主语与谓语动词的一致

主语与谓语动词的一致江苏沛县湖西中学鹿俊先221611英语谓语动词的形式必须随其主语的人称及数的不同而变化，这就叫作主语与谓语动词的一致，简称主谓一致。在现代英语中除动词be 有不同的人称形式 (am, is, are, was, were)以及动词 have 有特殊的单数第三人称现在式形式 (has) 外，其余的动词只有单数第三人称现在式形式加 -s / -es ，其他形式则无区别。 因此对于学习者而言， 主谓 一致问题主要是注意单数第三人称现在式动词形式加 -s / -es 的问题。处理主谓一致问题可依照不同的原则， 即从不同的角度着眼。 以下对这些原则及容易产生困惑之处加以分析、归纳。1语法一致，即主语为单数，就使用单数形式的动词，主语为复数，就使用复数形式的动词。11单数及复数名词的辨别。某些名词单数词尾，却用作复数，如：people ( 人们 ), police, cattle,poultry（家禽）等。People have the right to defend themselves.The police areinvestigating the murder of a six-year-old girl.The poultry havebeen fed.某些名词复数词尾，却常用作单数，如：physics, politics等。news, mathematics / maths,Mathematics / Maths（数学学科） is the science of pure quantity.( Her mathematics / maths（数学能力） are / israther shaky.)The news isfavourable this morning.某些名词单数、复数形式相同，都是单数词尾，如：fish,sheep, deer, craft,Chinese, Swiss等。In summer the red dear hasa reddishbrown coat.A baby deer isable to stand up as soon as it is born.Baby deer areable to stand up as soon as they are born.某些名词单数、复数形式相同，都是复数词尾，如：means (=way), works(=factory), crossroads, series, species, barracks, headquarters等。All means havebeen tried.Every means has been tried.12避免主语的同位语及其它修饰语语义上的干扰。容易产生干扰的同位语： each, one of, like, such as, including,especially, particularly, for example, 等。Somerubbish , such as / likefood and paper,rotsaway over a periodof time.Practical lessons, such as / like woodwork,are not considered tobe as important as maths.We each have a different point of view. (each作同位语 )对照： Each of the housesis slightly different.(each作主语 )Many studentsin our class, especially David,are fond of music.Playingfootball, one of hishobbies,has brought himmany friends.常见容易产生干扰的前置修饰语：more than one, many a, every以及被同化为相当于 many / much / most 意义的口语中 常用短语： a lot of, lots of,a (great / good / large) number of, a great / good deal of, the majorityof, a large quantity of等。正式书面语中的large quantities of 的谓语动词为复数形式。A lot of / Lots ofproblems arecaused by unemployment.A lot of / Lots oftrouble iscaused by racism.Many a famous pop star hasbeen ruined by drugs.对照： Many famous pop stars havebeen ruined by drugs.The majority ofthe damage iseasy to repair.A /The majority ofcriminals arenon-violent.对照： The majority was /werein favour of the proposal.A (large) number ofbooks havebeen stolen from the library.对照： The number of my telephoneis .The number of students in the schoolislarge.（以上两句中的 The number 的意义分别是号码、数量）Large quantitiesof oilhave been discovered in that area.常见容易产生干扰的后置修饰语：with, togetherwith, along with,as wellas, but / except, besides, inadditionto, apartfrom,other than, instead of, rather than, like, unlike, 等。在 one/ two/ some / much / （表示部分） +of the （表示整体）的结构中of the属于后置修饰语。数学中运算方式的表达也存在这类修饰语问题。Peter , rather than his children,is to blame for the accident.The children, ratherthan theirfather,are to blame for the accident.The Minister, as well as / as muchas the trades unions,is responsiblefor the present impasse.He, like / unlike his brothers,is interested in reading.Nobody but / except/ apart from a few teachersknows about it.A librarywith a great many bookswas given to the state.ProfessorSmith, along with his assistants,is working on the projectday and night to meet the deadline.One of my ear ringsislost.30 divided by 6is / equals5.1 3不定代词everyone, everybody, everything, no one, nobody,nothing, anyone, anybody, anything, someone, somebody, something作主语视为单数。Everyone thinksit wrong.neither / none或 neither / none of+复数代词或复数名词作主语，正式英语中按语法一致的原则， 用单数形式动词； 口语中可以按语义一致的原则， 用复数形式动词。 any / either 或 any / either of+ 复数代词或复数名词在否定意义的句子中有时也遵循以上原则。 none (of + 不可数名词 ) 用作单数。 Neither of them /the girls are / is likely to come. None of the drivers has /have turned up.None of the moneyismine.I sent cards to Marvis and Margery,but neitherreplied.I doubt ifeither(of them) are / is coming.of themare / iscoming.)(of them) have / has (I dont think eitherI ve ordered the coal, butnone (of it)has arrived yet.I ve ordered the tickets,but none (ofthem) have / has arrivedyet.14关系代词作主语时动词与先行词一致，使用强调结构强调主语时动词与所强调的主语一致。在类似a / this /that kind of book(s)结构中， kind作主语； books of this / that kind (=these / those kind of books)结构中， books 作主语。动词与主语的形式一致。She is one ofthe girlswho livein the countryside.She isthe only oneof the girls wholivesin the countryside.It isIthat / whoamto blame.Cars of that sort/ kind/ typeare tremendously expensive to run.That sort/ kind/ typeof car(s)istremendously expensive to run.Those sort/ kind/ type ofcarsare expensive to run.（随便的口语形式。）2语义一致，即主语数的形式与其所表达的意义出现矛盾时，可以按其意义确定动词的形式。21集体名词作主语。在美国英语中单数集体名词总是与单数动词连用，除非句中其他相关成分明确具有复数意义时。 