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高考英语语法词汇专项突破：05 透视 what引导的名词性从句用法
【导读】
一、what引导主语从句 二what引导宾语从句
二、what引导表语从句 四、what引导同位语从句
五、Whatever引导名词性从句 六、What在所引导名词性从句中的特殊意义
先请看题：
【考例】（2021新高考I卷）Going to Mount Huangshan reminds me of the popular Beatles’ song “The
Long and Winding Road”. is so breathtaking about the experience is the out-of-this-world scenes.
答案与解析：What。考查主语从句。此处是主语从句，从句缺乏主语，应用what引导，指代“经历
的事情”。故填What。句意：去黄山使我想起了披头士乐队的那首流行歌曲《漫漫长路》。这次经历的惊
人之处在于这世界之外的景色。
what引导的名词性从句是历年高考热点。引导名词性从句的what是连接代词，有时候也作连接形容
词，其本身在所引导的名词性从句中可以作主语、宾语、表语、定语和补足语等。what的在句子中的基本
意思是一方面有疑问的意思，表示“什么”，另一方面相当于自带先行词的定语从句，有 the thing(s) that
等意思，表示引导的从句的表示“……的东西或事情”; 表示“……的人或的样子”; 表示“……的数量
或数目”; 表示“……的时间”; 表示“……的地方”。what相当于“先行词+关系代词”, 所以其前不能
有先行词。what=all that, the thing that, the person that，即what相当于“先行词+关系代词”，引导名词性
从句时其本身在从句中主语、宾语、表语或定语。下面拟结合历年高考试题对what引导的主语从句、宾语
从句、表语从句和同位语从句四种名词性从句及其他用法进行小结。
一、What引导主语从句
1. what引导的主语从句在在复合句中作主语，一般用来描述或解释主句中的名词或动词，通常谓语动
词用单数形式，但是what引导的主语从句也要考虑到其所代表的意义，因此也会出现用复数的情况。如：
What they need are some books.“他们需要的是一些书。”连接代词 what本身可在所引导的主语从句中作主
语、宾语、表语等。如：
What he wants is to be a doctor. 他想成为一名医生。
What we need to do is to finish the project on time. 我们需要做的是按时完成这个项目。
He did not talk very much, either then or later when we were having drinks, but what he said was sensible.
无论在玩牌的时候，还是在后来一起喝酒的时候，他的话都不多，但说的话却都合情合理。What she did was wrong, hurtful, but she is innocent.
她的行为虽然是错误的、伤人的，但那是由于天真。
What we need is more time. 我们所需要的是更多的时间。
What impressed me most was not just that you are earning more and giving your children a brighter future, but
how you were able to come together for a common purpose.
最令我感动的不仅是你们不断增加收入并给子女创造了更好的未来，而且还有你们能够为一个共同的
目标走到一起来的方法。
What surprised me is that everybody seemed to be very indifferent to her.
让我吃惊的是每个人似乎对她都很冷淡.
【考例】(上海春招 XXXX) ______ made the school proud was ____ more than 90% of the students had
been admitted to key universities.
A. What; because B. What; that C. That; what D. That; because
答案与解析：B。what在引导的主语从句中作主语，that引导表语从句，故选B。
【考例】 (上海XXXX) It was _____ he said______ disappointed me.
A. what…that B. that…that C. what…what D. that…what
答案与解析：A。本题实际上是强调句型，被强调部分是主语从句，而主语从句的谓语动词 said少宾
语，所以用what引导主语从句，而且在从句作宾语，排除 B、D。后一空根据强调句型的句型结构用
that，故选
【考例】 (上海XXXX) _____ caused the accident is still a complete mystery.
A. what B. That C. How D. Where
答案与解析：主语从句缺少主语，故选what引导主语从句，并在从句中作主语。
2. 其中如果是由all, what引导的主语从句或者主语被only, first, one, least或形容词最高级修饰时，
而且从句中含有do时，其表语如果是动词不定式，则往往省去to。如：
We missed the bus. All (What) we could do now is (to) walk home.
