15 代词:形式要匹配句法位置,指代要让读者找得到
代词让我们不必反复说同一个名词,也能直接指向说话人、听话人和语境中的对象。它的难点有两层:形式上要选对人称、数和格;意义上必须让读者清楚它究竟指谁、指什么。
本章学习目标
学完本章,你应该能够:
- 正确选择人称代词的主格、宾格、所有格和反身形式。
- 区分物主限定词与独立物主代词,以及反身与强调用法。
- 掌握常见指示、不定、疑问和关系代词的功能。
- 区分
it、one/ones、单数they等高频形式。 - 在阅读中建立指代链,在写作中消除含糊或无先行对象的代词。
学前诊断:语法形式正确,就一定表达清楚吗
When Lina called Mei, she was leaving the office. 句中的 she 指 Lina 还是 Mei?这个句子有语法错误吗?
答案与提示
单凭这句话无法确定。它的代词形式没有明显错误,但指代关系含糊。写作时应改成 Lina was leaving ...、Mei was leaving ...,或补充能排除另一种理解的语境。代词不仅要形式匹配,还要让先行对象唯一可恢复。
1. 核心直觉:代词是一张“指向卡”
看下面的短文:
Maya downloaded a report. She read it that evening and sent it to her classmates.
She指向Maya。- 两个
it都指向a report。 her指出同学与 Maya 的关系。
代词本身提供的信息有限。读者要结合人称、单复数、语法位置和上下文,把它接回正确对象。
一个代词即使形式正确,只要读者不知道它指什么,句子仍然没有写清楚。
2. 人称代词全表:先看位置,再选形式
| 人称 | 主格 | 宾格 | 物主限定词 | 独立物主代词 | 反身形式 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 第一人称单数 | I | me | my | mine | myself |
| 第一人称复数 | we | us | our | ours | ourselves |
| 第二人称 | you | you | your | yours | yourself/yourselves |
| 第三人称男性 | he | him | his | his | himself |
| 第三人称女性 | she | her | her | hers | herself |
| 第三人称事物 | it | it | its | 较少独立使用 | itself |
| 第三人称复数/单数中性 | they | them | their | theirs | themselves/themself |
术语体系可能把 my/your 称作“形容词性物主代词”,也可能更准确地称为物主限定词。名称可以不同,结构事实相同:它后面通常要接名词。
3. 主格与宾格:做什么成分就用什么格
3.1 主语用主格
She called me.They are ready.
3.2 动词或介词后用宾格
I called her.The message is for them.
3.3 并列结构用“删去测试”
Maya and I submitted the form.
删去 Maya and 后是 I submitted the form,所以用 I。
The teacher spoke to Maya and me.
删去 Maya and 后是 The teacher spoke to me,所以用 me。
正式写作中避免 Me and my friend completed the task;应写 My friend and I completed the task。
4. my 与 mine:后面有没有名词
4.1 物主限定词
This is my notebook.
my 限定后面的名词,不能单独代替整个名词短语。
4.2 独立物主代词
This notebook is mine.
mine 相当于 my notebook,后面不再接名词。
比较:
our classroom/the classroom is ourstheir decision/the decision is theirs
错误:mine notebook, theirs decision
5. 反身形式:必需成分还是强调信息
5.1 反身代词:动作回到同一对象
Maya introduced herself.
主语和宾语指同一个人,因此使用反身形式,而不是 Maya introduced her。
常见固定表达:
enjoy yourselfhelp yourself to ...by myself(独自)
5.2 强调代词:删掉后骨架仍完整
Maya checked the figures herself.
herself 强调“本人亲自”。删去后 Maya checked the figures 仍完整。
比较:
He blamed himself.:himself是必需宾语。He prepared the slides himself.:himself是可删的强调成分。
5.3 不要把反身代词当“更礼貌的宾格”
不自然:Please contact Lina or myself.
标准写法:Please contact Lina or me.
