在英語語法中，定語從句從其語法功能的角度看主要用來修飾名詞或代詞，定語從句與我們常說的三大從句中的形容詞從句一樣，往往會(huì)以關(guān)系代詞who, whose, whom, which等作為先行引導(dǎo)詞，了解定語從句的特點(diǎn)和語法功能對于把握復(fù)雜句的結(jié)構(gòu)關(guān)系有著非常重要的意義，定語從句一大明顯特點(diǎn)就是限定性定語從句的先行詞和從句之間不用逗號隔開，和非限定性從句的先行詞與從句之間用逗號隔開，這也是判定定語從句一個(gè)基本特征。其實(shí)不管是在GMAT考試中還是在實(shí)際閱讀中，我們經(jīng)常會(huì)接觸到定語從句，因?yàn)椴荒軐⑵鋯为?dú)拿出來做句子，所以很多GMAT考生在分析句子結(jié)構(gòu)的時(shí)候往往感覺句子的結(jié)構(gòu)錯(cuò)綜復(fù)雜，難以分辨，太傻接下來會(huì)結(jié)合實(shí)例讓大家重新對定語從句進(jìn)行整體系統(tǒng)的了解。
一、定語從句的主謂一致是保證被修飾對象（先行詞）清楚明確的先決條件，根據(jù)定語從句引導(dǎo)詞的就近修飾原則，確定其所修飾的對象是否明確清楚。
例1：
Scientists have observed large concentrations of heavy-metal deposits in the upper twenty centimeters of Baltic Sea sediments, which are consistent with the growth of industrial activity there
(A) Baltic Sea sediments, which are consistent with the growth of industrial activity there
(B) Baltic Sea sediments, where the growth of industrial activity is consistent with these findings.
(C) Baltic Sea sediments, findings consistent with its growth of industrial activity
(D) Sediments from the Baltic Sea, findings consistent with the growth of industrial activity in the area.
(E) Sediments from the Baltic Sea, consistent with the growth of industrial activity there.
題目解析：本題五個(gè)選項(xiàng)中，除（D）選項(xiàng)以外，其余選項(xiàng)都有錯(cuò)誤。(A)選項(xiàng)與(B)選項(xiàng)中的which 與where所引導(dǎo)的定語從句就近修飾sediment，意思則分別變成：Sediments are consistent with the growth of industrial activity和the growth of industrial activity happens in the sediments, 兩者從句子的邏輯完整性上無法與前述內(nèi)容建立聯(lián)系。而（C）選項(xiàng)中，由“its”我們無法知道其指代對象，因?yàn)榫渲袥]有任何單數(shù)名詞可以用“its”來進(jìn)行指代。排除A,B,C,E選項(xiàng)以后，D選項(xiàng)正確地表達(dá)出了原文所要表達(dá)的意義。
二、在GMAT語法改錯(cuò)中，判定定語從句結(jié)構(gòu)正確與否的一個(gè)原則就是，除先行詞為表示人的名詞或是介詞賓語以外，對事物的非限定性從句都需使用which 引導(dǎo)，而限定性從句使用that引導(dǎo)。
例2：
The company is negotiating to sell its profitable credit card subsidiary, which it plans to use money from to acquire some of the mortgage –servicing operations that are being sold by troubled savings institutions.
