江苏 张祥美
在英语中,句子的谓语动词在人称和数上必须和主语保持一致,这就是我们通常所说的“主谓一致”。
“主谓一致”一般遵循语法一致、意义一致和就近一致三个原则。
语法一致原则是指谓语动词要与主语在语法形式上保持一致,即谓语动词用单数形式还是复数形式取决于主语的单、复数形式。
1.在以-s(或-es)结尾的人名前加定冠词the用来表示一家人、夫妻两个人或同名同姓的若干人作主语时,谓语动词应用复数形式。例如:
The Whites were having dinner when I arrived.我到达时,怀特一家正在吃晚饭。
2.主语为可数名词复数时,谓语动词应用复数形式;主语为可数名词单数或不可数名词时,谓语动词应用单数形式。例如:
Liu Tao often goes to work by car.刘涛常常开车去上班。
We have never been to the Great Wall.我们从未去过长城。
3.主语的名词前有three-fifths(3/5)、20%等分数词修饰时,谓语动词的单、复数形式应依名词的类别和数量而定。例如:
Three-fifths of the ground is covered with snow.五分之三的地面都被雪覆盖着。
4.动名词(短语)、动词不定式(短语)或从句作主语时,谓语动词一般用单数形式。但若由and连接两个动名词(短语)或动词不定式(短语)作主语时,谓语动词则用复数形式。例如:
Reading aloud is helpful to learn English.大声读对学英语是有帮助的。
To say something is one thing,to do it is another.说是一回事,做是另一回事。
What he said has been recorded.他说的话被录音了。
5.国家、机构、事件、作品等名称作主语时,谓语动词应用单数形式。例如:
One Thousand And One Nightstells people lots of interesting stories.《一千零一夜》给人们讲了许多有趣的故事。
6.all、some、several、both、few、many和a number of等作主语或修饰主语时,谓语动词应用复数形式。例如:
A number of books have lent out.许多书已经被借出去了。
7.a kind of、the number of等与名词构成的短语作主语时,谓语动词应用单数形式。例如:
The number of workers in the factory is less than 1200.这家工厂里工人的数量不到1200。
意义一致原则是指从意义上着眼处理主谓一致的关系,而不仅仅取决于表面上的语法一致。
1.shoes、trousers、gloves、glasses和scissors等成双成对的名词作主语时,谓语动词应用复数形式;若这些名词前用了pair之类的表示计量单位的单词时,谓语动词的单、复数形式则由这些计量单词的单、复数形式决定。例如:
The pair of sunglasses is made of plastic.这副太阳镜是塑料做的。
Here are some new pairs of shoes.这儿有几双新鞋。
2.由and或both...and...连接的并列主语,其后的谓语动词用复数形式。例如:
Both Millie and Sandy were there.米丽和桑迪都在那儿。
3.表示金钱、时间、距离、重量、数量等复数名词作主语时,谓语动词应用单数形式。例如:
Eight hours of sleep is enough.八小时的睡眠就足够了。
Twenty years stands for a long period in one's life.在人的一生里,二十年意味着是一段很长的时期。
4.由some、any、no和every等构成的不定代词以及either、neither、many a等作主语时,谓语动词应用单数形式。例如:
Neither of my classmates likes sports.我的同班同学中没有人喜欢运动。
Everything begins to grow in spring.春天万物开始生长。
5.news、physics、maths和politics等 复数形式表示单数意义的名词作主语时,谓语动词常用单数形式。例如:
The good news makes people happy.好消息使人高兴。
6.class、family、team、army、club、public、group和police等单数形式的集合名词作主语,当它们强调总体概念时,谓语动词用单数形式;当强调个体概念时,谓语动词则用复数形式。例如:
People say that the girl is very bright.人们都说那个女孩很聪明。
Green's family are having lunch.格林一家人正在吃午饭。
就近一致原则是指谓语动词的单、复数形式要与它紧邻的主语的单、复数形式保持一致。
1.neither...nor...、either...or...、not only...but also...以及or等连接两个主语时,谓语动词应该与其最靠近的主语保持人称和数的一致。例如:
Not only I but also he wants to go swimming in the river.不仅是我,他也想去河里游泳。
2.在There be...和Here be...句式中,若主语是几个并列成分时,be动词应与其最靠近的主语保持数的一致。例如:
Here is a letter and two newspapers for yourfather.这儿有你爸爸的一封信和两张报纸。
另外,若主语带有表示伴随的介词或介词短语,如with...、along with...、together with...和except...等时,谓语动词的单、复数形式由介词或介词短语前的主语的单、复数形式来决定。例如:
He with his teachers is going to visit Mount Tai next week.下周他和他的老师们要到泰山观光旅游。
还要注意,当but、except、besides、including、as well as和like等连接两个主语时,谓语动词需和前面的主语保持人称和数的一致。例如:
Nobody except his parents was there.除了他的父母,没有其他的人在那儿。
1.Everyone in my class except Tom and Mary_______to Beijing.
