whose引导定语从句只能指人吗
本站特约作者 刘 亚
大家知道，关系代词who只用于指人，不用于指物。我们是不是可以推出，关系代词whose也只用于指人不用于指物呢？不能！事实上，用作关系代词的whose既可用于指人，也可用于指物，同时还可以指动物，它在定语从句中用作定语，修饰其后的名词。
一、指人的用法
The boys whose names were called stood up. 叫到名字的男孩们站了起来。
The film is about a spy whose wife betrays him. 电影讲的是一个被他妻子出卖的间谍。
He was an officer whose career meant everything to him. 他是一名军旅生涯对他来说就是一切的军官。
The girl whose work got the prize is the youngest in her class. 作品获奖的那个女孩是她班上年纪最小的。
除引导限制性定语从句外，也可引导非限制性定语从句。如：
Chopin, whose works are world famous, composed some of his music in this room. 肖邦的作品是世界知名的，有些乐曲就是在这个房间里谱写的。
We went with Peter, whose car broke down before we were halfway there. 我们和彼得一起去的，但是还没走到半路他的车子就抛了锚。
Ann, whose children are at school all day, is trying to get a job. 安的孩子们整天都在学校，所以她在想办法找份工作。
二、指物的用法
The house whose windows are broken is unoccupied. 那个窗户破了的房子没人住。
I’d like a room whose window looks out over the sea. 我想要一个窗户面临大海的房间。
除引导限制性定语从句外，也可引导非限制性定语从句。如：
His house, whose windows were all broken, was a depressing sight. 他的房子窗户无一完好，一派令人心酸的景象。
三、指动物的用法
Wolves are highly social animals whose success depends upon cooperation. 狼是高度群体化的动物，它们的成功依赖于合作。
除引导限制性定语从句外，也可引导非限制性定语从句。如：
My bitch, whose temper is very uncertain, often bites the judges at dog shows. 我的母狗脾气不稳定，常常在狗展上咬裁判。
【做题小技巧】
对于考查关系代词whose的考题，掌握以下两点非常有用：
1.它在定语从句中通常是用作定语，所以其后通常应有被修饰的名词。
2. which有时也可用作定语，但与whose在语义上有很大区别：which在语义上相当于this或that，而whose在语义上则相当于one’s。比较并体会：
It was an English novel whose name I have forgotten. 那是一本英语小说，书名我忘了。
My father may have to go into hospital, in which case he won’t be going on holiday. 我父亲可能需要住院，如果那样他就不去度假了。