我们没赶上公共汽车。我们现在所能做的就是走路回家。
What I did was (to) empty the bottle.我所做的是倒空这个瓶子。
What I want to do is (to) drive all night.我想做的是彻夜开车。
The only thing I can do is (to) solve it myself.我惟一能做的是我自己解决。
【考例】(上海XXXX.37) After Yang Liwei succeeded in circling the earth, ____ our astronauts desire to do is
walk in space.
A. where B. what C. that D. how答案与解析：B。主句中的“____ our astronauts desire to do”是用从句作主语，即是主语从句。后面的
walk in space其实是动词不定式作表语，由于是 what引导的主语从句，而且从句的谓语动词有实义动词
do，作表语的不定式to可以省掉。再根据从句的谓语动词及物动词“do”没有宾语，排除作状语的连接副
词where和how。that引导名词性从句只起连接作用，而从句需要宾语，所以选 B，what在所引导的主语
从句中作主语。句意是：杨利伟成功绕地球飞行后，我们宇航员的愿望就是在太空中行走。
3. what引导的主语从句可以用形式主语it，常用的是that引导的主语从句用形式主语it，主要区别就
是what需要在所引导的主语从句中做成份。如：
It is uncertain what side effect the medicine will bring about, although about two thousand patients have taken
it.
虽然大约有2000名患者服用了这种药，但目前还不确定这种药会带来什么副作用。（it作形式主语，
what side effect the medicine will bring about是宾语从句，what 在从句中作side effect的定语。）
It is none of your business what other people think about you. Believe yourself.
别人怎么看你，与你无关，相信你自己。（It是形式主语，真正的主语是what other people think about
you.）
【考例】 (上海XXXX) It’s pretty well understood ______ controls the flow of carbon dioxide in and out the
atmosphere today.
A. that B. when C. what D. how
答案与解析：选C。从句子的结构可以看出it是形式主语，后面应该是主语从句，但是从句中没有主
语，所以排除连接副词when和where，而that又不能作成分，故选C。what引导主语从句，但是要注意，
如果what引导的主语从句表示“…的东西”时，一般不用 it作形式主语，whatever/ whoever/ whichever一
般也不用it作形式主语。
二、What引导宾语从句
what引导的宾语从句不仅可以作动词的宾语，还可以作介词的宾语，这一点与 that不同。that引导宾
语从句不仅其本身不能在从句中作成分，而且其引导的宾语从句一般也不用作介词的宾语，少数像except/
but/ besides表示“除外”，in跟 that从句时候是固定的一个结构，即in that，表示“因为、由于”，实际
上已经是引导状语从句的连词。如：
Gomez said the idea was very simple, "Take what you need and leave what you can."
戈麦斯说这主意很简单：“拿走你需要的，留下你能留下的。” （what从句作动词宾语。）
Her mother asked her to sit by the window with a nice piece of paper and a pencil, and write something aboutwhat she could see.
她妈妈让她坐在窗边，拿着一张漂亮的纸和一支铅笔，把她能看到的东西写下来。（what从句作介词
宾语。）
They also differ from industrialized societies in that they have extremely low rates of high blood pressure and
obesity.
他们与工业化社会的不同之处在于，他们的高血压和肥胖症发病率极低。（in that从句引导状语从
句，此处用法比较特殊。）
The seaside here draws a lot of tourists every summer. Warm sunshine and soft sands make what it is.
每年夏天这里的海滨都吸引了许多游客。温暖的阳光和柔软的沙滩造就了它。（what it is是宾语从
句，what 在从句中作表语。）
【考例】（2020 年 7 月天津卷）The student completed this experiment to make come true ______
Professor Joseph had said.
A．that B．what C．when D．where
答案与详解：B。考查名词性从句。_________ Professor Joseph had said作make的宾语从句，该从句
中，空处在从句中作said的宾语，表示”……所说的话”，表面上看是动词come true其实是动词不定式，
作使役动词make的宾语补足语，即make sb. do sth.，在主动语态中不定式to省掉。因此应用what引导该
从句。故选B。句意:为了使约瑟夫教授所说的成为现实，这个学生完成了这个实验。
【考例】（2020浙江6月卷）Over thousands of years，they began to depend less on ______ could be
hunted or gathered from the wild，and more on animals they had raised and crops they had sown.
