名词性从句是指在句中起名词作用的从句，它包括主语从句、宾语从句、表语从句和同位语从句。

如：

Whether he will come here or not is unimportant to me.（主语从句）

I don’t know what he means.（宾语从句，用在动词后）

I’m glad that you are here.（宾语从句，用在形容词之后）

The teacher is satisfied with what you have done.（介词宾语从句）

That was because he was ill.（表语从句）

The news that he got killed in the race surprised us all.（同位语从句）

基本知识与基本概念

1.主语从句

顾名思义，主语从句在句子中作主语。有时本身出现在主语的位置上，也有时出于句子结构的考虑退到句子的尾部，前面用形式主语it代替。从句作主语时，谓语动词一般为单数形式。如:

What I saw was beyond any verbal description.

That his hair was turning grey worried him a bit.

Why the company denied the contract is still unknown.

When and where the government will build a city square is under discussion.

It is pretty annoying that a small part of the machine is missing.

It remains to be seen whether the new novel will be well received.

2.宾语从句

在句子中作宾语的从句就是宾语从句。由于这是同学们接触比较早的一种从句，应该问题不大。所以在近年的高考题中，以宾语从句的知识作为考点的题目较少。但是，宾语从句也有自己的特殊情况，如介词的宾语，形容词的宾语，宾语从句提前和并列的宾语从句等现象。如：

We assumed that there would be more than 100 guests.

He told the police in detail what he saw and heard.

Nobody is sure what humans will look like in a million years.

That will depend on whether they can get the chance.

Whether I will have the time I am not sure at the moment. （宾语从句提前）

The conductor complained that we were not gifted in singing and that he would never come again. （并列的宾语从句）

3.表语从句

表语从句的最重要结构就是它们应该出现在系动词的后面。如：

The only question left is how often the workers are paid.

His idea for the coming weekend is that we go skating.

4.同位语从句

从结构上看，同位语从句最为麻烦。因为它们也是出现在一个名词的后面，起着解释说明的作用。有点像定语从句。这个点是许多学生容易混淆的地方。（可以参考我之前的文章）

但是，只有我们能把握住关键，即：定语从句的先行词在从句中必须作一个成分，并且这个成分应该是个空白，也就是说，定语从句必须缺少成分。这一点恰恰是同位语从句所不能做到的。同位语从句前面的名词在从句中是没有位置的。况且，也不是所有的名词后面都会跟同位语从句，只有那些“有内容的名词”才需要解释。如fact, news, idea, truth, hope, problem, information, belief, thought, doubt等。如：

That fact that the policeman didn’t fire at the man at all was ignored.

Do you have any idea what is going on in the classroom.

The possibility that we can work at home makes everybody excited.

Note: 连接代词、连接副词和连接词

通过以上介绍，我们可以看出，四种名词性从句都需要有一个连接性词在从句的开头。这个词是什么性质，要看它在从句中作作的成分，

如果作的是主语、宾语、表语的话，这个词就是连接代词；如果作的是各种状语，就叫连接副词；如果不作任何成分，就叫连接词。

1. 连接词 that, if, whether

2.连接代词 who, whom, what, whose, which, whichever, whatever, whoever

3.连接副词 when, where, how, why

考点分类解析

考点一：语序问题

名词性从句的语序问题一直断断续续地在各地高考题目中出现，由此可见其重要性。其实说来非常简单易记：永远陈述语气。即名词性从句中不会出现助动词提前的现象。如：

Who he is doesn’t matter much.

When and where we shall have the sports meet is a question.

I don’t know what his name is.

I don’t know what is wrong with him. = I don’t know what is the matter with him.

You can’t imagine how excited I was at that time.

Can you tell me what size shoes you wear?

请看下面选择题

No one can be sure ______ in a million years.

A. what will man look likeB. what man will look like

C. man will look like whatD. what look will man like

答案：B。这个题就是典型的考查宾语从句的语序问题。根据以上所述，应该是陈述语序。所以A、C两个选项就不可能了。而D选项明显不符合我们的语言习惯。

考点二：that和what的区别问题

能引导名词性从句的关系代词有who, whom, what, whose, which, whichever, whatever, whoever八个。为何单独讲what的用法呢？重要！在考试中出现的频率高！而且同学们最容易混淆。

再强调一遍：what是不能引导定语从句的。定语从句中如果缺少的成分是主语、宾语、表语，我们选择的是关系代词that或其他。现在山头换了，到了名词性从句的知识范围了。What在名词性从句中就很有用武之地了。还是分析成分，what 在从句中作的主语、宾语、表语。而that只是一个“连接词”，既不作什么成分，也没有什么意义!（记住！！！）

如:

What we have seen is different from _______.

