what在英語中是個很常用的詞。我們知道它能用作疑問詞，引導特殊疑問句，在句中做主語﹑表語或賓語；又能用作連接代詞（或復合關系代詞），引導主語從句﹑表語從句或賓語從句；還能用作疑問形容詞，只作定語并可表示感嘆。對于這些常規(guī)的用法本文就不一一贅述，現(xiàn)就what在高中英語中的某些特殊用法歸納如下：
1. what = just as，意為“恰像，猶如，好比”用作連詞，引導比較狀語從句。
⑴ 慣用句式是：A is to B what C is to D. 意為“A對B而言正如C對D一樣”例如
① Air is to us what water is to fish. 空氣對于我們猶如水對于魚。（介詞to 表示兩者的關系）
⑵ 也有“A is for B what C is for D.”句式。例如：
② Poultry is for the cook what canvas is for the paint. 廚師離不了家禽正如畫家離不開畫布一樣。（介詞for表示“供…使用”）
⑶ what 引導的從句也可以放在句首，其句式是：What C is to D，that A is to B.（= A is to B what C is to D.）
在這一結構中，喻體在前，主體在后，相當于“just as…，so…”結構，意思也是“A對B而言正如C對D一樣”例如：
What blood vessel is to a man's body，that railway is to transportation.（=Just as blood vessel is to a man's body ，so Railway is to transportation.）
鐵路對于運輸，好比血管對于人體一樣。
2. what 與do with連用，意為“（怎樣）處理﹑安排或對付等”。what常有較靈活的翻譯，常用結構是：“what …do with sth./sb.？”或“what to do with sth./sb.” 例如：
① What will you do with the letter？ 你將把那封信怎樣處理？
② The kids do not know what to do with themselves on rainy days.
孩子們不知道雨天干什么好。
注意：do with 與deal with同義，但搭配不同：do with只能與what搭配，而deal with可與不同的疑問詞搭配。比較：
③ How will you deal with the letter？你將那封信怎樣處理？
④ You may have some idea of what the astronauts have to deal with if you try to drink a glass of water while standing on your head or while just lying down.
如果你試著倒立著或僅以躺著的姿勢去喝水，就能大致體會得到宇航員必須應付什么了。
3. 問價格﹑度量﹑速度、人口﹑面積﹑門牌（汽車﹑電話等）號碼等時，只能用what提問，不能用how much提問。例如：
① What is the cost（price）of the gold watch？這塊金表多少錢？
② What is the speed of the car？車速是多少？
③ What is the length（width﹑depth）of the lake？這湖有多長（寬、深）？
1. what = just as，意為“恰像，猶如，好比”用作連詞，引導比較狀語從句。
⑴ 慣用句式是：A is to B what C is to D. 意為“A對B而言正如C對D一樣”例如
① Air is to us what water is to fish. 空氣對于我們猶如水對于魚。（介詞to 表示兩者的關系）
⑵ 也有“A is for B what C is for D.”句式。例如：
② Poultry is for the cook what canvas is for the paint. 廚師離不了家禽正如畫家離不開畫布一樣。（介詞for表示“供…使用”）
⑶ what 引導的從句也可以放在句首，其句式是：What C is to D，that A is to B.（= A is to B what C is to D.）
在這一結構中，喻體在前，主體在后，相當于“just as…，so…”結構，意思也是“A對B而言正如C對D一樣”例如：
What blood vessel is to a man's body，that railway is to transportation.（=Just as blood vessel is to a man's body ，so Railway is to transportation.）
鐵路對于運輸，好比血管對于人體一樣。
2. what 與do with連用，意為“（怎樣）處理﹑安排或對付等”。what常有較靈活的翻譯，常用結構是：“what …do with sth./sb.？”或“what to do with sth./sb.” 例如：
① What will you do with the letter？ 你將把那封信怎樣處理？
② The kids do not know what to do with themselves on rainy days.
孩子們不知道雨天干什么好。
注意：do with 與deal with同義，但搭配不同：do with只能與what搭配，而deal with可與不同的疑問詞搭配。比較：
③ How will you deal with the letter？你將那封信怎樣處理？
④ You may have some idea of what the astronauts have to deal with if you try to drink a glass of water while standing on your head or while just lying down.
如果你試著倒立著或僅以躺著的姿勢去喝水，就能大致體會得到宇航員必須應付什么了。
3. 問價格﹑度量﹑速度、人口﹑面積﹑門牌（汽車﹑電話等）號碼等時，只能用what提問，不能用how much提問。例如：
① What is the cost（price）of the gold watch？這塊金表多少錢？
② What is the speed of the car？車速是多少？
③ What is the length（width﹑depth）of the lake？這湖有多長（寬、深）？