答案与解析：what。考查名词性从句。分析句子看出是在短语depend on后跟一个句子，所以这个句
子应该是介词的宾语从句，宾语从句部分缺主语，所以引导词应为“连接代词”。根据句意，此处缺“什
么”之意。故填what。what引导的宾语从句在此处作介词宾语。句意：在几千年的时间里，他们开始减少
对我们从野外采集的猎物的依赖，而更多地依赖他们饲养的动物和播种的庄稼。
【考例】 (上海春招XXXX) Little Tommy was reluctant to tell the schoolmaster _________ he had done the
day before.
A. that B．how C．where D．what
答案与解析：D。tell sb. sth.是双宾语结构，题中直接宾语是从句，从句的谓语动词do缺少宾语，故
选D。 what在从句中作宾语，其引导的宾语从句作动词宾语。句意是：小汤米不愿意告诉校长他前一天
做了什么。
【考例】 (湖南XXXX) I think Father would like to know _____ I’ve been up to so far, so I decided to sendhim a quick note.
A. which B. why C. what D. how
答案与解析：C。know后宾语从句谓语动词部分的be up to的意思是“从事于…”，忙于少宾语，故
选C。what引导的宾语从句作动词宾语。
【考例】(上海春招XXXX) The other day, my brother drove his car down the street at ______ I thought was
a dangerous speed.
A. as B. which C. what D. that
答案与解析：C。从题干可以看出所填的连词应该引导宾语从句，并且能够作介词宾语，这个连词还
应该能在所引导的宾语从句中作thought后宾语从句的主语，因此只可以选C。注意，通常that引导的宾语
从句不作介词宾语（except/ but/ besides/in等除外）。
【考例】（天津XXXX）A modern city has been set up in ____ was a wasteland ten years ago.
A. what B. which C. that D. where
答案与解析：A。介词in后的宾语从句的引导词本身在从句中作主语，故选A。 如果在in后加上the
place则可选which，此时是定语从句。
三、What引导表语从句
what引导表语从句，其本身在从句中作主语宾语表语等成份。需要注意what本身的意义和在从句中
的功能，即所作的成分。如：
The question is what caused the accident.
问题在于什么原因造成这一事故。（what在所引导的表语从句中作主语。)
What I’m really worried about is what will happen to me. 我真正关心的是什么样的事会发生在我身上。
Her smile was what first attracted me. 她的微笑首先迷住了我。
The question is what we should do next.
问题是我们下一步该做什么。（what在所引导的表语从句中作宾语。)
I should like to be a teacher. That’s what I want to be.
我想当老师，那是我想干的事。（what在所引导的表语从句中作表语。)
Times are not what they used to be. 时代不同了。
—What a mess！You are always so lazy!
—I'm not to blame，Mum. I am what you have made me.
——这么一团糟！你总是那么懒惰！——妈妈，该受责备的不是我，是你让我成了这个样子。（what
在句中引导表语从句，且在从句中担当宾语补足语，此处指目前的这种状况，指事物）【考例】（2018年北京）This is _________ my father has taught me—to always face difficulties and hope
for the best.
A. how B. which C. that D. what
答案与解析：D。查名词性从句。“_________ my father has taught me”是表语从句，该空在从句中做
teach的宾语，且表示“父亲教我的道理”，故该从句应用what引导。D选项正确。引导名词性从句时，
how表方式，意为“如何”；which意为“哪一个”，that在只起引导从句的作用，不做成分。句意：这是
我父亲教我的——总是要面对困难，抱最大的希望。
【考例】（XXXX北京卷）----Are you still thinking about yesterday's game?
-----Oh, that's _________.
A.what makes me feel excited B.whatever I feel excited about
C.how I feel about it D.when I feel excited
答案与解析：A。根据问话人的意图，想知道的不是“怎么样”、也不是“什么时候”，所以排除
C、D两项；B项whatever的意思太泛，不合题意。答案是：A。句意：---你还在想昨天的比赛吗? ---哦，
那就是使我感到兴奋的事情。
【考例】(上海春招XXXX) Perseverance is a kind of quality --- and that’s ____ it takes to do anything well.