A. we heardB. we have heardC. what we heardD. what we have heard

答案为D

I couldn’t agree with ______ at the meeting.

A. that you saidB. which you saidC. all what you saidD. what you said

答案为D

考点三：that和whether的区别问题

有时候，它们两个比较难以区别，因为，它们都是连接词，都在从句中不作成分。但是，它们之间最大的区别在于“意义”。即that在从句中既不作成分，也没有自己的意义；而whether就不同了。它虽然不在从句中作什么成分，但是它又意义，即“是否”。这就能够左右从句的意思，使从句所表达的意思变成一个还没有确定的因素。

如：

I don’t know whether he can join us or not.

I’m sure that he can join us.

It is none of your business whether I love her.

It is none of your business that I don’t love her.

综上所述，区分that还是whether，重要一点就是看主句需要从句表达一个什么意思，是确定的，还是不确定的；是事实还是疑问。前者选that，后者选whether。如：

I have no doubt _____ Mr. Johnson will make it here on time.

A. that B. whether C. why D. when

答案：Ａ。这个题之所以选择that，就是因为前面的I have no doubt（毫无疑问），这样

的主句已经不再需要从句表达什么“是否”了。

No one can be sure _____ the board will accept our conditions.

A. that B. whether C. why D. what

答案：Ｂ。　这个题中的No one can be sure（没有人能肯定）就要求从句表达一个“董

事会能否接受我们的条件”的意思，而不能是一个既定的事实。

考点四：if和whether的区别问题

二者在引导宾语从句时都有“是否”之意。但并不是永远可以互换。一般认为，二者可　

以互换的环境也只有在宾语从句中。如：

He didn’t give us explicit reply whether/if he will attend our wedding ceremony.

而在介词的宾语从句中，在主语从句中，在表语从句中，在同位语从句中，在和不定式搭配的结构中等等，习惯上只能用whether。

如：

　1. _______ we’ll go camping tomorrow depends on the weather.

A. IfB. WhetherC. ThatD. Where

　2. The question of _______ they are old or young is not important.

A. whichB. whetherC. howD. if

　3. The question is ______ the film is worth seeing.

A. ifB. whatC. whetherD. how

4. He doesn’t know ______ to stay or not.

A. ifB. whenC. whetherD. how

5. The news _____ our team has won the match is unknown.

A. whichB. ifC. whetherD. then

　值得注意的是：有些资料依然强调if不能与or not搭配的问题。过去有过这样的规定，只是在现代英语中，已经不再强调了而已。现在认为if… or not也可以接受。（为保险起见，考试时还是不要用if… or not）

考点五：wh-词和wh-ever的区别问题

一般认为，wh-词在引导从句时，依然保留了很大部分的疑问词的本色，所以，它们引导的从句在意思上应该表达的是一个“问题”，如：“谁？什么？何时？何地？为何？怎么？”等。而wh-ever已经没有这层色彩，不再关心这样的“问题”，而是充满了让步的意味，多有“无论．．．”之意。如：

The police wanted to know who will benefit most from the old man’s death.

警方想知道谁将从老人的去世中受益最多。

Whoever will benefit from the old man’s death will be questioned by the police.

能从老人的去世之中受益的所有人都将受到警方的盘问。

Who will be sent to help the people in the flooded areas hasn’t been announced.

谁将被派往洪灾区去救援还没有宣布。

Whoever will be sent to work in the flooded areas will spare no effort to help 　

the people in need. 不管是谁被派往灾区救援都会全力以赴地帮助灾民。

考点六：no matter wh-和wh-ever的区别问题

二者都有“无论．．．”之意。在引导让步状语从句时确实可以互换，没有什么区别。但是，no matter wh-只能引导状语从句，不能引导名词性从句。Wh-ever则二者兼收，来去自由。由此包含与被包含的关系决定，二者同时出现而必选其一时，答案肯定是wh-ever。如：

Whoever breaks the rules will be punished. (主语从句)

Whoever/ No matter who breaks the rules, he/she will be punished. (状语从句)

Don’t believe whatever he tells you. (宾语从句)

Don’t believe him, whatever/ no matter what he tells you. (状语从句)

考点七：名词性从句中的虚拟语气问题

先看宾语从句的虚拟语气。一般说来，如果从句作的是表示说话人某种观点、态度或要求等语气的动词的宾语时，从句中要求用should＋动词原形的虚拟语气（should经常可以省略）。这些动词常见的有：desire, demand, require, request, order, propose, command, advise, suggest等。如：

例：He insisted that she （should）spend more time studying.

