一、什么是英语后置定语?
后置定语,字面很直白:是加在名词后面,对其作补充说明的一类成分。它不是原来直接“领在名词前面”的定语词(比如形容词、限定词),而是需要放到后面。
常见的后置定语结构有:
介词短语:the boy in the blue shirt
不定式短语:the first man to climb the mountain
分词短语:students coming from China
从句(定语从句):the book that you gave me
二、后置定语怎么找?核心原则只有一个!
死死盯住名词!凡是在名词后面补充说明其信息的,基本都是后置定语。
不管是短短的一个短语,还是成串的从句——
如果它位于名词之后,讲的是这个名词的特征、属性或附加信息,就是后置定语。
要点就3步:
1. 找名词 → 2. 看后面跟的修饰信息 → 3. 判断其是否说明前面那个名词
三、后置定语常见形式大合集
介词短语作后置定语: the man in the corner 例句: The book on the table is mine.
意思是“桌子上的那本书”。on the table 位于 book 后面,说明哪本书。不定式短语作后置定语: a chance to win 例句: She is the first person to arrive.
说明“第一个到达的人”,“to arrive”就是说明“person”的信息。现在分词作后置定语: the students studying in Room 204 例句: The girl singing on the stage is my sister.
singing on the stage修饰girl——说明是哪一个女孩。过去分词作后置定语: workers injured in the accident 例句: The cars damaged by the storm need to be repaired.
damaged by the storm修饰cars——说明哪些车。定语从句作后置定语: the man who called you 例句: The boy that won the prize is my friend.
that won the prize修饰boy,“得奖的那个男孩”。
四、结构与用法深度剖析
英语原本喜欢短小精悍的定语放在名词前面,但如果定语很长,英语句法要求它往后挪,也方便理解。
特点:
定语短/简单(如形容词)多前置,定语长/复杂(如片语、从句)多后置
后置定语通常直接紧跟被修饰的名词,中间不会再夹杂别的内容
后置定语使句子更有层次,但阅读时注意不要把前后的主谓宾弄混
常见陷阱:
误把谓语或宾语当成后置定语
定语过长时,容易弄混究竟修饰谁。遇到长句,建议:
1. 先圈出主干成分 > 2. 再锁定名词后所有修饰成分 > 3. 把后置定语的信息织入主干中准确理解
五、例句精炼解析(不同结构全覆盖)
Those people from other countries are waiting outside.
from other countries为介词短语,修饰people。I have something to tell you.
to tell you是不定式,修饰something,表示“我有些事要告诉你”。The students taking notes look very focused.
taking notes为现在分词短语,修饰students。This is a letter written by my best friend.
written by my best friend为过去分词,修饰letter。The house built in 1900 is still in good condition.
built in 1900为过去分词短语,修饰house。The questions that you have raised are very important.
that you have raised为定语从句,修饰questions。
六、后置定语和前置定语辨析
对比:
前置定语:通常为单个词或短小词组(如形容词、名词、限定词),放在名词之前。
后置定语:为复杂结构(如短语或从句),放在名词之后。
举例:
A happy child(happy是前置定语)
A child full of energy(full of energy是后置定语)
七、经典难句实战演练
The plan to be discussed at tomorrow’s meeting is very important.
— “to be discussed at tomorrow’s meeting” 是后置定语,修饰plan。The information provided by the teacher helped us a lot.
— “provided by the teacher”是后置定语,修饰information。
The research that was conducted by the American team last year shows promising results.
— 这里,that引导的从句为后置定语,修饰research。