Subsidiary, which it plans to use money from
Subsidiary, from which it plans to use money
Subsidiary, and it plans the use of money from that
Subsidiary and plans to use money from that sale
Subsidiary and plans the use of money from that sale
句子釋義：此公司正商議將其所屬的信用卡子公司賣掉并計(jì)劃將清理子公司以后的所獲收益用于收購那些陷入困境的儲(chǔ)蓄機(jī)構(gòu)所拍賣的一些抵押業(yè)務(wù)。
題目解析：根據(jù)定語從句就近修飾先行詞的原則，我們可以判定A選項(xiàng)中的介詞沒有置于引導(dǎo)詞which前面，而B雖然符合“介詞+which”原則，但從邏輯角度無法清楚其所要表達(dá)的意思。而C選項(xiàng)中的that在這里的所指對象模糊，E選項(xiàng)中如將“and plans the use of money from that sale”代入句中，顯然，plans the use of money from that sale to acquire，不符合use something to do something的表達(dá)法。本題只有D正確。
三、由于 Where在引導(dǎo)定語從句時(shí)可表示為in/on/through which，因此在判定Where到底表明是in, on 還是through方面，無法做到準(zhǔn)確，因此GMAT句法改錯(cuò)中，where所引導(dǎo)的定語從句一般情況下都由“介詞+which”結(jié)構(gòu)替換，只有極少數(shù)的where引導(dǎo)的定語從句是正確的，因此考生在遇到where引導(dǎo)的定語從句時(shí)，應(yīng)多加注意。
例3
Idioglossia is a phenomenon, incompletely understood at best, where two persons develop a unique and private language with highly original vocabulary and syntax.
where two persons develop a unique and private language with
when two persona develop a unique and private language having
in which two persons have unique and private language development with
Having two persons who develop a unique and private language that has
In which two persons develop a unique and private language with.
句子釋義：至今人們還未完全了解自語癥，這種癥狀的特點(diǎn)就是兩人自創(chuàng)出一套獨(dú)特 “暗語”，患有自語癥的人使用的詞匯和句子非常奇特。
題目分析：一般來講where在引導(dǎo)定語從句時(shí)，其前面的先行詞應(yīng)為表示“地點(diǎn)，空間，位置”的詞匯，這道題目中的where屬于錯(cuò)誤使用，因?yàn)閺摹皃henomenon”這個(gè)詞本身來看，其既非表示地點(diǎn)，也非表示空間和位置，所以應(yīng)排除（A）選項(xiàng)，而（B）選項(xiàng)中，when 則在語法功能上用于引導(dǎo)時(shí)間狀語從句，從根本上說，when已經(jīng)扭曲了句子的原意。而(C)選項(xiàng)中，將develop改為development置于with前，顯然不符合原意，因?yàn)閣ith在這里表示患有自語癥的人所使用的語言的特點(diǎn)------highly original vocabulary and syntax，因此前不應(yīng)加入development. （D）選項(xiàng)中是指自語癥這種現(xiàn)象是兩個(gè)人的現(xiàn)象，因此更加荒謬。
定語從句改錯(cuò)在GMAT語法中頻繁亮相，很多考生在解題的過程中，會(huì)被語法知識(shí)完全拘囿，甚至是一個(gè)簡單的介詞都有可能讓考生左右困惑，因此除了日常的勤奮練習(xí)和彌補(bǔ)語法知識(shí)的不足以外，那就是通過一系列的總結(jié)來進(jìn)行全面提高
一、定語從句的主謂一致是保證被修飾對象（先行詞）清楚明確的先決條件，根據(jù)定語從句引導(dǎo)詞的就近修飾原則，確定其所修飾的對象是否明確清楚。
例1：
Scientists have observed large concentrations of heavy-metal deposits in the upper twenty centimeters of Baltic Sea sediments, which are consistent with the growth of industrial activity there
(A) Baltic Sea sediments, which are consistent with the growth of industrial activity there
(B) Baltic Sea sediments, where the growth of industrial activity is consistent with these findings.
(C) Baltic Sea sediments, findings consistent with its growth of industrial activity
(D) Sediments from the Baltic Sea, findings consistent with the growth of industrial activity in the area.
(E) Sediments from the Baltic Sea, consistent with the growth of industrial activity there.
題目解析：本題五個(gè)選項(xiàng)中，除（D）選項(xiàng)以外，其余選項(xiàng)都有錯(cuò)誤。(A)選項(xiàng)與(B)選項(xiàng)中的which 與where所引導(dǎo)的定語從句就近修飾sediment，意思則分別變成：Sediments are consistent with the growth of industrial activity和the growth of industrial activity happens in the sediments, 兩者從句子的邏輯完整性上無法與前述內(nèi)容建立聯(lián)系。而（C）選項(xiàng)中，由“its”我們無法知道其指代對象，因?yàn)榫渲袥]有任何單數(shù)名詞可以用“its”來進(jìn)行指代。排除A,B,C,E選項(xiàng)以后，D選項(xiàng)正確地表達(dá)出了原文所要表達(dá)的意義。
二、在GMAT語法改錯(cuò)中，判定定語從句結(jié)構(gòu)正確與否的一個(gè)原則就是，除先行詞為表示人的名詞或是介詞賓語以外，對事物的非限定性從句都需使用which 引導(dǎo)，而限定性從句使用that引導(dǎo)。
例2：
The company is negotiating to sell its profitable credit card subsidiary, which it plans to use money from to acquire some of the mortgage –servicing operations that are being sold by troubled savings institutions.
