愛伊米

科學寫作:你知道“That”和“Which”的區別嗎?

在科學寫作中,下列哪個句子是正確的?

The replies which came from five students were transcribed and translated。

The replies that came from five students were transcribed and translated。

The replies, which came from five students were transcribed and translated。

The replies, which came from five students, were transcribed and translated。

在這些句子中,在賓語“The replies”和“were transcribed and translated”之間都包含“定語從句”。從句是帶有動詞的短語,上面的定語從句用關係代詞“that”或“which”引導,與“The replies”相關聯,可進一步說明“The replies”。雖然句子(1)和(2)對某些作者來說意思相同,但是應該避免使用句子(1),因為該句可能有兩種含義:句子(2)或(4),容易引起歧義。

科學寫作:你知道“That”和“Which”的區別嗎?

易輯編譯SCI

如果想透過給出具體的細節來定義名詞,請使用“that”。句子(2)是正確的,在句子(2)中,“The replies that came from five students…”,作者暗示還有其他人(例如,老師)或其他學生(例如,三個、四個或六個學生組成的小組)的回覆。只有來自五個學生組成的小組的答覆被記錄和翻譯。“that came from five students”這一從句有助於確定具體的“replies”,是一個限定性從句。

使用帶一對逗號的“which”來提供附加資訊。句子(4)是正確的,在句子(4) 中,“The replies, which came from five students,…”,一對逗號之間的定語從句可以刪除而不改變要表達的資訊(“The replies…were transcribed and translated。”)。“which came from five students”這一從句是非限定性從句。作者只是簡單地告訴我們更多的關於答覆的資訊,並且不存在其他的答覆。

句子(3)不正確,在非限定性定語從句後面缺少第二個逗號。如句子(4)所示,需要一對逗號。但是,也有“which”前加一個逗號的情況,可用在句尾賓語後面引導非限定性定語從句(“We transcription and translated the replies,which came from five students”)。