He demanded that we （should）be on time.

The boss required that all waiters (should) keep standing all day long.

The publishing house suggested that I (should) type my book out.

　有两个特例是高中老师不愿意错过的。那就是suggest和insist。它们俩后面的宾语从句是否用虚拟语气还要看具体语境来定。如：

　The doctor suggested that I had a cold。　

(这个suggest的意思是“解释，说明”。后面不用虚拟语气)

The big smiles on her face suggested that she had passed the test.

(这个suggest的意思是“表明”。后面不用虚拟语气)

　The doctor suggested that I (should) stay in bed for a few day.

(这个suggest的意思是“建议”。后面用虚拟语气)

　The young man insisted that he was well enough to serve in the army.

(这个insist坚持的是一个事实不是一种观点。后面不用虚拟语气)

　That young man insisted that he should be sent to the front.

(这个insist坚持的是一种观点，即“他应该被派往前线”。后面用虚拟语气)

以上是宾语从句中的虚拟语气现象。如果是其他三种名词性从句，只要和上述动词有关，也享受同样的待遇。如：

　 The headquarters’ suggestion is that we (should) wait for another few days. (表语从句)

　 His order that all the soldiers (should) swim across the river was refused. (同位语从句)

　 It is strongly recommended that you (should) take a taxi. (主语从句)　

另外，在下面这几个特殊的句型中，后面的主语从句也用虚拟语气。

a. It is important/ necessary/ natural/ a wonder/ essential（必要的）/suggested that…should do… 如：

　It is important that you （should）be on time.

It is necessary that you (should) exercise regularly.

b. I wish that … did…. 如：

I wish I were a bird.

I wish one day I could live on the moon.

c. I’d rather that… did… 如：

I’d rather you did it yourself.

I’d rather I hadn’t lent you that bicycle yesterday.

考点八：宾语从句的反意疑问句的问题

众所周知，反意疑问句是由句子的谓语和主语的代词形式共同构成。如：

He is ignorant, isn’t he?

He isn’t strong, is he?

但是，如果前面的句子中含有宾语从句，怎么办？答案是一定针对主句的主语、谓语。如：

You know he is ignorant, don’t you?

I told you he isn’t strong, didn’t I?

有一种例外，当主句的主语是I,且谓语动词是表示观点的动词如think, believe, suppose, expect, am afraid等时，就只能针对从句反问了。因为没有人会对自己的观点吗上进行反诘。如：

I think he is ignorant, isn’t he?

I believe he isn’t strong, is he?

考点九：it在名词性从句中的作用问题

代词it的用法有很多。但近几年的高考关注的却比较集中，即it作为普通回指代词的用法和在名词性从句中作形式宾语和形式主语的用法。如：

作形式主语：

It worried me a bit that he didn’t phone.

It occurred to me that she might have forgotten the date.

It doesn’t matter when you arrive--- just come when you can.

It wasn’t clear to anyone why he didn’t come.

It was surprising how many unhappy marriages there are.

作形式宾语：

I made it clear that I was determined to carry out the plan.

I find it necessary that we should spend more time practising spoken English.

I think it important that we should keep calm.

Don’t take it for granted that your parents should do everything for you.

He doesn’t want it to be known that he’s going away.

You may depend upon it that all the goods will be delivered in time.

考点十：主语从句和强调句型的混淆问题

从表面上看，it作形式主语的主语从句有时候和强调句型有些相似。如：

It is impossible that we can persuade him to join us. (主语从句)

It is with Tom’s help that we were able to persuade him to join us. (强调句型)

其实，强调句型其实很简单，即在It is/was 与that之间放上我们想要强调的某个句子成分。大部分考题都是考查that的选择问题。即考查考生判断某句是否是强调句型的问题。这个看似容易的问题在出题人的多种变化之下有时也会变得很令人头疼。下面是几种常见的出题形式：

1．基本式：

It was on the top of the mountain

that we met the foreign tourist.

2. 一般疑问句式：

Was it on the top of the mountain that you met the foreign tourist?

3. 特殊疑问句式：

Where was it that you met the foreign tourist?

4．复合句式：

Can you tell me where it was that you met the foreign tourist?

5．套定语从句式：

It was in the house which was built by his father that he was born.

6. 套定语从句加省略式：

--- Where did you meet the foreign tourist?

