说明
由 why, when, where 引导的从句等于名词 + 定语从句
核心问题
——I drove to Zhuhai for the air show last week. ——Is that ____ you had a few days off? A. why B. when C. what D. where(全国高考,99-13) 《北大考典·英语》(北京大学出版社,p.152)解答说:“本题考察表语从句连词的用法。”请问答案 why 是连词吗?
词典解答
这里的why绝不可以分析为连词,因为why在从句中充当状语,而连词是不可能在从句中充当句子成分的。有些英语语法著作把它称作连接副词。这在教学上似乎是可以接受的。但是,细心的学生一定会问:这里的why与一般的连接副词完全相同吗?问得好!这里的why与一般的连接副词确实不一样:连接副词有疑问含义,而它却没有。此外,这里的why实际上含有一个名词:the reason why。由此可见,这种副词是把名词和关系副词合而为一了。即它们引导的从句实际上等于一个名词再加上定语从句。所以称作名词性定语从句(见nominal relative clauses, when , why , where )。让我们用实例来证明:
That is ____ I was born and grew up.
A. there B. in which C. where D. the place(北京宣武区质量检查题)
that is where that is the place where
that was when that was (at) the time when