60天口语社群有同学提到了一个定语从句:One trend we're noticing with nearly all age groups is the growing popularity of holidays in whichclients do some kind of specialised activity.
句子中in which应该如何理解?
这其实是定语从句中一个很常见的知识点:介词前置。上面的句子可以拆为两个分句:
(1) One trend we're noticing with nearly all age groups is the growing popularity of holidays.
(2) Clients do some kind of specialised activity inholidays.
这两个句子合并为一个,就变成:
One trend we're noticing…the growing popularity of holidays which clients do some kind of specialised activityin.
以前的语法学家认为,介词不能放在句子最后面,因此人们通常将介词提前,句子就变成了:One trend we're noticing…holidays in which clients… 其中which指代holidays
又比如有这么一个外刊句子:
The aim of letting the world warm no more than 1.5°C, agreed on in Paris six years ago, is oneto whichmany countries, notably the small-island statesfor whichsea-level rise is an existential threat, are deeply committed.
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(6年前,各国在巴黎定下将全球气温上升幅度控制在1.5℃以内的目标。很多国家都在尽力完成这一目标,因海平面上升而面临生存威胁的小岛国尤为如此。)
句子主干是:The aim is one (aim) to which many countries are deeply committed. 这里也出现了介词to提前的现象,它来自搭配be committed to something,而which指代one
the small-island states for which sea-level rise is an existential threat也是同样的道理,正常语序是sea-level rise is an existential threat for the small-island states,which指代the small-island states
那么,介词能不能放在句子最后面,而不提前呢?实际上这种写法也是可以的,比如我们可以说:There are several small ponds in which a variety of fish live.
也可以说:There are several small ponds which a variety of fish live in.
但《剑桥词典》指出,正式文本里面通常将介词放在which前面。英语新闻和学术论文里面一般采用这种写法。在口语和非正式写作里面可能会出现介词放在句尾的用法。
我们在写考场作文的时候也要参考正式写法。
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