英語主語和謂語動詞在數方面的一致關系

　　
　　
　　一、主謂一致

　　主謂一致有許多原則，概括起來不外乎三種一致原則，即語法形式一致，概念一致（語言內容上一致），毗鄰一致（謂語動詞的單復數形式和緊位于其前的主語一致）。

　　1. 語法形式一致

　　（1）單數主語、單個動詞不定式、動名詞短語以及句子作主語，謂語動詞要用單數形式。復數主語，用and或both…and連接的動詞不定式短語、動名詞短語以及主語從句作主語，謂語動詞則用復數形式。例如：

　　1) The performance was very funny.

　　2) Serving the people is my great happiness.

　　3) Whether we’ll go depends on the weather.

　　4) Many natural materials are becoming scarce.

　　5) Both you and I are　students.

　　6) What I think and what I seek have been fairly reflected in my paper.

　　注1：在what 引導的主語從句中，如果主語補語是復數時，謂語動詞用復數形式。例如：

　　What we have to learn are the pieces of language that produce inversion.

　　注2：修飾語對主語的數不起影響。例如：

　　The performance of the first three clowns was very funny.

　　（2）由as well as, with, along with, like, together with, rather than, except, but, including, accompanied by, plus, besides, in addition to, no less than 等引起的結構跟在主語后面，不能看作是并列主語，該主語不受這些詞組引導的插入語的影響，主語如是單數，其謂語動詞仍然用單數形式。例如：

　　1) My mother, as well as my father, has a key to the office.

　　2) The man together with his wife and children sits there watching TV.

　　3) His sister no less than you is wrong.

　　4) The reading course book, plus its reference books, is helpful to college students.

　　注：有時在with結構里，加上both之后，with就具有and含義。例如：

　　Grandpa Wang with his son, both looking very happy, are taking a walk in the park.

　　(3)有些代詞只能指單數可數名詞，當它們在句子中作主語時，盡管在意義上是多數，謂語動詞仍要用單數形式。這類代詞有either, neither, each, one, the other, another, somebody, someone, something, anyone, anything, anybody, everyone, everything, everybody, no one, nothing, nobody等。例如：

　　1) Neither likes the friends of the other. (兩人都不喜歡對方的朋友。)

　　2) Everything around us is matter. (我們周圍的所有東西都是物質。)

　　(4)在neither of與either of的結構里，一般語法書都認為謂語動詞可用單數形式也可用復數形式，但在美國的TOEFL考試內要求用單數形式。例如：

　　1) Neither of them was in good health, but both worked very hard.

　　2) Has either of them been seen recently?

　　(5)當and連結的兩個名詞是指同一個人或同一件事，and后的名詞前沒有冠詞，謂語動詞應該用單數形式；在and后面的名詞前有冠詞，謂語就用復數形式。例如：

　　1)The bread and butter is served for breakfast. (早飯供應黃油面包。)

　　2)The bread and the butter are on sale. (正在出售黃油和面包。)

　　（6）當one of, a portion of, a series of, a species of, a chain of 結構作主語時，謂語動詞要用單數形式。例如：

　　1)One of those students has passed the examination.

　　2)A series of pre-recorded tapes has been prepared for language laboratory use.

　　(7)form of, type of, kind of 結構的謂語視form, type與kind的單復數而定.these/those kind/type of后是復數名詞，謂語動詞用復數形式。例如：

　　1) The kind of books an author writes depends on the kind of man who he is.

　　2) Some new types of cars are now on show.

　　3)These kind of recorders are good.

　　(8)由one and a half + 復數名詞作主語時，謂語動詞視名詞的單復數形式而定。例如：

　　One and a half apples is left on the plate.

　　(9) 由the majority of + 名詞作主語時，謂語動詞視名詞的單復數形式而定。例如：

　　1) The majority of the damage is easy to repair.

　　2) The majority of criminals are non-violent.