在英国英语中如果把集体名词看作不可分割的整体， 则与单数动词连用， 如果把集体名词看作集合在一起的许多个体，则与复数动词连用。 所以在美国英语中单数集体名词与单数动词连用的现象更为常见。The team areplaying magnificently, arent they?The familyalllivetogether.Her family iscomposed of three generations.Theaudiencearerequestedtoremainintheirseatsduringintermission.The audience is / are requested to remain seated during intermission.The audience was / were enthusiasticon the opening nightof the play.The committee has / havedecided to dismiss him.The committee has / haveconsidered your request.The committee aredivided in opinion.The public is / arenot allowed to enter the court room.The public consistsof you and me.The government ( 内阁政府 ) ismade up of senior members of the fourmain right-wing parties.The government ( 内阁官员 ) have been discussingthe matterfora longtime, but they have shown no sign of reaching agreement.The government welcomes / welcomethe proposal.22以 and 连接的并列名词作主语。并列名词一般表示一个以上的人、物、概念，可以看作所两个两个以上的并列句的简化，所以通常看作复数。Tom and Mary areready.(=Tom is ready and Mary is ready.)在这种情况下即便是不可数名词作主语，谓语动词仍用复数。Dutch (beer) and American beer are lighter than British. (= Dutch beer is lighter than British and American beer is lighterthan British.)但当并列名词指同一个人、物，或可以看作一个概念时则与单数动词连用。这种并列称作同位并列。 同位并列名词往往共有冠词、 物主代词、 名词所有格等修饰语，而非同位并列名词仅仅在意义十分明显不至于引起误解时才共用冠词、物主代词、名词所有格等修饰语。His lawyerand former college friend, Max Fairford,was withhim athis death.（律师、大学时代的朋友为同一人，共用His 修饰）A poet and an artistare coming to speak to us about Chinese literatureand painting tomorrow afternoon.（诗人、画家为两人，为避免误解，各有冠词修饰）The sixth and last paragraph waswritten by Mr. Smith.（第六章即最后一章）The sixth and the last paragraph werewritten by Mr. Smith.（第六章及最后一章）Whisky and soda ismy favorite drink.（威士忌与碳酸饮料混合而成的饮品）Care and patience isneeded for the job.（把细致、耐心看作一种品质）(Both) imagination and patience are needed for the job. （把想象力、耐心看作品质的不同方面）A cartandhorse was seen in the distance.（一架马拉的车）2 and fouris / are6. （一组数 / 两个数）Bread and butter isserved for breakfast.（涂了黄油的面包，一种食品）以 bothand 连接的并列名词作主语看作复数。Both bread and butter were Both industry and agriculturesold out in that shop.（两种商品）have been greatlydeveloped in recentyears.以 and 连接的并列单数名词作主语被every, each, many a, no等修饰时，与单数动词连用。No teacherand (no)student hascome yet.Soon every boy and (every)girl wastalking about the concert.Each boy and (each)girl hasa different point of view.23当单词、短语作名词的同位语或修饰语而省略该名词，以单词、短语代替该名词时，应按其代替的名词意义确定动词的形式。( 团体、机构、国家、书籍、电影等的) 名称、标题、引文、习语、字母、数字、符号、重量、长度、时间、速度、价格、金额等意义的主语, 定冠词与形容词连用做主语，some, all, most, enough, the rest, the remainder,等作主语都遵循这一原则。The company had about 20 notebookcomputers but onlyone-third wereused regularly.More than a dozen studentsin that schoolwere sent abroad to studymedicine last year.Fourteen (people)wereabsent from the meeting.The restof the lectureisdull.The restof the bicyclesare on sale today.(The letter)Iisthe ninth letter in the English alphabet.(The amount of money)Four thousand dollars ismore than she canafford. Lawrences (novel)sons and loversisa landmark among the novelof its time.The (country)United States isthe most developed in the world.(The number)Fourteen means four and ten.对照： Fourteen (people)were absent from the meeting.The (paper)Times isa paper of long standing.(The saying)Too many cooks means if too many people are involvedin something, it will not be done properly.24不定式短语、分词短语、名词性从句（句子层次）作主语时，往往表示行为、状态、事实、观点等抽象概念，所以视为单数。Playing with fire isdangerous.To listen to music ismy greatest pleasure.When and where to go for the holidays hasWhether we can finish the work on time isnot been decided yet?not clear yet.但名词性关系分句等同于名词短语，所以单、复数依语义而定。What has been said about the Smiths isalso true of the Johnsons.What were once human dwellings arenow nothingbut piles ofrubble.What I sayand think is / areno business of yours.What I sayand think dont agree .3就近一致，即动词的形式由与其最近的词语决定。31以 or , either or , not only but (also) , not but , neither nor 等连接的词组作主语。Either your brakes oryour eyesight isat fault.（陈述句中动词临近并列词组中的后者）Eitheryour eyesight oryour brakes areat fault.Were you or he on duty last night?（疑问句中动词临近并列词组中的前者）Is heor you responsible?Not only money but also Not only the boys but alsothree valuable paintings werethe girl haslearnt to ride.stolen.以上两句子多少得到语义一致的支持，因为此结构侧重后一主语。对照： The girl, as well as the boys,has learnt to ride.Neitherthe husbandnorthe wifewas / wereat home.（由于得到语义一致的支持，所以口语中可以使用复数动词。）32由 there 构成的存在句型。There is a sausage, an orange and a piece of cheese on the table.There areseveral boysand a man over there.在很随便的口语中， There s, here s, where s 可以接复数的主语。There s some English magazines on the shelf.Heres your keys.Wheres those records I lent you?但以上句中的 is 还是改成 are 更为规范。