定语从句关系代词省略的陷阱:宾语可省主语不可省

定语从句中关系代词的省略规则并非一概而论。当关系代词在从句中作宾语时可以省略,但作主语时则不能省略。本文通过对比例句,详细解析这一常见语法陷阱,帮助学习者掌握正确的省略规则。

🔑 The Book I Read vs. The Book That Sells Well:省略的致命陷阱

很多人在学习英语时都听过一句话:定语从句里的关系代词可以省略。这句话只说对了一半。

The movie (that) I watched was boring. 这句话中,that 的确可以省略。

但如果说成 *The movie was boring was a comedy,整个句子就变成了语法灾难。 区别就在于:关系代词在从句中是作宾语还是主语。


🎯 规则核心:宾语可省,主语不可省

定语从句关系代词的省略规则极其严格,只适用于一种情况:关系代词在从句中充当动词的宾语。

公式:名词 + (that/which/whom) + 主语 + 谓语

  • 关系代词作宾语 → 可以省略
  • 关系代词作主语 → 绝对不能省略

判断方法很简单:看关系代词后面紧跟着的是什么词。如果紧跟着名词或代词(主语),则关系代词作宾语;如果紧跟着动词,则关系代词作主语。


📝 三个正确例句,一条错误示范

正例一:宾语省略

The report (that) the manager submitted was rejected.
(经理提交的那份报告被拒了。)

that 在从句中作 submitted 的宾语,可以省略。从句结构:the manager submitted (that)。

正例二:宾语省略

The candidate (who) they interviewed yesterday had no experience.
(他们昨天面试的那个候选人没有经验。)

who 在从句中作 interviewed 的宾语,可以省略。从句结构:they interviewed (who)。

正例三:主语不可省

The engine that failed during the test was brand new.
(测试中故障的那个引擎是全新的。)

that 在从句中作主语,不能省略。如果去掉 that,句子就变成了 *The engine failed during the test was brand new,两个谓语动词 collide。

错误示范一:主语位置被省略

❌ The theory explains the phenomenon is widely accepted.

问题:explains 前缺少主语。正确版本应为 The theory that explains the phenomenon is widely accepted. that 在从句中作主语,不能省略。

错误示范二:混淆 that 与 which 的省略规则

❌ The experiment, they conducted last month, was a failure.

问题:非限制性定语从句中,关系代词即使作宾语也不能省略。正确形式为 The experiment, which they conducted last month, was a failure.


🔍 对比辨析:一个简单的替换测试

遇到一个定语从句时,可以做一个快速替换测试来判断能否省略:

  • 如果能把关系代词替换成 him/her/it,并且句子仍然通顺 → 作宾语 → 可以省略
  • 如果不能替换,或者替换后需要增加动词 → 作主语 → 不能省略

The person I called 为例。可以把 I called 扩展成 I called him,him 就是宾语位置,说明关系代词可省。

The person called me 为例。这个结构中缺少了关系代词,扩展后应为 The person who called me,who 是主语,不可省。


✏️ 三层小练习:从判断到改写

Level 1:判断是否可以省略

1. The document ___ is on the desk needs to be signed.
2. The document ___ you found on the desk is confidential.

第一题中,关系代词后紧跟 is(动词),作主语 → 不可省,填 that/which。
第二题中,关系代词后紧跟 you(主语),作宾语 → 可以省略。

Level 2:修改错误

The data was collected from the survey was inaccurate.

修改:The data that was collected from the survey was inaccurate.The data collected from the survey was inaccurate.(改为分词结构)

Level 3:写作应用

将两个句子合并为一个含定语从句的句子:
The researcher published a paper. The paper received international recognition.

答案:The researcher published a paper that received international recognition. that 作主语,不可省略。


📖 阅读与写作中的实际意义

在学术阅读中,正确识别关系代词的省略与否直接影响对句子结构的理解。看到 The idea was rejected by the committee 开头的句子,如果后面还有动词,就知道一定是漏掉了作为主语的关系代词。

在写作中,掌握省略规则能让句子更简洁自然。但宁可保留关系代词,也不要为了追求”地道”而写出结构残缺的句子。

在「李校来啦英语」AI英语提升系统中,该结构通常通过句式转换练习进行强化训练,帮助学习者从被动判断转变为主动运用。

能省略的是宾语,不能省的是主语——记住这一条,选择题和改错题不会再错。