反身代词需要有合适的回指关系,不能只因为想显得正式就使用。
6. 相互代词:动作在成员之间双向发生
each otherone another
The two teams respect each other.
传统规则有时按“两者/三者以上”区分二者,但现代英语通常不严格执行。重点是主语必须包含多个参与者,并且关系相互成立。
所有格形式:each other's ideas, one another's work。
7. 指示形式:不仅表示物理远近
| 单复数 | 较近/当前 | 较远/前文 |
|---|---|---|
| 单数 | this | that |
| 复数 | these | those |
作限定词:this chapter, those examples
作代词:This is useful. Those are outdated.
它们还可指篇章内容:
The deadline was moved. This gave us more time.
这里 This 指前面整件事。
但正式写作中单独的 this 可能过于模糊。可补一个概括名词:
This change gave us more time.
8. it 的三项任务
8.1 回指特定单数事物
I found the key and put it in my bag.
这里必须是前面那把特定钥匙,不是同类中的另一把。
8.2 形式主语
It is important to check the source.
真正承载内容的是 to check the source;it 先占据英语常见的主语位置。
It is clear that the plan needs revision.
8.3 时间、天气和距离等无具体所指用法
It is raining.It is nearly midnight.It is five kilometres to the station.
这些 it 不回指前文中的具体名词。
9. it 与 one/ones
I lost my pen, so I bought a new one.
one 代替“同类中的另一个单数可数对象”。
I found my pen and put it in my bag.
it 回指前面提到的同一个对象。
| 想表达 | 选择 |
|---|---|
| 同一个特定对象 | it/them |
| 同类中的另一个 | one/ones |
the red onethe smaller ones
one/ones 一般不代替不可数名词。要避免重复,可省略、换量词或重新组织句子。
10. 单数 they:性别未知或不必说明
If a student has a question, they can ask after class.
单数 they/them/their 在现代英语中广泛用于:
- 先行对象性别未知或不重要。
- 指代使用
they的特定个人。
Everyone should bring their ID.
虽然 everyone 在主谓一致中通常接单数谓语 is/has,后续代词仍可自然使用单数 they/their。
11. 不定代词和数量表达
很多传统教材把下列词统称“不定代词”,现代语法会区分它们作限定词还是独立代词。学习时先看结构:后面是否直接接名词。
11.1 可数与不可数
| 可数复数 | 不可数 | 意义 |
|---|---|---|
many students | much time | 多 |
a few students | a little time | 有一些,偏肯定 |
few students | little time | 几乎没有,偏否定 |
a lot of 可同时用于可数复数和不可数名词,在普通语体中很常见。
11.2 some / any
some常用于肯定陈述:We need some help.any常用于疑问和否定:Do you have any questions?- 希望对方接受的邀请或请求常用
some:Would you like some tea? any在肯定句中可表示“任何一个”:Any student can apply.
因此,“肯定句用 some,疑问句用 any”只是起点,不是完整规则。
11.3 each / every
each强调逐个看,可单独作代词:Each has a label.every强调把所有成员纳入整体,后面通常要接单数名词:Every file has a label.
两者都常接单数名词和单数谓语。each of + 复数代词/限定名词:Each of them is ready.
11.4 both / either / neither
both:两者都,通常按复数。either:两者中的任一个,单独作主语时正式写作通常按单数。neither:两者都不,正式写作通常按单数。
Both options are practical, but neither is cheap.
11.5 another / other / the other / others
| 形式 | 常见意义 | 例子 |
|---|---|---|
another + 单数 | 再一个、另一个未特指对象 | another example |
other + 复数/不可数 | 其他的 | other examples, other information |
the other + 单数 | 两者中剩下的那个 | the other option |
others | 其他人或物,后面不接名词 | Some agreed; others did not. |
the others | 某一明确范围内剩下的全部 | Two left; the others stayed. |
12. 复合不定代词
指人:someone, anyone, everyone, no one
指事物:something, anything, everything, nothing
12.1 谓语通常用单数
Everyone is ready.
