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上面两个句子都是正确的。但句(a)用于正式语体,是英语规定语法学家所坚持的用法。但是,这种在限制性定语从句中把介词放在关系代词之前的用法,常常使人感到生硬。所以,在非正式语体中,句(b)的用法更为常见。对于各类考生来说,只需知道在限制性定语从句中两种用法都是正确的,就足够了,没有必要去深究孰优孰劣的问题。

这类可以放在定语从句末尾的介词,并不是很多的,大都是字母少的介词,而且以表示空间的介词为主(in, at, on, under, for, of 等):

1. $\$left\{ \begin{array}{l} \text{This is the house in which I lived for ten years.} \\ \text{This is the house which I lived in for ten years.} \end{array} \right. 这是我住过十年的房子。

2. $\$left\{ \begin{array}{ll}\text{the table under which the boy crawled}\\ \text{the table which the boy crawled under (CGEL)} \end{array} \right. 男孩在下面爬的那张桌子

3. $\$left\{\begin{array}{l} the lady towards whom the dog ran \\ the lady who(m) the dog ran towards(同上)\end{array}\right. 狗朝着她跑过去的那位女士

4. $\$left\{\begin{array}{l} the office at which he works \\ the office which he works at \end{array}\right. 他工作的办公室

5. $\$left\{\begin{array}{l} the day on which she was born \\ the day which she was born on \end{array}\right. 她出生的那天

6. $\$left\{\begin{array}{l} I have read the poem of which she is speaking. \\ I have read the poem which she is speaking of. \end{array}\right. 我读过她正在谈论的那首诗。

应注意,在非正式语体中,当介词位于定语从句末尾时,关系代词常常省略。(参见which ... in)