引导定语从句时where与in which有时可互换,有时不能互换,注意以下几点:
一、关系副词与“介词+which”互换的情形
当“介词+ which”在定语从句中作时间、地点和原因状语时,可以用相应的关系副词when, where和why来替换。
time in a bottle1. when根据情况可以等于in which, at which, on which等。如:
The day when (=on which) she arrived was Thursday. 她到的那天是星期四。
July and August are the months when (=in which) the weather is hot. 七八月是天气很热的月份。——摘自《英语常用词多用途词典》(金盾出版社)
这种替换有时出现在非限制性定语从句中。如:
We’ll put off the picnic until next week, when (=by then) the weather may be better. 我们将把野餐推迟到下星期,那时天气可能会好一点。——摘自《张道真英语语法》(商务印书馆)
2. where根据情况可以等于in which, at which, on which等。如:
This is the hotel where ( =in which / at which) they were staying. 这就是他们当时住的旅店。——摘自《英语常用词多用途词典》(金盾出版社)
Do you remember the place where (=at which) we had lunch? 你记得我们吃午饭的地方吗? ——摘自《英语用法指南》(外研社)
这种替换有时出现在非限制性定语从句中。如:
The Tower of London, where (=in which) so many people lost their lives, is now a tourist attraction. 在伦敦塔中曾有许多人丧命,它现在是旅游胜地。——摘自《朗文英语语法》(外研社)
3. 关系副词若要换成“介词+which”只能是for which。如:
The reason why (=for which) I came here was to be with my family. 我到这里来的原因是要跟我的家里人在一起。——摘自《英语用法指南》(外研社)
My success in business, the reason why (=for which) he dislikes me, has been due to hard work. 他为我在事业上的成功而不喜欢我,我的成功归功于我努力工作。——摘自《朗文英语语法》(外研社)
但是,反过来,for which并不一定能换成why。如:
The documentsfor which they were searching have been recovered. 他们寻的文件已经到了。(此句中的for which也不能换成why,理由同上句)——摘自《高中英语语法详解》(湖南大学出版社)
二、关系副词与“介词+which”不能互换的情形
1. 有些语境需要用特定的介词来明确其关系,此时若换成关系副词,则会导致意思不明确或句意不能通顺。如:
The ladder on which I was standing began to slip. 我脚下的梯子开始向下滑动。(句中的on which不能换成where,否则意思不明确)
This I did at nine o’clock, after which I sat reading the paper. 九点钟时我做这事,之后我坐着看报。(句中的after which不能换成when,否则意思不明确)
2. 当“介词+which”后面接有被which修饰的名词时,通常不能用关系副词代替。如:
The programme will continue until 1994 by which time $3million will have been spent.
这个项目将持续到1994年。到那时开支将达到300万美元。(句中的by which time不能换成when或where,因为which后跟有它所修饰的名词time)——摘自《限定词与数量词》(外文出版社)
We arrived at noon, by which time the demonstration was over. 我们是中午到的,这时游行业已结束。(句中的by which time不能换成when或where,因为which后跟有它所修饰的名词time)——摘自《英语常用词多用途词典》(金盾出版社)
3. 当“介词+which”并不表示时间、地点或原因时,自然不能换成关系副词。如(ammar):
There are three principal routes by which one can drive to North Wales. 开车到
北威尔士,有3条主要路线可走。(句中的by which不能换成when或where,因为这里的by which并不表示时间或地点,介词by在此表示“通过”)——摘自《英语常用词多用途词典》(金盾出版社)
This is a subjectabout which we might argue for a long while. 这是一个我们可能长(句中的about which不能换成when或where,因为这里的about 时间争论的问题。
which并不表示时间或地点,介词about在此表示“关于”,所涉及的搭配是argue about)——摘自《张道真英语语法
4、在表语从句和状语从句中不能互换
一、在表语从句中
Is this hotel ______ you said we were to stay in your letter?.
A. that
B. where
C. the one
D. in which
此题可改为:This hotel is where you said we were to stay in your letter.实际上是由where引导的表语从句,答案为B项。
二、在状语从句中
We had better put the bottle of dleeping pills__kids can not find it in case they mistake the pills for candies.此句中“where”并非引导定语从句,而是引导地点状语从句,故不能用"in which". 若用"in which",那句子就变成了定语从句,
in which kids can = in the sleeping pill kids can 句子就无法理解通了。
三、当定语从句带有不定式时,只能用prep.+which 如,I want a pen with which to write. I live in a house in which to spend my rest life. 不能用I live in a house where to spend my rest life.