12.2 形容词放在后面
something usefulnothing unusual
错误:useful something
12.3 后续可用单数 they
Someone left their notebook here.
13. 疑问代词:未知成分在句中做什么
Who called?:who作主语。Who did you call?:who作宾语,现代普通英语中最常见。Whom did you call?:正式宾格形式。To whom did you speak?:介词前置的正式结构通常用whom。What happened?Which do you prefer?Whose is this?
which 通常从已知或有限范围中选择;what 的范围更开放。
14. 同样的形式,也能连接从句
14.1 名词性从句中的疑问词或融合关系词
I don't know who called.What she suggested makes sense.Choose whichever suits you best.
这些词既连接从句,又在从句内部承担成分。详见名词性从句章节。
14.2 定语从句中的关系代词
the student who calledthe file that I downloadedthe author whose book won the prize
关系代词把从句连接到先行词,并在从句中占据一个位置。详见形容词性从句章节。
15. 阅读够用:建立“指代链”
例句:
The committee revised the proposal after it received feedback from students. They had raised concerns about its cost.
逐个检查:
- 第一个
it最可能指the committee还是the proposal?从“接收反馈”的语义看,两者理论上都可能,需要更多语境。 They最自然地指students。its cost最自然地指the proposal's cost。
这个例子故意含糊,提醒我们:语法上的单复数匹配只能缩小范围,不能总能确定答案。
阅读步骤:
- 标出代词的人称和单复数。
- 向前寻找形式匹配的候选对象。
- 检查语义是否合理。
- 若有多个候选,保留歧义并用后文验证。
16. 写作够用:让每个代词只有一个自然答案
16.1 避免两个候选对象
含糊:When Lina spoke to Maya, she was worried.
改写:
Lina was worried when she spoke to Maya.When Lina spoke to Maya, Maya seemed worried.
16.2 避免无明确所指的 they
含糊:They say the policy will change.
若来源重要,应写:The admissions office says the policy will change.
16.3 用概括名词补清 this/that
较弱:The deadline was extended. This helped.
更清楚:The deadline was extended. This change gave students more time.
16.4 保持人称一致
不稳:When a student applies, you should check the deadline.
更稳:When students apply, they should check the deadline.
17. 自检题
题目
- 选择:Maya and (I / me) finished the report.
- 选择:The teacher spoke to Omar and (I / me).
- 改错:This notebook is her, and that one is my.
- 判断
herself的功能:She corrected herself. / She corrected the draft herself. - 选择:I lost my umbrella, so I bought (it / a new one).
- 改错:Please contact Lina or myself.
- 填空:There is ___ useful in the appendix. (
something / useful something) - 选择:We have (few / a few) minutes, so we can check one more example.
- 选择:Would you like (some / any) help?
- 消除歧义:When Kai called Jun, he was at the station.
- 找出先行对象:The laptop was beside the printer, but it was not connected.
- 翻译:每个人都应该检查自己的答案。
答案与解析
I。整个并列结构作主语;删去Maya and后仍是I finished ...。me。位于介词to后作宾语。This notebook is hers, and that one is mine.独立物主代词后不接名词。- 第一处是反身宾语;第二处是强调成分,表示她亲自修改。
a new one。买的是同类中的另一个,不是丢失的同一把。Please contact Lina or me.此处没有回指主语的条件。something useful。形容词修饰复合不定代词时后置。a few。表示还有一些时间;few强调几乎没有。some。这是希望对方接受的主动提议。- 必须按想表达的对象重写,例如
Kai was at the station when he called Jun或When Kai called Jun, Jun was at the station。 - 单凭该句,
it可指laptop或printer,存在真实歧义,需要上下文或改写。 Everyone should check their own answers.单数their自然回指everyone。
18. 复习清单
把“看懂”变成“能独立判断”
确认你已经完成自检题,并能说出本章的判断步骤。