首先,主语关系代词主要就是who(指人)、which(指物)和that(指人或物),而whom等关系词不能出现在主语位置。请看例句:
a. I like guys who have a good sense of humor.
b. I like guys that have a good sense of humor.
这里who和that都是在定语从句中作主语,指代人:guys。又因为guys是复数名词,所以关系词后边接复数谓语have。再比如:
a. I prefer music that has great lyrics.
b. I prefer music which has great lyrics.
这里that和which都是在定语从句中作主语,指代物:music。又因为music是单数名词,所以关系词后边接单数谓语has。
其次,值得提醒大家注意的是,虽然这三个词都可以出现在定语从句的主语位置,不过,指人时,who比that更常用,而指物时,that比which更常用。因此,上面两组例句中,a句比b句更常见。
简言之,当关系代词作主语时, who 比 that 更常用, that 比 which 更常用。我们可以这样记忆: who > that > which。 我们来看下面更多的例句:
Anger is a thief who steals away the nice moments. ( 愤怒就如同一个窃贼,盗取了我们的幸福时光。 )
He who is not handsome at twenty, nor strong at thirty, nor rich at forty, nor wise at fifty, will never be handsome, strong, rich, or wise. ( 一个人若20岁不俊美、30岁不健康、40岁不富有、50岁不明智,那么他将永远不会拥有这些。 )
There is this difference between happiness and wisdom: he who thinks himself the happiest man really is so; but he who thinks himself the wisest is generally the greatest fool.( 幸福与智慧区别于此:认为自己是最为幸福的,他真的就最幸福;而认为自己是最智慧的,却往往是最大的傻瓜。 )
The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page. ( 世界犹如一本书,而那些从不出门旅行的人仅仅读了这本书的一页。 )
A rich person is not one who has the most , but is one who needs the least. ( 一个富有的人,不是因为他拥有的最多,而是因为他需要的最少。 )
I like guys who aren't too serious and who have a good sense of humor. ( 我喜欢的男孩不能太闷,要有幽默感。 )
Of course I am not talking about easy-come-easy-go friendship. I'm talking about friends who care deeply about each other, who support each other, who make life worth living. ( 当然了,我这里所说的友谊不是那种“来得快去得也快”的泛泛之交,而是那种彼此之间能真正互相关心的朋友,能够互相支持的朋友,能够让你的人生更有意义的朋友。 )
在上面这些定语从句中,关系词who都是作从句的主语,且都倾向于用who。
初学者需要注意下面的问题:
1 不要再保留定语从句中的主语代词:
当关系代词作主语时,初学者容易犯的错误是在定语从句中重复使用人称代词,比如:
I like guys who they have a good sense of humor.*
因为这里已经有了who在从句中作主语,所以不能重复使用代词they了。
I prefer music which it has great lyrics.*
因为这里已经有了which在从句中作主语,所以不能重复使用代词it了。
上面这样的错误句子都是英语语法不能接受的,读者一定要注意避免,不要再保留定语从句中的主语代词。
2 定语从句的主谓一致:
根据先行词的单复数来确定从句谓语的单复数 ,而不是根据关系词who或which来确定。比如上面的例句就不能说:
I like guys who has a good sense of humor.*
因为guys是复数,所以谓语应该是have。
I prefer music which have great lyrics.*
因为music是单数,所以谓语应该是has。
主语关系代词(subject relatives)