主謂一致性淺析

廣東省深圳市寶安中學 趙國強(518101)

所謂“主謂一致性”，是指謂語動詞在人稱和數上和主語保持的一致，即謂語與主語所保持的相應單複數。如：American Indians have lived there for over 20, 000 years.（美國印第安人在那兒生活了兩萬多年。）The news about the Olympic Games is exciting.（有關奧運會的消息令人興奮。）該項目是高考考查的重點之一。以下方面在學習中應引起重視。

1．動詞不定式、動名詞、主語從句或是由兩個疑問詞引導一個不定式或一個從句作主語，謂語動詞一般用單數。而兩個以上不定式、動名詞、從句做主語，謂語動詞用複數；如果兩個短語表達同一概念，屬同一整體，謂語動詞仍用單數。如：

To save money now seems impossible.現在好像不可能存錢。

Reading English papers and magazines is helpful to English study.閱讀英語報刊雜誌對英語學習有幫助。

Whether he will come depends on weather.他是否會來還要看天氣。

When and where to hold the meeting isn't decided.何時何地開會尚未決定。

Listening, speaking, reading and writing are four skills for English study. 聽說讀寫是英語學習的四種技能。

Going to bed early and getting up early is a good habit. 早睡早起習慣好。

2．由either…or，neither…nor，not only…but also，not…but，or連接兩個主語，謂語動詞和離它最近的主語保持一致。如：

Either the girl or the boy is from Canada.不是那女孩就是男孩來自加拿大。

Not only he but also I am good at English．我們倆英語都不錯。

You or he is to take part in the competition. 你或她要參加比賽。

3．由there或here引起的句子，謂語通常與鄰近的主語一致。如：

There is a pencil box and several books in my school bag.我書包裏有一個文具盒和好幾本書。

Here are some envelopes and writing paper for you.這兒有你的信封信紙。

4．把表示時間、距離、度量、金額、書名等複數名詞作爲一個整體來看，謂語動詞用單數形式。

Twenty years is a long time. 20年是漫長的。

25,000 miles is a long distance.二萬五千裏是一段漫長的路程。

Ten thousand dollars is enough.十萬塊夠了。

Two and three is five.二加三等於五。

The Arabian Nights is an interesting book.《天方夜談》是本有趣的書。

5．由and連接兩個並列主語，謂語動詞一般用複數。但如果連接的單數主語前分別有every, each, no修飾時，謂語動詞仍用單數形式, and後面的every, each, no還可以省略。

In our country, every boy and（every）girl has the right to receive education.在我們國家，男孩女孩都有受教育權。

Each man and（each）woman is asked to attend the party.無論男女都被邀請出席晚會。

但兩個名詞前分別有定冠詞變成複數概念時，each放在它們後面作同位語，謂語用複數。如：

The boys and girls each have a new book.（比較：Each of them has a new book. 他們各自有本新書。）

6．The ＋形容詞表示一類人作主語，謂語動詞多用複數形式。如：

The old are taken good care of in China.在中國, 老人受到很好照顧。

7．如果主語後面跟有（together）with, as well as, along with, like, rather than, together with, but, except , besides, including等短語，謂語動詞應與其前的主語相一致。如:

A library with sixty thousand books was offered to our school.藏書六萬冊的圖書館提供給了我校。

The teacher as well as the students is looking forward to the New Year’s Eve.老師與學生們都在盼望除夕。

The mother along with her children is going to Australia.母親與她的孩子都要去澳大利亞。

No one except us/but we knows it. 只有我們知道這事。

The factory, including its machines, was burnt last night. 昨晚上這工廠及裏邊的機器全被燒掉了。

8．由a lot, plenty, some, most, half, all, the rest，the majority以及（百）分數等＋of短語出現在主語中，謂語與of後面的名詞單複數保持一致。試比較：

All of us are very tired.我們大家都累了。

All of the milk has been sold out.所有的牛奶都賣完了。

Half of the apple is rotten. /Half of the apples are rotten.（半個）半數蘋果都爛了。

The rest of the problems are very easy. /The rest of the problem is very easy.其餘的問題很簡單。

The majority of people(=Most people) are in favor of the plan.多數人同意這個計劃。

The majority of the milk(=Most of the milk) has gone bad.多數牛奶都壞了。

Two-thirds of the homework has been corrected.三分之二的作業已經批改。

Two-thirds of the exercises have been corrected.三分之二的練習已經批改。

70 percent of the surface of the earth is covered by water.地球表面的70％被水覆蓋。

9. 一些可數或不可數名詞可以和量詞連接，一般情況下只要有量詞修飾，謂語動詞與量詞的數保持一致；代詞none和neither可以根據說話人意思看作單數或複數，但none代替不可數名詞，謂語一定是單數形式。如：

