对于“介词+关系代词”结构的使用,重点是要弄清其中的介词如何确定和判断。归纳起来,有以下几点方法:
1. 根据与定语从句中动词的搭配来确定介词。
如:
Water is the natural medium in which fish live. 水是鱼类赖以生存的自然环境。(注意搭配live in)
The documents for which they were searching have been recovered. 他们找寻的文件已经找到了。(注意搭配search for)
This is a subject about which we might argue for a long while. 这是一个我们可能长时间争论的问题。(注意搭配argue about)
注意,对于那些由动词与介词构成的短语动词,通常不宜将它们拆开使用,此时应注意介词的位置应。如:
The boy (whom) my sister is looking after is getting better.
不能说成:The boy after whom my sister is looking is getting better.
2. 根据与定语从句中形容词的搭配来确定介词。
如:
Physics is the subject in our school in which every student is interested. 历史是我们学校每个学生都很感兴趣的课程。(注意搭配be interested in)
He referred me to some reference books with which I am not very familiar. 他我要去参考一些我不熟悉的参考书。(注意搭配be familiar with)
3. 根据与先行词的搭配来确定介词。
如:
This is our classroom, in the front of which there is a teacher’s desk. 这是我们的教室,前面有老师的讲台。(注意搭配in the front of our classroom)
I’ll never forget the day on which she said goodbye to me. 我永远不会忘记她与我们告别的那一天。(注意搭配on the day)
4. 根据句意来确定介词的使用。
如:
This is the book from which I got the story. 这就是那本书,从中我读到这个故事。(由于句意含有“从……”的意思,所以用介词from)
This I did at nine o’clock, after which I sat reading the paper. 九点钟时我做这事,之后我坐着看报。(由于句意含有“在……之后”的意思,所以用介词after)