英语中什么时候用that?
我们来深入讲解一下 英语定语从句中 "that" 和 "which" 的使用区别,尤其是 限制性定语从句(restrictive)和 非限制性定语从句(non-restrictive)。
🧩 一、基本定义
✅ 限制性定语从句(Restrictive Clause)
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定义:限定、限定、再限定!它限定了先行词的范围,是句子的必要部分。
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不能去掉,否则句意会变得不完整或含糊。
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连接词可用:that / which(物)/ who(人)
🌰 例句:
The book that you gave me is very interesting.
(你给我的那本书非常有趣。)
→ 有很多书,这里是限定“你给我的那本”。
✅ 非限制性定语从句(Non-restrictive Clause)
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定义:不影响主句的意思,只是提供额外信息。
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可以去掉,主句意思仍完整。
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连接词只能用:which(物)/ who(人)❗❗
✅ 不能用 that ❌
🌰 例句:
This book, which you gave me, is very interesting.
(这本书,你送给我的,非常有趣。)
→ 说话者已经明确是哪一本,只是补充说明你送的。
📌 二、总结:什么时候必须用 that?
情况 | 用法 | 示例 |
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✅ 限制性定语从句,指物 | 用 that 或 which(但通常用 that) | The car that she bought is expensive. |
❌ 非限制性定语从句 | 不能用 that,只能用 which | The car, which she bought, is expensive. |
✅ 指人时,限制性 | 用 that 或 who | The man that helped me is kind. |
❌ 指人时,非限制性 | 只能用 who | My brother, who lives in London, is a doctor. |
✅ 先行词是 all, everything, something, anything, nothing 等 | 必须用 that | Everything that happened was unexpected. |
✅ 主句含有序数词、最高级、only、some、all 等词 | 一般用 that | This is the first movie that made me cry. |
🛑 常见错误(要避免):
❌ This is the book, that I borrowed from the library.
✅ This is the book, which I borrowed from the library. (非限制性)
❌ The only student, which passed the test, is Tom.
✅ The only student that passed the test is Tom. (限制性)
🧠 小技巧:判断方法
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可以加逗号(表示额外信息)→ 用 which
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去掉从句主句不完整 → 限制性,优先用 that
✅ 一、“多用 which 是不是更保险?”
不完全对。
虽然在非限制性定语从句中,只能用 which,所以用 which 确实更安全一些,但并不是所有情况都适合用 which。
⚠️ 存在必须用 that 的场景,如果你全部都用 which,反而会出错或显得不自然。
🟩 二、“哪些情况下必须用 that?”
✅ 1. 先行词是 everything, something, anything, nothing, all, little, much 等不定代词时,只能用 that
🌰:
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Everything that happened was recorded.
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There's nothing that can stop us now.
(❌不能用 which)
✅ 2. 先行词被 序数词/最高级/only 修饰 时,也通常用 that
🌰:
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This is the first book that made me cry. ✅
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He is the only person that understood me. ✅
虽然 technically 有人也会用 which,但 that 更自然,也是主流教材推荐的。
✅ 3. 同位语从句要用 that,不是定语从句中的 which / that!
这是你特别问的重点,我们来单独说明👇
🟨 三、同位语从句(Appositive Clause)一定用 that
同位语从句说明前面一个抽象名词的具体内容,比如 idea, fact, news, plan, promise, hope 等。
🌰:
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I heard the news that he got married. ✅
(这里的 that 引导的是一个同位语从句,不是定语从句!)
⚠️注意:
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这里不能用 which!
❌ the news which he got married
✔️ “that” 在这里不是关系代词,而是连词!
✅ 四、如何一眼判断是“同位语从句”而不是“定语从句”?
看前面的名词是否是 抽象名词(如 idea, fact, news, promise 等),且后面那句完整句子是对这个抽象名词的内容解释,那就是同位语从句。
🌰:
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The idea that we should leave early is good. ✅(that 引导同位语从句)
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The idea that you told me about is interesting. ✅(这里是定语从句,修饰 idea)
区别:
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前者是“我们该早点走”这个想法的内容
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后者是“你告诉我的那个想法”
🧠 总结归纳图:
类型 | 是否可用 that | 是否可用 which | 示例 |
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限制性定语从句(指物) | ✅ | ✅ | The book that/which you gave me |
非限制性定语从句(指物) | ❌ | ✅ | The book, which you gave me |
先行词为不定代词、序数词等特殊情况 | ✅(必须或优先) | ❌ | Everything that happened... |
同位语从句 | ✅(作为连词) | ❌ | The idea that we should go |