在英语写作中,定语从句是一项至关重要的语法结构，它能够丰富句子表达，使语言更加精确和流畅，无论是学术写作、商务邮件，还是日常交流，定语从句的恰当运用都能提升文章质量，增强逻辑性，本文将深入探讨定语从句的写作技巧，并结合实际例句，帮助读者掌握如何灵活运用这一语法结构。
定语从句的基本概念
定语从句,也称为关系从句，用于修饰名词或代词，通常由关系代词（who, whom, whose, which, that）或关系副词（when, where, why）引导，根据从句与先行词的关系，定语从句可分为限制性定语从句和非限制性定语从句。
限制性定语从句
限制性定语从句对先行词起限定作用,如果省略，句子的含义会不完整或改变，这类从句通常不用逗号隔开。
例句：
- The book that I borrowed from the library is very interesting.
- People who work hard often achieve success.
非限制性定语从句
非限制性定语从句提供附加信息,即使省略，句子仍然完整，这类从句通常用逗号隔开。
例句：
- My brother, who lives in New York, is coming to visit next week.
- The Eiffel Tower, which was built in 1889, is a famous landmark in Paris.
定语从句的写作技巧
选择合适的引导词
不同的先行词需要不同的关系代词或副词：
- Who/Whom：指人（who 作主语，whom 作宾语）
- The scientist who discovered penicillin was Alexander Fleming.
- The woman whom you met yesterday is my professor.
- Whose：表示所属关系
- The artist whose paintings are famous worldwide will hold an exhibition.
- Which/That：指物
- The laptop which I bought last month is already outdated.
- The movie that we watched yesterday was thrilling.
- When/Where/Why：分别表示时间、地点和原因
- I still remember the day when we first met.
- This is the restaurant where we had dinner last year.
- Can you explain the reason why you were late?
避免重复信息
定语从句的作用是补充说明,因此应避免在从句中重复主句已提及的内容。
错误示例：
- The man who he is standing there is my uncle.
正确表达： - The man who is standing there is my uncle.
灵活调整句式
定语从句可以用于合并简单句,使文章更加紧凑。
原句：
- I have a friend. She speaks five languages.
优化后： - I have a friend who speaks five languages.
避免过度使用
虽然定语从句能增强表达,但过多使用会使句子冗长复杂，适当使用简单句或分词结构，保持句子平衡。
过度使用：
- The book that was written by the author who won the Nobel Prize which is awarded annually is on the shelf.
优化后： - The book, written by a Nobel Prize-winning author, is on the shelf.
定语从句在各类写作中的应用
学术写作
在学术论文中,定语从句常用于定义概念或提供背景信息。
例句：
- The theory that Einstein proposed revolutionized modern physics.
- Participants who completed the survey were given a small reward.
商务写作
在商务邮件或报告中,定语从句能提高表达的精确性。
例句：
- Please review the contract which was sent to you last week.
- The client whose order was delayed has requested a refund.
日常写作
在记叙文或描述性文章中,定语从句能增添细节，使内容更生动。
例句：
- The park where we used to play as children has been renovated.
- She wore a dress that was handmade by her grandmother.
常见错误及修正
-
错误：关系代词误用
- The company who launched the new product is successful.
修正： The company which/that launched the new product is successful.
- The company who launched the new product is successful.
-
错误：从句结构混乱
- The reason why he left is because he was tired.
修正： The reason why he left is that he was tired.
- The reason why he left is because he was tired.
-
错误：非限制性从句缺少逗号
- My sister who is a doctor lives in London.
修正： My sister, who is a doctor, lives in London.
- My sister who is a doctor lives in London.
提升定语从句写作的建议
-
多读优秀范文
阅读英文原著、新闻或学术文章，观察定语从句的使用方式。 -
练习句子改写
尝试将多个简单句合并为含定语从句的复合句，增强语言组织能力。 -
写作后检查
完成文章后，检查定语从句是否必要，避免冗余或错误。
定语从句的掌握需要持续练习,但一旦熟练运用，写作水平将显著提升，通过精准修饰名词，句子表达会更加清晰有力，使文章更具说服力和可读性。
