事情是这样的，上周六早上在展春园教一个GMAT强化班，这是再普通不过的一次上课了。就在11点左右，我在讲解定语从句that和which的用法是，一个男同学突然问到：老师，which可以在限制性定语从句中修饰名词吗?
等等，这个问题为什么在四年的新东方授课中从来没有人问?要知道我在课上说的是that引导限制性定语从句，which引导非限制性定语从句。也就是说名词后面没逗号用that，有逗号用which，这没什么问题吧?怎么突然来了一个名词后面没逗号也用which?我瞬间懵逼了，然后说了一句很没底气的话：GMAT考试中一定要用that引导限制性定语从句(鬼知道谁说的这句话)。然后这位男同学补了一刀：高中老师就是这么教的，that和which可以引导限制性定语从句，但是有逗号的话一定要用which。我的内心是万马奔腾啊，怎么我完全不记得我的高中老师说过这句话(一定是高中英语学的太差了)?最后实在是无话可说：记住，GMAT考试用that引导限制性定语从句。
下课之后，我立刻发了条朋友圈：今天上课学生说高中老师教的是that和which都能引导限制性定语从句，也就是说the book which is interesting is expensive是对的，还有谁的高中老师是这么教的?麻烦点个赞或回复一下～
没想到啊，没想到，一共有61个人点赞，31个人回复。铁定无疑高中老师就这么教的啊～
那么问题来了，GMAT考试中到底能否用which引导限制性定语从句呢?
首先，我们在韦氏字典里查一下which的用法，其中可以做形容词和代词，其中代词引导定语从句的用法参考that的用法第四条，于是继续看that的用法，that用法第四条指出：
That, which: Although some handbooks say otherwise, that and which are both regularly used to introduce restrictive clauses in edited prose. Which is also used to introduce nonrestrictive clauses. That was formerly used to introduce nonretrictive clauses; such use is virtually nonexistent in present-day edited prose, though it may occasionally be found in poetry.
上面这段话的内容其实就是高中老师教的：that和which都可以引导限制性定语从句，现代英语的用法只能用which引导非限制性定语从句。
其次，我们在牛津字典里查一下which的用法，有下面一段描述：
Is there any difference between the use of that and which in sentences such as any book that gets children reading is worth having, and any book which gets children reading is worth having? The genearl rule in British English is that, in restrictive relative clauses, where the relative clause serves define or restrict the reference to the particular one described, which can replace that. However, in non-restrictive relative clauses, where the relative clause servers only to give additional information, that cannot be used: this book, which is set in last century, is very popular with teenagers but not this book, that is set in the last century, is very popular with teenagers. In US English which is generally used only for non-restrictive relative clauses.
上面这段话除了最后一句话，和韦氏字典表达意思是一样的，最后一句说：在美式英语中，which只是用来引导非限制性定语从句。
最后，我们再看看经典的GMAT句子改错书籍《ManhattanPrep Sentence Correction the 5th Edition》里是怎么说的：
the GMAT has acknowledged that this which/that differentiation is controversial, so the GMAT is unlikely to make this distinction the make-or-break issue for any answer choice.
上面这段话的意思是GMAT觉得which/that之间的区分是有争议的，所以GMAT不会在选项中去区分。
有意思的是，在第六版中，ManhattanPrep把上面这段话删掉了，呵呵。
看了这么多解释，我们能回答“GMAT考试中到底能否用which引导限制性定语从句”吗?答案是：从目前的真题来看，没有这么用的。在实战中或真题练习中，不要把这个知识点作为首要排查点。
好吧，你们赢了!
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