英语中疑问代词用法讲解
1. 疑问代词的用法。
疑问代词(who, whom, whose, which, what等)在句中可用作主语、表语、宾语、定语等:
Who is your English teacher?
你们的英语老师是谁?
Whose is this umbrella?
这伞是谁的?
Whose umbrella is this?
这是谁的伞?
What question did he ask?
他问了什么问题?
Which do you prefer, tea or coffee?
茶和咖啡,你喜欢那样?
注:who 和whom 只用作主语、宾语和表语,不用作定语,what, which, whose 则既可用作主语、宾语和表语,也可用作定语。
2. 两组疑问代词的用法比较
(1)who 与whom:前者为主格,用作主语,后者为宾格,用作宾格:
Who spoke at the meeting?
谁在会上发言了?
Whom are you talking about?
你们在谈论谁?
但是,当用作宾语的whom 位于句首时,通常可用who 代之:
Who(m) is the letter from?
这信是谁寄来的?
若是紧跟在介词之后用作宾语,则只能用whom。
(2) what, which 与who:
①若后接名词(即用作限定词),只用which和what,不能用who:
Which / What train did you come on?
你是坐哪次火车来的?
What和which 的区别是:当选择的范围较小或比较明确时,多用which;当选择的范围较较大或不明确时,多用what:
Which color do you like, red, black or white?
红色、黑色和白色,你喜欢哪种?
What color is your car?
你的汽车是什么颜色的?
但是,若指人,即使选择的范围不明确,也多用which:Which [What] writers do you like?
你喜欢哪些作家?
②若其后不接名词(即用作代词),三者均可用,which和what的用法区别可参见上面的分析。
至于who,它一般只用来指人(用作代词的which 不用于指人),不管选择范围大还是小、明确还是不明确均可用:
Who won ––Tom or Mike?
谁赢了,是汤姆还是迈克?
Who is your favorite poet?
你最喜欢的诗人是谁?
当选择范围比较明确且用作宾语时,who也可用which或which one代之:
Who [Which /Which one] do you like better, your father or your mother?
你更喜欢谁,父亲还是母亲?
③由于what和who的选择范围可以很大或不明确,所以其后可以跟else,表示其他的人(或事物),但却通常不跟表示特定范围的of 短语;而which 的选择范围相对比较小或明确,所以其后一般不接else,却常与表特定范围的of 短语连用:
Who (What) else did you see there?
你在那儿还看到了别人的什么人(什么东西)?
Which of the three girls is the oldest?
这三个女孩中哪个年纪最大?
④另外,比较以下两句:
"Who is he?" 他是谁?(who 指姓名、关系等)
What is he? 他是干什么的?(what 指职业、地位等)
3. 两类易混句型的区别。
请先看以下两句:
What do you think he wants?
你认为他想要什么?
Do you know what he wants?
你知道他想要什么吗?
上面第一句为特殊疑问句,第二句为一般疑问句,它们不能倒过来说成Do you think what he wants? What do you know he wants? 其原则区别是:可以用yes 或no 回答者,用一般疑问句的形式(疑问词放在句中,即主句之后),适合这类句型的主句动词通常有know, hear, ask, tell 等;不能用yes 或no 回答者,用特殊疑问句的形式(疑问词放
在句首),适合这类句型的主句动词通常有think, believe, suppose, guess 等:
Where do you suppose he has gone?
你认为他去什么地方了?
Did you ask why he had left so soon?
你问过他为什么那么快就离开了吗?
4. 两个疑问代词同用的情况。
请看以下实例:
Where and when were you born?
你出生在何时何地?
When and how did he go there? 他是什么时候、怎么去那儿的?"Where is it?" "Where is what?" “它在哪儿?”“什么在哪儿?”。