　　（10）plenty of, half of, a lot of, lots of, heaps of, loads of, scads of等 + 可數與不可數名詞作主語時，不可數名詞的謂語只用單數，可數名詞的謂語視可數名詞的單復數而定。例如：

　　1）Half of this building is to be completed by spring.

　　2）Half of the buildings have been painted completely.

　　3）There is plenty of water in the pail.

　　4）There are plenty of eggs in the box.

　　5）There is loads of milk on the farm.

　　6）There are loads of big red apples on the ground.

　　注：當名詞前有其他量詞修飾時，謂語動詞的單復數形式通常取決于量詞。例如：

　　1）Row upon row of soldiers is marching towards us on the field.

　　2）A body of volunteers has been organized to aid the helpless in their struggle for survival.

　　（11）由all of, most of, a lot of, some of, none of, plenty of , the rest 等 + 名詞作主語時，謂語動詞的單數形式應與名詞一致。例如：

　　1）None of the books satisfy the students.

　　2）None of this meat is fit to eat.

　　3）All of the research work was designed by the chief engineer.

　　4）All of the students are against the plan for an outing at this time of the term.

　　（12）由more than one (或more than one + 單數名詞)，many a + 單數名詞作主語，謂語動詞要用單數形式。例如：

　　1）More than one student has passed the examination.

　　2）Many a boy learns to swim before he can read.

　　注：如果more than后面是復數名詞，則謂語動詞要用復數。

　　例如：More than two hundred students have attended the lecture.

　　（13）quantity of + 不可數名詞，謂語動詞用單數形式; quantities of + 可數與不可數名詞，謂語動詞用復數形式。例如：

　　1）Great quantities of milk are needed in this city.

　　2）There is a large quantity of milk.

　　（14）如果名詞詞組中心詞是“分數或百分數 + of + 名詞”，謂語動詞的單、復數形式取決于of后的名詞或代詞的單、復數形式。例如：

　　1）Over three-quarters of the swampland has been reclaimed.

　　2）Two-thirds of the people present are against the plan.

　　（15）定語從句謂語動詞的單復數形式應與先行詞一致。例如：

　　1）He is one of the men who were chosen to represent the group.

　　2）“Keep cool” is the first of the rules that are to be remembered in an accident.

　　注：當one之前有the only等限定詞修飾時，定語從句的謂語動詞用單數形式。例如：

　　He is the only one of those boys who is willing to take on another assignment.

　　2.概念一致（語言內容上一致）

　　（1）有些集合名詞如crowd, family, team, orchestra（管弦樂隊）, group, government, committee, class, school, union, firm, staff, public等，它們作主語時，謂語動詞的數要根據語言內容而定。如果它們作為一個集體單位時，動詞用單數形式，如就其中的各個成員來說，則謂語用復數形式。例如：

　　1）His family is going to move.

　　2）His family are very well.

　　3）The public is / are requested not to leave litter in the park.

　　注：如這類詞后跟有定語從句時，定語從句的謂語動詞也遵循概念一致的原則，強調具體成員時，謂語動詞用復數，關系代詞用who; 強調整體時，謂語動詞用單數，關系代詞用which。例如：

　　1）The government who were responsible for this event attempted to find a solution.

　　2）The government which was responsible for this event attempted to find a solution.

　　(2)有些表示總稱意義的名詞，形式上是單數，而意義上卻是復數，謂語動詞要用復數形式，如people, police, militia, cattle, poultry（家禽）等。例如：

　　1）Cattle were allowed to graze on the village common.

　　2）The police are searching for a tall dark man with a beard.

　　(3)有些名詞形式上是復數，而意義上卻是單數。如news, means, works.還有許多以ics結尾的學科名稱，如economics, physics, mechanics, politics等，它們作主語時，謂語動詞要用單數形式。例如：

　　1）Politics is a complicated business.

　　2）Here is the news.

　　(4)用and連接的單數主語，前面有each, every, many a, no等修飾時，謂語動詞要用單數形式。復數主語與each連用時，應不受each的影響，謂語動詞仍用復數形式。例如：

　　1) Each pen and each paper is found in its place.