A. what B. that C. which D. why
答案与解析：A。表语从句中包含句型“it take…to do sth.”，所以从句的引导词在句中作及物动词take“需
要”的宾语，故选A。连接代词在所引导的表语从句中作及物动词take的宾语。句意是：毅力是一种品质
——它是做好任何事情所需要的。
【考例】（XXXX全国卷）Great changes have taken place in that school. It is no longer ___ it was 20 years
ago, ___ it was so poorly equipped.
A．what, when B．that, which C．what, which D．which, that
答案与解析：A。It is no longer ___ it was 20 years ago中，___ it was 20 years ago是表语从句，且句中
缺少was的表语，第一空用what；___ it was so poorly equipped.是定语从句，先行词是20 years ago，在句
中作时间状语。所以选A。句意是：那所学校发生了很大的变化。它不再是20年前的样子了，当时它的装
备很差。
【考例】(XXXX全国I.23)See the flags on top of the building? That was_________we did this morning.
A.when B.which C.where D.what
答案与解析：D。that指“把旗竖起来”那件事。此处是what引导的表语从句，what在从句中作did
的宾语。what引导表语从句在从句中充当成分。句意：看到楼顶上的那些旗帜了吗？那是我们今天上午干的活。
四、What引导同位语从句
可以作同位语有名词、代词、短语、句子等。至于句子, 也就是从句, 需要引导词, 引导词引导的作同
位语的从句就是同位语从句。可以跟同位语从句的常见名词有：idea, question, problem, plan, fact, theory,
promise, hope, news, doubt, truth, information, suggestion, question, thought, belief等。what引导的同位语
从句本身带有what自身的含义，有疑问的含义。如：
I have no idea what they are talking about. 我不知道他们正在谈论什么。(连接代词 what在所引导的同
位语从句中作介词宾语。）
From 1985-90 I was an instructor at the regional party headquarters. After that I went back to work in a
factory. Then I had no idea what a casino was. 从1985年到1990年我是地方党部的教员。随后我回到一家工
厂工作。当时我不明白赌场是什么样的地方。(连接代词 what在所引导的同位语从句中作表语。）
【考例】（XXXX辽宁.29）Do you have any idea_______is actually going on in the classroom?
A.that B.what C.as D.which
答案与解析：考查同位语从句。本题同位语从句 what is is actually going on in the classroom用来解释名
词idea的内容。如果有个具体范围, 指这个范围中的哪件事,就用which, 如果没有一个特定范围，一般用
what。所以本题what在从句中作主语。如果是that引导同位语从句，在句中不充当任何成分，只起连接作
用。故B正确。句意：你知道在教室里发生的事情吗？
拓展：解答考查同位语从句的题目时，关键在于分析清楚句子结构，知道引导词的使用习惯。通过判
断引导词在从句中所作的成分，来选择正确的引导词。连接同位语从句的从属连词主要有that, whether，和
疑问词（what how where when ...)。that引导表示陈述句的同位语从句，whether，whether...or not引导表示
“是否”的一般疑问句的同位语从句。连接代词主要有 who, whom, whose, what, whoever, whomever,
whosever, whatever, whichever等。连接代词一般指疑问，但what, whatever除了指疑问外，也可以指陈述。
连接副词主要有when, where, why, how, whenever, wherever, however等。
五、Whatever引导名词性从句
whatever作连接代词可以引导名词性从句，相当于anything/everything that, 意思强调”无论什么，不
管什么”，连接宾语从句、主语从句等。what或表示疑问意义“什么”，或相当于 the thing(s) that。
whatever作连接形容词，意思是：无论什么样的。应当注意, 此用法的whatever必须同其被修饰的词一起
放在从句前引导从句。如:A computer can only do what you have instructed it to do. 电脑只能做你指令它做的事情。
It’s generally considered unwise to give a child whatever he or she wants.
人们普遍认为无论孩子要什么都满足其要求是不明智的。
They eat whatever they can find.
他们找到什么就吃什么。(引导宾语从句，连接代词whatever在所引导的主语从句中作宾语。)
Whatever she did was right.
她做的一切都是对的。(引导主语从句，连接代词whatever在所引导的主语从句中作宾语。)
I can do whatever work I can find.我可以做我能找到的任何工作。(引导宾语从句，连接形容词whatever
在所引导的主语从句中作定语。)
Whatever (No matter what) difficulties we meet, we can work them out.