【2018·齐齐哈尔中考题】
A.have been
B.have gone
C.has been
【答案与解析】C根据句意“除了汤姆和玛丽之外,我们都去过北京”可知要用have been to。主语为everyone,助动词应用has。
2.Playing computer games too often_______bad for us.
【2018·永州中考题】
A.amB.isC.are
【答案与解析】B 动名词短语作主语时,谓语动词应用单数形式。
3.—Howmany_______doctorsare there in your hospital,David?
—________them_______over one hundred.
【2018·眉山中考题】
A.woman;The number of;is
B.women;A number of;are
C.woman;A number of;is
D.women;The number of;is
【答案与解析】Dwoman doctor的复数形式为women doctors;主语the number of...后的谓语动词要用单数形式。
4.Neither Tom nor I_______interested in playing WeChat.
【2018·兰州中考题】
A.amB.isC.areD.be
【答案与解析】Aneither...nor...连接两个主语时,谓语动词在人称和数上应与其相邻的主语保持一致。
5.Not only children but also my husband_______crazy about the movieOperation Red Sea(《红海行动》).
【2018·泰州中考题】
A.isB.areC.amD.be
【答案与解析】Anot only...but also...连接两个主语时,谓语动词的单、复数形式应与后一个主语的单、复数形式保持一致,故用is。
6.Let's save pandas.There_______only about 2,000 pandas living in the forests now.
【2018·吉林中考题】
A.amB.isC.are
【答案与解析】Cthere be句型中be动词的单、复数形式应与主语about 2,000 pandas保持一致,故用are。
7.Andy,with his parents, ________Hong Kong,andsomeshopping_______by them.
【2018·安顺中考题】
A.have gone to;will do
B.has gone to;will be done
C.have been to;will do
D.has been to;do
【答案与解析】BAndy是主语,with his parents短语作状语,谓语动词用单数形式。根据后半句可知,他们去了香港还未回来,用has gone to。再根据by them可知,第二空用被动语态。
8.—David has been away for more than 25 days.
—I miss him very much,25 days_______short.
【2010·黄冈中考题】
A.isB.isn't
C.areD.aren't
【答案与解析】A“25天”是指时间量,一般看作是一个整体,谓语动词应用单数形式。由前半句“我很想念他”可判断,25天不是短暂的。
9.Both Mike and I_______ready for the new high school life.
【2018·新疆中考题】
A.beB.amC.isD.are
【答案与解析】Bboth...and...连接两个主语时,谓语动词应用复数形式。
10.Helenhasgottwobrothers._______of them likes chocolate,but sheloves it.
【2016·安徽中考题】
A.NeitherB.None
C.EachD.Any
【答案与解析】A句意:海伦有两个哥哥,他们俩没有一个喜欢巧克力的,但她喜欢。根据句意及谓语动词likes可知,要用neither。
根据句意,从A、B、C、D四个选项中选出能够填入空白处的最佳选项。
1.Both Kate and I_______ready for the new high school life.
A.amB.is
C.areD.be
2.Now smart phones_______in many ways in our daily life.
A.are usedB.is used
C.are usingD.is using
3.Maths_______my favorite subject.
A.amB.be
C.isD.are
4.Three days_______too long for us to wait.
A.areB.isC.amD.be
5.Look!A number of students_______football on the playground.
A.are playingB.is playing
C.playsD.will play
6.Not only I but also he_______good at drawing now.
A.am
B.are
C.is
D.be
7.Nobody but you_______the secret.
A.knowB.knows
C.have knownD.is
8.You as well as he_______to blamefor the accident.
A.areB.is
C.haveD.has
9.Thatplaceisnotinterestingat all._______of us_______to go there.
A.Both;want
B.Neither;wants
C.Some;wants
D.All;want
10.The boy with the two dogs_______when the earthquake rocked the city.
A.were sleeping
B.are sleeping
C.is sleeping
D.was sleeping
11.The news he told you_______very wonderful.
A.isB.sound
C.areD.am
12.The rest of milk_______hot.
A.areB.look like
C.isD.am
13.Morethan70%of the students_______the countryside.
A.isB.are
C.is fromD.are from
14.Toplaybasketball andtogo swimming_______useful for charactertraining.
A.wasB.is
C.areD.were
15.Look!The police_______for a thief over there.
A.is searching
B.was searching
C.are searching
D.were searching