　　2) Every boy and girl is treated in the same way.

　　3) Many a boy and many a girl has seen it.

　　4) The old workers and the young each have their own tools.

　　(5)表示重量、度量、衡量、價值的復數名詞作主語，謂語動詞常用單數形式。例如：

　　1) Twenty miles is a long way to walk.

　　2) Three pints isn’t enough to get me drunk.

　　(6)國家、單位和書報的名稱，作為一個單一的概念，其謂語動詞要用單數形式。例如：

　　1）War and Peace is the longest book I’ve read.

　　2）General Motors has recently closed down a plant. (通用汽車公司最近關閉了一家工廠。)

　　（8）the +形容詞作主語時，如主語指的是一類人，謂語動詞用復數形式；如果指的是單個人或抽象概念，謂語動詞用單數形式。例如：

　　1) The blind are taught trades in special schools.

　　2) The departed was a good friend of his.

　　3.毗鄰一致（就近原則）

　　(1)由連詞or, neither…or, either…or, not only … also, nor等連接的并列主語，謂語動詞的單復數形式按毗鄰一致的原則，與貼近它的主語一致。例如：

　　1) He or you have taken my pen.

　　2) Either you or he is no telling the truth.

　　3) Not only the switches but also the old wiring has been changed.

　　(2)在there be 的結構中，謂語動詞的單復數形式一般也采取就近原則。例如：

　　1)There is a desk and four benches in the office.

　　2)There are two chairs and a desk in the office.

　　二、指代一致

　　指代一致是指句中的代詞應該在人稱、數、性等方面與所指的詞保持一致。

　　1.人稱一致

　　(1)當代詞指代名詞或另一個代詞時，須在人稱上與所指代的詞保持一致。例如：

　　1）I recognized one of the girls, but I didn’t speak to her.

　　2) That woman said that she was over fifty.

　　3) They asked whom they should apply to.

　　(2)當代詞指代集合名詞時，用單數人稱代詞強調整體，用復數人稱代詞強調個人。例如：

　　1) The committee have discussed their report on the disaster.

　　2) The audience are raising their hands to signify their approval.

　　(3)當everyone, everybody, no one, nobody, anyone, anybody, someone, somebody等作主語時，相應的代詞一般采用單數形式。例如：

　　1) If anyone calls, tell him I’ll be back later.

　　2) Everyone thinks he is the center of universe.

　　注：在非正式文體中，特別是在會話體里，常用代詞的復數形式是為了故意不具體說出所指的那個人的性別。例如：

　　1) Has anybody brought their camera?

　　2) No one could blamed themselves.

　　(4)由neither … nor, not only … but also, either … or, not … but, or等連結的并列主語，其后的附加疑問部分主語用復數代詞。例如：

　　1) Neither you nor I am wrong, are we?

　　2) Both Tom and Jack came, didn’t they?

　　2.性、數、格一致

　　(1)代詞的性一般僅限于第三人稱。例如：

　　1) China will always do what she has promised to do.

　　2) The boy stood at the door with his hat in his hand.

　　(2) 當or或nor連接陽性名詞或陰性名詞時，代詞一般和近者保持一致。例如：

　　1) Neither John nor Mary has got what she wanted.

　　2) If you should see Mary or Thomas, tell him the news.

　　(3)單數名詞由and連接時，相應的代詞一般用復數形式。例如：

　　1) Food and rent are more expensive than they used to be.

　　2) Jim and Mary spoke on the subject as if they were experts.

　　3.應注意的問題

　　(1)當句子的主語是one, 并要在句子中多次出現時，一般用第三人稱單數代詞來代替后面將出現的one或one’s;當one在句子中泛指人時，在反意疑問句中也可用you來代替。例如：

　　1) One should never blame his friends when he friends when he finds himself in trouble.

　　2) One can’t be too careful, can you (one)?