无论遇到什么困难，我们都能解决它们。(此处连接形容词whatever引导让步状语从句，相当于 no
matter what，其本身在所引导的让步状语从句中作定语，修饰名词difficulties。)
【考例】（2020年5月天津卷）My grandmother helped me believe that I could accomplish
____________ I put my mind to.
A．whenever B．whatever C．wherever D．whichever
答案与解析：B。考查宾语从句。句意：我的祖母让我相信，我可以完成任何我专心去做的事情。A.
whenever无论何时；B. whatever 无论什么，任何；C. wherever无论何地；D. whichever无论哪一个。分
析句子可知，此处是宾语从句连接词，从句缺少宾语，应用连接代词，再结合句意，此处用“任何”符合
语境，故选B项。
六、What在所引导名词性从句中的特殊意义
连接代词what在引导的名词性从句中根据不同的语境有不同的含义，通常表示“……的东西或事
情”；“……的人或的样子”；“……的数量或数目；“……的时间”；“……的地方”等。有时似乎只
可意会，不可言传，也称之为what的模糊用法，就是其意义根据具体语境而确定具体的意义。
有学者称之为关系代词型what，意为“所……的”。相当于“the＋名词＋that”或者all that，即好像是
既包括了先行词也包含了关系代词，具体如下：
（一）表示“……的东西或事情”，相当于the thing(s) that…，all that…everything that…
They've done what they can to help her. 他们已经尽力帮助了她。
He saves what he earns. 他赚多少，积蓄多少。
The Guinnes company hired two Englishmen to write what later became the Guiness Book of World Records.
吉尼斯公司就聘请了两个英国人来编写这本书，后来称之为《吉尼斯世界记录大全》。In 1879, Oxford University in England asked Pro. James Murray to serve as editor for what was to be the
most ambitious dictionary in the history of the English language.
1879年，英国牛津大学请詹姆斯默里当编辑，要编撰出英语历史上最大型的词典。
When Della reached home she looked at what (the thing that)was left of her poor hair and started to work on
it.
德拉到家后，看了看所剩下的可怜的头发，就开始整理起来。
【考例】The other day, my brother drove his car down the street at_______I thought was dangerous speed.
(XXXX上海春季)
A.as B.which C.what D.that
答案与解析：介词at带有一个宾语从句。从句中的I thought可以看作是插入成分；as不用来引导宾语
从句，从而排除A项；that引导名词性从句无词义，因此D项不对；B项意思是“哪一个”不符合题意。
答案是：C。句意是：前几天，我哥哥以我认为是很危险的速度沿街道驾车疾驶。
（二）表示“……的人或......的样子”，相当于the person(s) that/who…
He is no longer what he was.
他已经不是以前的那个样子。（what从句作表语，本身在从句作表语。）
He is what is generally called a traitor.
他就是人们通常所说的叛徒。（what从句作表语，本身在从句作主语。）
Who is it that has made Fred what he is now?
是谁把弗雷德培养成现在这个样子的? (what从句作宾语补足语，本身在从句作表语。)
He was so good at so many things that he became the model for what (the person that) we today call a
Renaisance man—someone who excels at everything he tries.
他所擅长的领域非常之多，成为我们今日所说的“文艺复兴人物”的典型——一个精通所做的每一件
事的人。（what从句做介词宾语，本身在从句中作宾语。）
【考例】（2018年3月天津卷）He studied hard and later became a well-known writer, which was ____ his
father had expected.
A．why B．how C．that D．what
答案与解析：考查表语从句。分析句子可知，was后接表语从句，从句中缺少宾语，所以由what来充
当宾语，意思是：his father had expected him to become a well-known writer.，用what表示“......的人”。故
选D项。句意：他努力学习，后来成为一个著名的作家，这是他父亲所期望的。
【考例】（2021年天津6月卷）It seemed that I had become ________ my parents had wanted me to be.
A. when B. where C. what D. whether答案与解析：C。谓语动词become是连系动词，所以连词引导表语从句，而且本身在表语从句中作表
语。故选C。句意是：我似乎已经成为了父母希望我成为的人。
【考例】Our hometown has changed a lot, and now it is quite different from______a few years ago.
