主谓一致是指英语句子中主语和谓语在人称和数量方面的一致。在这个知识点上,同学们经常会犯判断失误的错误,现将有关主谓一致现象的难点归纳如下。
一、主语为单数集体名词,谓语动词用复数的情况
例1 警察正在城里搜捕一名小偷。
误The police is searching the city fora thief.
正The police are searching the city for a thief.
析: police,people,cattle等词是集体名词,虽然形式上是单数,但意义上却为复数,谓语动词需用复数形式。
例2 中国人亲切、友好。
误 The Chinese is kind and friendly.
正 TheChinese are kind and friendly.
析:有些表示国家、民族的形容词与定冠词the连用时,指整个民族,表示复数含义,谓语动词用复数。试比较:
Chinese is a kind of difficult language.汉语是一种很难的语言。当Chinese一词作“汉语”解时,谓语动词用单数。
例3 在我国老人受到很好的照顾。
误 The old is taken good care of in our country.
正 Theold are taken good care of in our country.
析:某些形容词前加上定冠词the,如the old,the young,the dead,the rich,thesick等用以表示一类人时,其意义为复数,谓语动词用复数形式。
二、主语为复数形式,谓语动词用单数的情况
例4 《纽约时报》是流行于美国各地的报纸。
误 TheNew York Times are read all over the United States.
正 TheNew York Times is read all over the United States.
析:当表示国家、城市、人名、书名、报纸、杂志及组织机构等的专有名词作主语时,通常把它们作为整体看待,谓语动词用单数形式。
例5 现在各学校都开设政治课。
误 Politics are now taught in all schools.
正 Politics is now taught in all schools.
析:以“-ics”结尾表示学科名称的名词作主语时,谓语动词用单数,这类名词有physics,politics,mathematics等。以s结尾的名词news,plastics等也属此类。
例6 两个小时做这项工作不够长。
误 Two hours are not long enough for this work.
正 Two hours is not long enough for this
work.
析:表示时间、距离、金钱、重量、度量、容量、温度等的复数名词作主语时,通常将其看作一个整体,谓语动词用单数。
例7 “bikes”是“bike”的复数形式。
误 “Bikes” are the plural of “bike”.
正 “Bikes”is the plural of“bike”.
析:引号中的词作为整体看待并作主语时,谓语动词用单数。
例8 这条裤子是他哥哥的。
误 This pair of trousers are his brother’s.
正 This pair of trousers is his brother’s.
析:一些由两个对应部分组成一体的复数名词,如trousers, glasses,pants等作主语时,若前面有“一条”“一副”“一把”之类的单位名词,则谓语动词用单数,不带单位名词,则谓语动词用复数。试比较:
The trousers are his brother’s.这裤子是他哥哥的。
例9 拥有汽车的人数每年在增加。
误 The number of people who own cars are increasing every year.
正 Thenumber of people who own cars is
increasing every year.
析:“The number of+复数名词或代词”作主语时,表示“……的数量”,谓语动词用单数。试比较:
A number of people have cars now.现在许多人都有汽车。
三、主语为单数形式,谓语动词有时用单数,有时用复数的情况
例10 这家人意见分歧。
误 The family is divided in opinion.
正 The family are divided in opinion.
析:有些集合名词,如 family, class, group, team, enemy,government,nation,couple等作主语时,若作为一个整体看待,谓语动词用单数;如果就其中一个个成员考虑,谓语动词则用复数。试比较:
The family has moved to the new house.一家人搬进了新居。
例11 我们需要许多食物。
误 Lots of food are needed by us.
正 Lots of food is needed by us.
析:“a lot of,lots of, plenty of+名词”作主语时,谓语动词的数依据名词的数而定。
例12 他需要的是书籍。
误 What he needs is books.
正 What he needs are books.
析:名词性关系代词what的单复数意义与表语的数相呼应。
四、并列主语与谓语动词数的一致关系
例13 那位教师兼作家来参加会议了。
误 The teacher and writer have come to the meeting.
正 The teacher and writer has come to the meeting.
析:由and连接的两个 或两个以上单数主语,指同一人、同一物或同一概念时,谓语动词用单数形式。
例14 每个男孩和女孩都有受教育的权利。
误 Everyboy and every girl have the right to education.
正 Every boy and every girl has the right to education.
析:由and连接两个单数主语,若前面有every,each或no限定,谓语动词用单数。
例15 他父母和他妻子都不在家。
误 Neither his parents nor his wife are at home.
正 Neither his parents nor his wife is at home.
析:由or,either...or,nor, neither...nor,not only...but also等连接的并列主语,谓语动词的数一般与后一个主语的数相一致。
例16 老师和学生都喜欢这幅画。
误 Theteacher as well as the students like the painting.
正 Theteacher as well as the students likes the painting.
析:由as well as连接的主语,谓语动词数取决于前面的一个主语。
例17 那时教授带着许多学生正在实验室做实验。
误 Theprofessor with a number of students were doing experiments in the lab at that time.
正 Theprofessor with a number of students was doing experiments in the lab at that time.
析:主语后跟有as much as,more than,no less than, rather than等词语或but,besides,except,like,including,with, along with,together with等介词连接的词语时,谓语动词的数与其前面主语的数相一致。
五、几种特殊结构的主谓语一致
例18 和这些孩子交谈是一件愉快的事。
误 To talk with the children are a great pleasure.
正 To talk with the children is a great pleasure.
析:该句是不定式作主语,表示单一概念,谓语动词用单数形式。
例19 一切都准备好了,是吗?
误 Everything are ready, aren’t they?
正 Everything is ready, isn’t it?
析:everything, something, nothing等作主语时,陈述句中谓语动词用单数,附加疑问句中谓语动词和相应代词都只可用单数。不定代词everybody,someone,anyone,nobody等作主语时,陈述句中谓语动词一般用单数,但是,在附加疑问句中谓语动词与相应代词多用复数。
例20 房前有一些花。
误 In front of the house is some flowers.
正 In front of the house are some flowers.
析:在倒装结构中,谓语动词的数应与其后的主语的数相一致。
来源:高中生