在賓語從句中,what is the matter和what the matter is 都可以用,要看你表達(dá)的是什么意思了.
這個(gè)涉及到matter的意義和用法問題.名詞matter可以表示“物質(zhì)（東西）”、“事情”的意思.例如：
“What is the matter?”the man asked．“這是什么東西?”那個(gè)人問.
The man asked what the matter was．那個(gè)人問這是什么東西.
在上面后一個(gè)句子中,what the mat- ter was是及物動(dòng)詞asked的賓語從句,the matter是賓語從句的主語,was是連系動(dòng)詞,連接代詞what既是賓語從句的表語又是賓語從句的連接詞.又如：
The woman didn't know what the matter was．那位婦女不知道那個(gè)東西是什么.
She was surprised to see what the matter was．她看到這個(gè)東西很驚訝.
但是名詞matter常跟定冠詞the連用,the matter可以是“困難”、“毛病”、“麻煩”、“失?！钡纫馑?具有形容詞性質(zhì),在句子中可作表語或定語.例如：
What's the matter（with you）?（你）出了什么事?
There's nothing the matter with the machine．這機(jī)器沒有毛病.
The owner of the shop came up to see what was the matter．店主走近來看發(fā)生了什么事.
Is something wrong ／the matter with you?你生了什么病?（醫(yī)生用語）
再看下面句子：
The doctor asked what was the matter ／wrong（with her）．醫(yī)生問（她）生了什么病.
在上面句子中,what was the matter／ wrong（with her）是及物動(dòng)詞asked的賓語從句,what既是這個(gè)賓語從句的主語,也是賓語從句的連接代詞,was是連系動(dòng)詞,the matter／ wrong）是表語.