A.what it used to be B.that it used to be C.which it used to be D.what was it
答案与解析：A。介词from后面是一个宾语从句，分析所给的选项可以看出，be应该带有自己的
表语意思才能完整，这样B、D两项错误，C项不符合题意。正确答案是：A。句意：我们的家乡变化
很大，它现在与数年前的样子完全不同。
（三）表示“……的数量或数目”，相当于the amount/number that…
Our income is now double what it was ten years ago.
我们现在的收入是10年前的两倍。
The number of the students in our school is ten times what was it before liberation.
现在我校学生的数量是解放前的10倍。
By the year 2015, the population will be twice what it is today.
到2015年，人口将达到现在的两倍。
【考例】(2017·江苏) We choose this hotel because the price for a night here is down to $20, half of _______
it used to charge.
答案与解析：what。考查名词性从句的引导词。＂half of _________ it used to charge＂是$20的同位
语，即原来价格的一半是现在的$20；另外，of后跟名词或名词短语构成介宾短语，所以，这里是宾语从
句；宾语从句中的charge后面缺少宾语，所以用 what来引导宾语从句，并充当宾语从句的宾语，故填
what表示“……的数量”。容易误用which，如果用which则引导定语从句的关系代词which代指先行词
$20, 那么就是$20的一半了，意思不符合。
（四）表示“……的时间”，相当于the time that…
After what seemed like hours he came out with a bitter smile.
似乎过了几个小时他才苦笑着出来。
The young girl was too frightened to speak, standing there for what seemed like hours.
小女孩吓得不敢说话，在那儿站了几个小时。
The boy dived into water and after what (the time that) seemed to be a long time, he came up again.
他跳进水里，过了好像很久之后，他才又从水里出来。(what在宾语从句中作主语)
【典题】After _________ seemed an endless wait,it was his turn to enter the personnel manager's office.
答案与解析：what。what seemed an endless wait是宾从作介词after 的介词宾语。what和 that都可引
导名词性从句, 如主从, 宾从, 表从, 但that 在从句中不充当任何成分，而what可充当成分, 如在此句中作宾从的主语，而且可以用来指时间。判断时, 可分析从句的成分, 如不缺少任何成分, 就用that; 如缺少
主、表、宾时, 则用what，但是本句是介词宾语，因此即使不做成分也不用 that。如：That she became an
artist may have been due to her father’s influence.她成为画家可能是受其父亲的影响。这个例子中that 引导主
语从句,但是不充当任何成分。
（五）表示“……的地方”，相当于the place that…
This is what they call Salt Lake City.
这就是他们称为盐湖城的地方。
In 1492, Columbus reached what is now called America.
1492年哥伦布到达了现在所称的美洲大陆。
The police got to what was once an old school that the peasants use as a store now.
警察到了，这个地方过去是个旧学校，现在农民用作了商店。
Hundreds of years ago an Indian chief named Shenandoah lived in what is now the state of Virginia.
数百年前，一位名叫谢南多亚的印第安酋长就住在现今为弗吉尼亚州的地方。
English was first brought to what is now known as England in the fourth century AD, when the Angles,
Saxons, and Jutes arrived from Denmark and Germany.
英语最初是在公元四世纪时被带到现在是英国的那个地方，当时，盎格鲁人、撒克逊人和朱特人从丹
麦和德国来到这里。
After ten hour’s drive, they finally reached what (the place that) they thought was the place they had been
dreaming of.
开车十个小时之后，他们终于到了他们认为是他们一直梦想的地方。（what引导宾语从句，其本身在
所引导的宾语从句中作主语。注意they thought可以作为插入语，也可以看出是what从句包含的一个主句
部分，即理解为：they thought that what was the place they had been dreaming of. ,这样就可以看出what在
从句中作that引导的宾语从句的主语。）
【考例】(XXXX 天津.35)A modern city has been set up in ______ was a wasteland ten years ago.(04 天
津.35)
A.what B.which C.that D.where
答案与解析：A。介词in后面应该是一个名词性的结构，再加上这个结构中缺少的是主语，而不是
地点状语，因此要首先排除D项；B、C两项不合乎题意。答案是：A。连接代词what表示“……的
地方”。句意：一座现代化城市已经在十年前是垃圾场的地方拔地而起。
