1) 疑問代詞在句中起名詞詞組的作用,用來構(gòu)成疑問句。疑問代詞有下列幾個:
指 人: who, whom, whose
指 物: what
既可指人又可指物: which
2) 疑問代詞在句中應(yīng)位于謂語動詞之前,沒有性和數(shù)的變化,除who之外也沒有格的變化。what, which, whose還可作限定詞。試比較:
疑問代詞:Whose are these books on the desk?
桌上的書是誰的?
What was the directional flow of U. S. territorial expansion?
美國的領(lǐng)土擴(kuò)張是朝哪個方向的?
限定詞: Whose books are these on the desk?
桌上的書是誰的?
What events led to most of the east of the Mississippi River becoming part of the United States? 哪些事件使密西西比河以東的大部分土地歸屬于美國?
說明1:
無論是做疑問代詞還是限定詞,which 和 what 所指的范圍不同。what所指的范圍是無限的,而which則指在一定的范圍內(nèi),例如:
Which girls do you like best?
你喜歡哪幾個姑娘?
What girls do you like best?
你喜歡什么樣的姑娘?
說明2:
Whom是who的賓格,在書面語中,它作動詞賓語或介詞賓語,在口語中作賓語時,可用who代替,但在介詞后只能用whom, 例如:
Who(m) did you meet on the street?
你在街上遇到了誰?(作動詞賓語)
Who(m) are you taking the book to?
你要把這書帶給誰?(作介詞賓語,置句首)
To whom did you speak on the campus?
你在校園里和誰講話了?(作介詞賓語,置介詞 后,不能用who取代。)
說明3:
疑問代詞用于對介詞賓語提問時,過去的文體中介詞和疑問代詞通常一起放在句首,現(xiàn)代英語中,疑問代詞在句首,介詞在句未,例如:
For what do most people live and work?
大部分人生活和工作的目的是什么?(舊文體)
What are you looking for?
你在找什么?(現(xiàn)代英語)
說明4:
疑問代詞還可引導(dǎo)名詞性從句,例如:
I can't make out what he is driving at.
我不知道他用意何在。
Can you tell me whose is the blue shirt on the bed?
你能告訴我床上的藍(lán)襯衣是誰的嗎?
Much of what you say I agree with, but I cannot go all the way with you.
你說的我大部分同意,但并不完全贊同。