire those people who have acchievd great success.

I can't help those people who I hate.

补充：He is the heroof whomwe are proud.

像这种如果有介词的话，我们只能用whom，初中考察的比较少，了解即可

1.4 which 指代物 可作主语、宾语

I used to live in the house which was surrounded by flowers and birds

1.5 whose 指代人/物，作定语

I used live in the house whose wall was painted into green.

He is the hero whose father is our English teacher.

补充：

由于that和which，均可以修饰物，有些情况只用that，不用which(了解即可)

1.先行词由all, much, little, few, something 等不定代词修饰或先行词本身是不定代词

There isnothingthat we can do.

2.先行词有the only, the same, the very等修饰时

This isthe onlymusic that I love.

3.先行词有形容词最高级、序数词修饰时

This isthe bestfilm that I have ever seen.

4.先行词既指人又指物

We talked aboutthe person and thingsthat we remembered.

如果考察的话，前面三种比较多(初中阶段，平时模拟题会出现)

2.关系副词 作状语

关系副词一般在从句中作状语，也就是说从句不缺主语、宾语

2.1 when 先行词表示时间

I will never forget the day when we stayed together.

比较：

I will never forget the day that/which we spent together.

问题：先行词同样是 the day，为什么一个用when，一个用that/which?

2.2 where 先行词表地点

I will never forget the village where we stayed together.

比较：

I will never forget the village that/which is in the east of China.

问题：先行词同样是 the village，为什么一个用where，一个用that/which?

2.3 why 先行词一般为the reason

Can you explain the reason why you are late again?

难点：关系副词和介词+which替换

在上述句子中我们可以用相应的介词+which和关系副词替换

一般而言why=for which

when=in/on...+which

where=in/on...+which

具体介词选择则取决于先行词

I will never forget the village where(in which)we stayed together.

补充：

对于初中学生来说，定语从句难点在于关系副词这块，因为很多学生区分不了到底是不是作状语。一般而言，实际考察多半考察的都是关系代词，所以关系代词的用法一定搞清楚，如果实在不知道填什么，那就填that，填that的正确率要高些