Subsidiary, which it plans to use money from
Subsidiary, from which it plans to use money
Subsidiary, and it plans the use of money from that
Subsidiary and plans to use money from that sale
Subsidiary and plans the use of money from that sale
句子釋義：此公司正商議將其所屬的信用卡子公司賣掉并計(jì)劃將清理子公司以后的所獲收益用于收購那些陷入困境的儲(chǔ)蓄機(jī)構(gòu)所拍賣的一些抵押業(yè)務(wù)。
題目解析：根據(jù)定語從句就近修飾先行詞的原則，我們可以判定A選項(xiàng)中的介詞沒有置于引導(dǎo)詞which前面，而B雖然符合“介詞+which”原則，但從邏輯角度無法清楚其所要表達(dá)的意思。而C選項(xiàng)中的that在這里的所指對象模糊，E選項(xiàng)中如將“and plans the use of money from that sale”代入句中，顯然，plans the use of money from that sale to acquire，不符合use something to do something的表達(dá)法。本題只有D正確。
三、由于 Where在引導(dǎo)定語從句時(shí)可表示為in/on/through which，因此在判定Where到底表明是in, on 還是through方面，無法做到準(zhǔn)確，因此GMAT句法改錯(cuò)中，where所引導(dǎo)的定語從句一般情況下都由“介詞+which”結(jié)構(gòu)替換，只有極少數(shù)的where引導(dǎo)的定語從句是正確的，因此考生在遇到where引導(dǎo)的定語從句時(shí)，應(yīng)多加注意。
例3
Idioglossia is a phenomenon, incompletely understood at best, where two persons develop a unique and private language with highly original vocabulary and syntax.
where two persons develop a unique and private language with
when two persona develop a unique and private language having
in which two persons have unique and private language development with
Having two persons who develop a unique and private language that has
In which two persons develop a unique and private language with.
句子釋義：至今人們還未完全了解自語癥，這種癥狀的特點(diǎn)就是兩人自創(chuàng)出一套獨(dú)特 “暗語”，患有自語癥的人使用的詞匯和句子非常奇特。
題目分析：一般來講where在引導(dǎo)定語從句時(shí)，其前面的先行詞應(yīng)為表示“地點(diǎn)，空間，位置”的詞匯，這道題目中的where屬于錯(cuò)誤使用，因?yàn)閺摹皃henomenon”這個(gè)詞本身來看，其既非表示地點(diǎn)，也非表示空間和位置，所以應(yīng)排除（A）選項(xiàng)，而（B）選項(xiàng)中，when 則在語法功能上用于引導(dǎo)時(shí)間狀語從句，從根本上說，when已經(jīng)扭曲了句子的原意。而(C)選項(xiàng)中，將develop改為development置于with前，顯然不符合原意，因?yàn)閣ith在這里表示患有自語癥的人所使用的語言的特點(diǎn)------highly original vocabulary and syntax，因此前不應(yīng)加入development. （D）選項(xiàng)中是指自語癥這種現(xiàn)象是兩個(gè)人的現(xiàn)象，因此更加荒謬。
定語從句改錯(cuò)在GMAT語法中頻繁亮相，很多考生在解題的過程中，會(huì)被語法知識(shí)完全拘囿，甚至是一個(gè)簡單的介詞都有可能讓考生左右困惑，因此除了日常的勤奮練習(xí)和彌補(bǔ)語法知識(shí)的不足以外，那就是通過一系列的總結(jié)來進(jìn)行全面提高