关系副词可代替的先行词是时间、地点或理由的名词，在从句中作状语。

1)关系副词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。例如：

There are occasions when (on which) one must yield.任何人都有不得不屈服的时候。

Beijing is the place where(in which) I was born.北京是我的出生地。

Is this the reason why (for which) he refused our offer?这就是他拒绝我们帮助他的理由吗?

2)that代替关系副词，可以用于表示时间、地点、方式、理由的名词后取代when， where， why和"介词+ which"引导的定语从句，在口语中that常被省略。例如：

His father died the year (that / when / in which) he was born.他父亲在他出生那年逝世了。

He is unlikely to find the place (that / where / in which) he lived forty years ago. 他不大可能找到他四十年前居住过的地方。