一、误认为关系代词whose只用于修饰人


whose用作疑问代词时，主要用于指人；但用作关系代词时，它既可指人也可指物。whose 是定语从句中一个常用的关系代词， 它是关系代词who的所有格，在从句中作定语，也就是说当先行词与从句中某个名词有所属关系，表达“……的”意思时，用关系代词whose 引导定语从句，它既可以指代人，也可以指代物，既可引导限制性定语从句，也可以引导非限制性定语从句。如：


It was an island, whose name I have forgotten. 它是一座岛，名字我忘了。


It was an actor whose name escapes me for the moment

那个男演员的名字我一时想不起来了。

《柯林斯高阶英汉双解学习词典》


The factory, whose workers are all women, is closed during the holidays. 这家工厂工人都是妇女，在假期中工厂关门了。


It's the house whose door is painted red.

这就是那所门涂成红色的房子。

They lives in a room whose window opens to the south. 他们住在一间窗户朝南开的房间里。

whose短语在定语从句中有时可作介词宾语， 即构成“介词＋whose＋名词”引导定语从句并在从句中作状语。

The boss in whose department Mr King worked had heard about the accident. 金先生工作所在的部门领导已经听人说过这一意外事故。


He is the student of whose brother we are always proud. 他就是那个我们总是为他哥哥感到骄傲的学生。


　　whose引导定语从句时,通常可与of which/of whom引导的定语从句进行转换。


①I made a table,the surface of which(of which the surface)is quite smooth. 我制了张桌子，桌面很光滑。


　　I made a table, whose surface is quite smooth.
　　②I live in a room whose window(the window of which或of which the window)opens to the south. 我住在一间窗户朝南开的屋子里。


　　③The professor of whom a daughter(a daughter of whom) has gone abroad is very famous in China. 那位他的女儿已经出国了的教授在国内很有名。


二、混淆定语从句与并列句


请看下面两题：


1. He has two children, and both of _________ are abroad.
A. them B. which C. whom D. who
2. He has two children, both of _________ are abroad.
A. them B. which C. whom D. who
第1题选A，第2题选C。由于第1题中用了并列连词and，从而使整个句子为并列句，and后应是一个独立的简单句，所以选A不选C；第2题没有并列连词and，both of whom are abroad为非限制性定语从句。另外，请比较下面一题：


He has two children, both of _________ being abroad.
A. them B. which C. whom D. who
此题答案为A，其中的both of them being abroad为独立主格结构，用作状语。


请再看一组类似的例子：


1. He wrote a lot of novels, many of _________ translated into foreign languages.
A. it B. them C. which D. that
2. He wrote a lot of novels, many of _________ were translated into foreign languages.
A. it B. them C. which D. that
第1应选B，而不能选C，是因为句中的 translated 是过去分词(非谓语动词)，若选C，则该从句无谓语；第2应选C，因为句中有谓语 were translated。比较下面一例：


He wrote a lot of novels, and many of _________ were translated into foreign languages.
A. it B. them C. which D. that
此题与上面的第2题不同，两句间多了一个并列连词and，说明这是一个并列句，故应选B，则不能选C。


三、混淆关系代词与关系副词


有的同学一看到先行词是表示时间、地点、原因的名词，就认为一定要用关系副词，其实也不一定。在此情况下，还要看关系词在定语从句中是用作什么成分，若是用作状语，则用关系副词，若不是用作状语(如用作主语、宾语等)则不能用关系副词，而用关系代词。比较：


This is the factory where I want to work. 这就是我想工作的工厂。(work为不及物动词where在从句中用作状语)
This is the factory that I want to visit. 这就是我想参观的工厂。(visit为及物动词，that用作visit的宾语)
The reason why he can’t come is that he is ill. 他没来的是因为他病了。(come为不及物动词，why在定语从句中用作状语)
The reason that he put forth is very important. 他提出的理由很重要。(put forth为及物动词，that在定语从句中用作其宾语)


比较下面的考题：


1. This is the room _________I lived ten years ago.
A. that B. where C. who D. what
2. This is the room _________I lived in ten years ago.
A. that B. where C. who D. what
3. This is the room _________I bought ten years ago.
A. that B. where C. who D. what
4. This is the room _________I visited ten years ago.
A. that B. where C. who D. what
5. This is the room _________I was born ten years ago.
A. that B. where C. who D. what
第1题选B，因为 live 是不及物动词，它无需接宾语；第2题选A，因为虽然 live 不及物，但live in 却是及物，它应有自己的宾语；第3、4题也应选A，因为 buy 和 visit均为及物动词，它们应有自己的宾语；第5应选B，因为 be born 无需有自己的宾语。


四、误认为逗号后一定是非限制性定语从句


有的同学一看见逗号，就以为一定要选which而不选that，但问题是有时根本就不是定语从句。也有许多时候逗号之间的是一个插入语等，如：


1. If a book is in English, _________ means slow progress for you.
A. as B. which C. what D. that
2. When I say two hours, _________ includes time for eating.
A. as B. which C. what D. that
以上两题均应选that，而不能选which，因为它们根本不是定语从句。之所以选that，是因为句中已有if和when引导的状语从句，逗号后为主句，that为主句主语。