定语从句在复合句中作定语，修饰名词或代词。中考对定语从句的考查主要是引导定语从句的关系代词、关系 副词的用法以及定语从句中谓语动词的形式。其中that/who/which用法的联系的区别是考查的重点。考查的方式多种多样，涉及中考的各个题型，以 单项选择、完形填空和句型转换为主。
一、 由关系代词that/which,who引导的定语从句
关系代词that,which 可以指物，that 和who 可以指人，其用法有如下区别：
1、 只可用that 引导的定语从句
（1）当先行词为all,everything,nothing,something,anything,little,much 等不定代词时。如： We should do everything that is useful to the people.
我们应该做一切对人民有用的事。
（2）先行词被all,every,no,some,any,little,much 等修饰时。如：
You can take any seat that in free. 你可以坐任何一个空位。
（3）先行词被the only,the very,the right等修饰。如：
He is the very man that I’m looking for. 他正是我正在找的那个人。
（1） 当先行词被形容词最高级修饰时。如：
This is the best novel that I have read. 这是我所看过的最好的小说。
（2） 当先行词被序数词修饰时。如:
This is your second time that you told us the story. 这是你第二次给我们讲这个故事了。
（3） 当先行词同时含有人和物时。如：
We talked about the things and persons that we were interested in.
我们谈论我们所感兴趣的人和事。
2、 只用which 引导的定语从句：
（1） 当关系代词前使用介词时，只能用which, 不能用that. 如：
This is the train by which we went to Beijing.
这就是我们乘坐去北京的那班列车。
（2） 在非限制性定语从句（即通常用逗号与主句隔开，若去掉从句，整个句子仍能表达完整意义的定语从句）中。如：
Football,which is a very interesting game,is played all over the world. 足球，一项非常有趣的运动，全世界的人都在踢。
3、 表示 人时，当先行词为everybody,anybody,everyone,anyone 等时要用who, 而不用that. 如：
Is there anyone who can answer this question?
有人会回答这个问题吗？
二、由关系代词引导的定语从句
定词从句所修饰的名词或代词叫先行词。定语从句总是跟在它所修饰的先行词之后，由关系代词或关系副词引导。关系代词或关系副 词在定语从句中一定要作从句中的一个成分。关系代词起名词或代词的作用，关系副词起副词或介词短语的作用。
关系代词在句中充当主语、宾语、定语等成分。关系代词在定语从句中作主语时，从句谓语动词的人称和数要和先行词保持一致。作宾语时，可以省略关系代词。
1、 先行词指人时，定语从句由who,whom,that 引导，在从句中who,that 可以作主语或宾语，whom 只作宾语。如：
Is he the man who/that wants to see you?
他就是想见你的那个人吗?
The man whom my father is talking to is Mr.Wang.
那个正和我爸爸谈话的人是王先生。
2、 先行词指物时，定语从句由which,that 引导，在从句可以作主语或宾语。如： The movie that/which I saw yesterday is very interesting.
昨天我看的那部电影很有趣。
The doll that/which can sing cost 120 yuan.
那个会唱歌的洋娃娃值120元。
3、 whose在定语从句中，只用作定语，有时它还可以同of which 互换。如：
please pass me the book whose/of which cover is green.
请递给我那本绿皮的书。
二、 由关系副词引导的定语从句
1、 关系副词在定语从句中作状语，when 用在表示时间的名词后，where 用在表示地点的名词后，why 用在表示原因的名词后。when,where,why 的含义相当于“介词+which”结构，因此常常和“介词+which”结构交替使用。如：
I still remember the day when/on which I first met him.
我依然记得我第一次遇到他的那一天。
Beijing is the place where/in which I was born.
这就是他今早迟到的理由吗？
2、 当先行词虽然表示时间、地点或原因，但关系词在从句中作主语、宾语而不是状语时，不可用when,where 或why, 而应用that 或which. 如：
Hangzhou is a city __ where ____ there is a beautiful lake.
(作状语)
Hangzhou is a city __ that/which ____ has a beautiful lake.
(作主语)
I’ll never forget the day__when____I first came to Beijing.
(作状语)
I’ll never forget the day___that/which__________we spent together.
(作及物动词spend 的宾语)
［真题导航］：
1、（2008吉林）This is the question___we are talking about now.
A.that B.who C.where D.when
2、（2008湖南长沙）What are you looking for?
I am looking for the book____I bought yesterday.
A.who B.which C.whost
3、（2008甘肃兰州）We all like the teachers_____class is interesting and creative.
A.which B.whose C.who D.that
4、（2008甘肃定西）This is the girl_____mother is an English teacher of our school.
A.that B.who C.whom D.whose
5、The man_____lives next to us is our friend.
A.which B.whom C.who
6、（2008河南）Shaolin Temple____lies in the west of Zhengzhou welcomes the visitors both at home and abroad.
A.where B.which C.who D.what
7、Last summer I went to Lu Xun’s hometown and visited the house_____he
was born.
A.that B.there C.which D.where
8、用关系代词或关系副词填空：
（1）Please give a hand to those___need it.
（2）That’s the reason____he couldn’t come to that important meeting.
（3）The black shirt____is on the shelf is very special
（4）She doesn’t remember the day____her son joined the army.
（5）An English-English dictionary is a book_____gives the English meaning of the word s.
（6）This is the small town____I was born.
（7）The old man____son died in the accident is very poor.
（8）The kid ____his parents are waiting for will never come back.
（9）A lot of great changes have taken place in the city in ____we live.
（10）The first thing___I want to buy with the money is a new bike.
[为你支招]：
1、A 考查定语从句。先行词the question 指物，关系词在从句中作talk about 的宾语，所以用that.
2、B 考查定语从句。先行词the book 指物，关系词在从句中作bought 的宾语，所以选which.
3、B 先行词the teacher指人，关系词在从句中作定语修饰class, 应该用whose.
4、D 先行词the girl指人，关系词在从句中作定语修饰名词mother ，所以应选D
5、C 先行词the man指人，排除A 项，关系代词在从句中作主语，用who.
6、B 考查定语从句。Shaolin Temple是地点，但先行词在从句中作主语，所以用which 不用where.
7、D 考查定语从句。the house是地点，关系词在从句中作地点状语，所以用where.
8、（1）who/that （2）why （3）which/that （4）when （5）which/that
（6）where （7）whose （8）whom/who/that （9）which （10）that