The whole box of matches is wet.整盒火柴都是溼的。

This kind of method(s) is helpful.(=Methods of this kind are helpful.) 這種法子有幫助。

Neither of them has arrived yet at the spot. 他們倆都還沒有到達場地。

None of the water is fit to drink. 這水均不宜飲用。

注意區分the number of與a number of的不同含義所引起的謂語動詞單複數之別。試比較：

The number of the students in their class is 50．他們班的學生數爲50。

A number of visitors have been there.不少遊客去過那兒。

10．形復義單的名詞（如：news, maths, physics, politics, means, works<工廠>)等作主語時，謂語只用單數。如：

Physics is a fairly difficult subject.物理是一門相當難的學科。

Politics doesn’t interest him.他對政治沒興趣。

11．某些集體名詞如: family, group, class, team, company, government, army, enemy, population, public, crowd等作主語時，如果作爲一個整體看待，謂語動詞用單數，如果強調個體“人”,謂語動詞用複數形式。例如：

The population of the world is increasing day by day.世界人口在與日俱增。

About two-thirds of the population in China are farmers. 中國大約三分之二的人口是農民。

His family is in Shenzhen.他的家在深圳。

His family are watching TV.他的家人在看電視。

The whole team are going to take part in the Olympic Games.全隊將參加奧運會。

12．某些集體名詞如police, cattle, people（人）,與clothes, shorts, trousers, goods, scissors等詞一樣，只用作複數。如：

The police are searching for the murderer. 警察正在緝拿兇手。

The cattle are eating grass. 牛在吃草。

All his goods were lost.他所有的貨物都丟了。

13．在倒裝句中，謂語動詞的數應與其後的主語一致。例如：

Between the houses is a tall tree.兩幢房屋之間有棵大樹。

On the wall hangs a picture.牆上掛着一幅畫。

14．由and, both…and引導並列主語，謂語用複數。但如果主語連接的兩個名詞指的是同一個人或事，謂語用單數形式，這類and後面的名詞沒有冠詞。如：

Both rice and wheat are grown in this place.這地方既種稻子也種小麥。

The writer and teacher is quite popular among the students.既是作家又是教師的他深受學生的歡迎。

Truth and honesty is the best policy.誠實是最好的策略。

All work and no play makes Jack a dull.只工作不玩耍，聰明孩子也變傻。

15．在“one of ＋複數名詞＋who/that/which”引導的定語從句中，從句動詞用複數形式; 當one之前有the（only）等修飾語時，從句的動詞應是單數。如：

This is one of the most interesting stories that have been told．這是講的最好的故事之一。

She is the (only) one of the girls who is late sometimes.她是(唯一)一個有時遲到的學生。

16．一些單複數相同的名詞，根據具體情況確定，如：deer, sheep, fish, means, works, the following等。

The milu deer has returned to China. 麋鹿回到了中國。

More milu deer are being moved to a large nature park. 更多麋鹿正轉移到一個大的天然公園。

There is an iron works near the town. 城附近有家鋼鐵廠。

There are some iron works near the town. 城附近有些鋼鐵廠。

The following are his mistakes./The following is his mistake.下面是他的錯誤。

17．more than one, many a儘管意義上是表複數內容，但謂語動詞仍用單數形式。

More than one book has been sold.已出售的書不止一本。

Many a student wants to reduce homework.許多學生要求減少家庭作業。

附練習：

only I but also Jane and Mary ____tired of having one examination after another.(MET 89)

A. is B. are C. am D. be

2.A library with five thousand books _____to the nation as a gift.(MET 89)

A. is offered B. has offered C. are offered D. have offered

and where to build the new factory ____ yet.(MET91)

A. is not decided B. are not decided C. has not decided D. have not decided

number of people invited ____fifty, but a number of them ____absent for different reasons. (NMET96)

A. were; was B. was; was C. was; were D. were; were

5.E-mail, as well as telephones, _____an important part in daily communication.(上海99)

A. is playing B. have played C. are playing D. play

6.____of the land in that area ____covered with trees and grass.

A. Two fifth…is B. Two fifth…are C. Two fifths…is D. Two fifths…are (2000.上海)

7．The League Secretary and monitor ______ asked to make a speech at the meeting．

A．was B．were C．has D．were

8．Each man and each woman ______ asked to attend the party．

A．are B．is C．has D．were

9．Ten thousand dollars______ a large sum of money．

A．has been B．have been C．is D．are

the winding path ____ to be found footprints of wild animals.

A．was B．were C．has D．have

11．Forty percent of the students in our class ______ League members．

A．is B．are C．was D．be

12．He is the only one of the students who______ elected．

A．are B．have been C．has D．has been

13．John as well as his sisters______ medicine in China．

A．are studying B．have studied C．is studying D．study

14．I, who_______ your teacher, will try my best to help you with your study．

A．be B．am, C．are D．is

15．Only the rich______ able to go to school at that time．

A．were B．was C．is D．are

1-5 BAACA B 11-15 BDCBA

本文發表於《新高考》2004年7－8期