--- It was in the hotel where we lived (that we met the foreign tourist).

判断一个句子是否是强调句型是个关键。这里重要思路是当去掉强调句型、各个成分各归其位以后，该句子是否还成立。下面几个例子就不是强调句型：

It was not yet seven o’clock

when he came back last night.

因为，*He came back last night not yet seven o’clock.就不是个正确的句子。

--- I heard that Tom was once almost drowned. When was that?

--- It was in 2000 when he was swimming in a pool.

同理，*He was swimming in a pool in 2000. 从逻辑上看也不成立。因为，我们不可能一整年都在游泳。

练一练吧

1. America was ________ was called “India” by Columbus.

A. that B. where C. what D. the place

2. --- I’d like to invite you to a concert this evening.

--- Thank you, but ______ I’ll be free I’m not sure at the moment.

A. while B. if C. when D. whether

3. I kept looking at the man, wondering ______________.

A. whether I have seen him before B. where I had seen him before

C. that I had seen him before D. when I had seen him before

4. You have not yet answered my question ________ I can join in the party tonight.

A. whether B. if C. which D. that

5. Information has been put forward _______ more middle school graduates will be admitted into universities.

A. while B. that C. when D. as

6. A computer can only do _______ you have instructed it to do.

A. how B. after C. what D. when

7. It is a common belief _______ teenagers today know about computers and are familiar ______ using them in all aspects of life.

A. that; out B. what; with C. that; with D. what; about

8. Don’t leave for tomorrow _______ you can do today.

A. if B. what C. that D. unless

9. Was it because it rained yesterday ______ he didn’t come?

A. why B. when C. then D. that

10. ______ all the inventions have in common is ______ they have succeeded.

A. What; what B. That; that C. What; that D. That; that

11. --- What clothes should we wear to attend the ball?

--- Dress _______ you like.

A. what B. however C. whatever D. how

12. ________ has ridden on a railway train knows how _____ another train flashes by when it is traveling in the opposite direction.

A. Anyone who; rapid B. Whoever; rapidly

C. Anything; rapid D. Whatever; rapidly

13. We believe _______ you have devoted yourself ________ sure to come true.

A. that; is B. all that; to be C. that all; are D. what; to is

14. You may give the film ticket to _______ you think needs it.

A. no matter who B. whomever C. whoever D. no matter whom

15. Was it in 1998, when he was still at middle school, ______ this boy became expert at computer?

A. which B. where C. when D. that

16. It was ______ he came to Macao ______ he knew what kind of place it was.

A. that; when B. until; that C. not until; when D. not until; that

17. All finished, we sat down to enjoy ______ we thought the most delicious dinner.

A. that B. which C. what D. it

18. It was not until he explained it a second time _______ it.

A. when we understood B. that we understood

C. did we understand D. that did we understand

19. The Beaches held _____ they called “family day” once each year.

A. that B. which C. what D. when

20. --- How did he fail the examination?

--- It was because he was too careless _______ he made so many mistakes.

A. therefore B. that C. so that D. so

21. In some countries, ______ is called “equality” does not really mean equal rights fro all people.

A. that B. what C. which D. how

22. --- ______ helps others will be helped.

--- So I’ll be thankful to and try to help _______ has helped us.

A. Whoever; whomever B. Whoever; whoever

C. Who; whoever D. Who; whomever

23. Whether ways will be found to stop pollution or not is just _______ worries the public.

A. why B. which C. that D. what

24. It was not until dark _______ he found ________ he thought was the correct way to solve the problem.

A. that; what B. that; that C. when; what D. when; that

25. The question came up at the meeting _______ we had enough money for our research.

A. that B. what C. which D. whether

26. _______ she was invited to the ball made her very happy.

A. If B. That C. When D. Because

27. ______ we are doing has never been done before.

A. That B. What C. Which D. Whether

28. Scientists believe native Americans arrived by crossing the land bridge that connected Siberia and _______ more than 10,000 years ago.

A. this is Alaska B. Alaska is now

C. is now Alaska D. what is now Alaska

29. Please tell me ______ you would like to have your coffee ---- black or white?

A. what B. where C. which D. how

30. Many workers were organized to clear away _______ remained of the World Trade center.

A. those B. that C. what D. where

答案 ：1-5 CDBAB 6-10 CCBDC 11-15 BBDCD 16-20 DCBCB 21-25 BBDAD

26-30 BBDDC

本文参考百度文库中bibosi2010老师的《高考英语【名词性从句】》