Home [英文筆記] Who, which, that 前面有無逗點?
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[英文筆記] Who, which, that 前面有無逗點?

  • which, Who 必要資訊,有逗號
  • which, Who 補充資訊,無逗號
  • that 必要資訊,不能有逗號

that 子句屬於必要的資訊,並非補充,就不可以有逗號


  • 不加逗號:who/ which所引導的子句,提供的資訊是必要的,不可以有逗號。

此時 who 或 which 可用 that 來替代。

  • 加逗號:如果,用來補充的額外資訊並非必要的,要加逗點。

有逗號:此時 who 或 which 不可用 that 來替代
因為,that 所引導的關係子句前面絕對不可有逗點。


限定子句 (無逗號)

子句的資訊是必要的,可用that代替

如果由關係代名詞 who 或 which 所引導的關係子句 (即形容詞子句) 所提供的資訊,對於它所修飾的人或事物是必要的,那麼 who 或 which 的前面不可有逗點,而這種關係子句就叫做「限定關係子句」(restrictive relative clause),簡稱限定子句 (restrictive clause),此時 who 或 which 可用 that 來替代。

非限定子句 (有逗號)

子句的資訊是必要的,不可以用that替代

相對地,如果 who 或 which 所引導的關係子句所提供的資訊,對於它所修飾的人或事物並非必要,而是補充的或額外的資訊,那麼 who 或 which 的前面須有逗點,而這種關係子句就叫做「非限定關係子句」(non-restrictive relative clause),簡稱非限定子句 (non-restrictive clause),此時 who 或 which 不可用 that 來替代;申言之,that 所引導的關係子句前面絕對不可有逗點。

例句

例句1

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The man who came to dinner yesterday was John. ⭕️
(昨天來吃晚餐的男子是約翰)

who came to dinner yesterday 是個限定子句,
因為它是說明 the man 的必要資訊,所以前後都不可有逗點

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The man that came to dinner yesterday was John .⭕️

在限定子句中,who 可用 that 來代替。

注意:避免用that 來指人

注意:在口語和非正式寫作中,用 that 來指人仍可以接受,
但在正式寫作中,應避免這麼做。 (避免用that 來指人)

例句2

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The bicycle which was stolen the other day was found. 
(前幾天被偷的腳踏車找到了) ⭕️ 

which was stolen the other day 是個限定子句, 因為它是說明 the bicycle 的必要資訊,所以前後都不可有逗點

例句3

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The bicycle that was stolen the other day was found. ⭕️ 

在限定子句中,which 可用 that 來代替。

例句4

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Cindy has always been close to both her parents, who live in the same village. ⭕️ 
(辛蒂一直跟她住在同一個村子的父母親很親) 

who live in the same village 是個非限定子句,
因為它只是 her parents 的補充資訊,所以子句前後要有逗點。
在非限定子句中,who 不可用 that 來代替

例句5

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My house, which I bought last year, has been sold. ⭕️ 
(我去年買的房子已賣掉) 

which I bought last year 是個非限定子句,
因為它只是 My house 的補充資訊,所以子句前後要有逗點。
在非限定子句中,which 不可用 that 來代替。

例句6

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The girl, who lives next door, has gone to France. ❌ 
(住隔壁的女孩已經去法國) 

who lives next door 是個限定子句,
因為它是說明 the girl 的必要資訊,所以前後都不可有逗點

例句7

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The car, which Mary drove on Thursday, has been stolen. ❌
(瑪麗星期四開的那部車已經遭竊)  

which Mary drove on Thursday 是個限定子句,
因為它是說明 the car 的必要資訊,所以前後都不可有逗點

例句8

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His youngest daughter who was born on 16 June 1996 went to Japan three days ago.❌
 (他最小的女兒三天前去日本。她生於 1996 年 6 月 16 日)

who was born on 16 June 1996 是個非限定子句,
因為它只是 his youngest daughter 的補充資訊, 所以子句前後都要有逗點。

關係子句並不是「非黑即白」

然而,關係子句並不是「非黑即白」,在同一句中只能有單一用途,亦即只能用作限定子句或非限定子句。事實上,有時在同一句子中,它們既可當限定子句,亦可當非限定子句,而且兩者皆合乎文法,惟意思有所不同。例如:

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1. Peter has always been close to his brother who works for the same company.
(彼得一直跟他任職同一家公司的兄弟很親)

2. Peter has always been close to his brother, who works for the same company. 
(彼得一直跟他任職同一家公司的兄弟很親)
  • 在例句1 (無逗號),一般大多會認為彼得至少有兩個兄弟,而他跟那位任職同一家公司的兄弟很親,

  • 而在例句2 (有逗號),一般大多會認為彼得只有一個兄弟,而他碰巧跟彼得在同一家公司工作。

當受詞用,可省略 who、which 或 that

最後要提的是,在限定子句中,若關代當受詞用,則 who、which 或 that 可以省略。例如:

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The woman who I met yesterday will visit us today. 
(我昨天遇見的那個女子今天將會拜訪我們)

= The woman that I met yesterday will visit us today.
= The woman I met yesterday will visit us today.


The letter which I received was from my father.
(我收到的那封信是我父親寫來的)

= The letter that I received was from my father.
= The letter I received was from my father.

Who, which, that 有無逗點的文法問題
TODO: see 關係代名詞 which、that 用法差在哪?可省略?加逗號?

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