英语主谓一致的12种特殊情况
这个世界已极尽复杂,但我们仍愿探寻规律,谈英语主谓一致的12例。
一般来讲,英语的谓语形式是随主语的人称、单复数及动作的时态、语态而变的。
然而非一般的情况,我总结出了12种情况,与大家分享:
1.表示数字、时间、金额、重量、千米的名词复数作主语时,谓语仍用单数。
- Three meters is a short distance.
- 三米是个短距离。
2.用“every,each,no,many,more than one,a great deal of+单数名词作主语时,谓语动词用单数,而用“a great many,a great number of等+复数名词时”谓语动词用复数。
- Every man and woman attends the meetings.
- 男人和女人都参加会议。
- There are a great many animals in nature.
- 自然界有许多动物。
- Every change of season,every change of weather makes some change in the wonderful colors and shapes of these mountains.
- 每一次季节的变化,每一次天气的变化,都会使这些山的色彩和形状发生一些变化。
注意:
- many a与many的区别:“many a+单数名词”形式上为单数,但意义上为复数(意为“许多”);many+复数名词,形式上为复数,但意义上也为复数。e.g.Many a student likes reading.许多学生喜欢读书。
- Each A and B:形式上为单数。e.g. Each teacher and student signs his name on the grade sheet. 每个老师和学生都在成绩表上签名。
3.and连接两个主语,但指的同一个人、物或同一概念时,谓语仍用单数形式
- A statesman and poet was present at the meeting.
- 一位政治家兼诗人出席了会议。
- Bread and butter is a healthy food.
- 涂黄油的面包是一种有营养的食品。
4.有些名词只有复数形式,可根据谓语单复数、上下文来判别主语所表示事物的实际单复数。
- All possible means have been tried.
- 所有可能的办法都试过了。
- This means to an end is good.
- 这种达到目的的方法是很好的。
注意:
- 有些名词只有复数形式,谓语也只能相应的使用复数形式:clothes(衣服),cattle(牲口),savings(存款),thanks(感谢),police(警察),valuables(贵重财物),vermin(寄生虫)等。
- 以-s结尾的学科或病名,谓语只能用单数形式:physics(物理),mathematics(数学),politics(政治),statistics(统计学),mechanics(力学),electronics(电子学),measles(麻疹),shingles(带状疱疹)等
5.由两个对称部分组成的词,如:scissors(剪刀),jeans(牛仔裤),shorts(短裤),glasses(眼镜),compasses(圆规),scales(天平)等复数名词,其谓语动词用复数形式。
- My glasses were bought here last week.
- 我的眼镜是上周在这里买的。
- There is a pair of glasses beside the bottle of ink on the table.
- 桌子上的墨水瓶旁边有一副眼镜。
- There are 2 glasses on the table.
- 桌子上有两只杯子。
- There is a piece of glass on the table.
- 桌上有一块玻璃。
注意:
shoe(鞋),sock(短袜),stocking(长袜)具有单复数形式,其单数时谓语用单数,其复数时,名词前需加上“a pair of”,谓语动词用单数形式。
6.不可数名词前面有表示种类等复数含义的词或“a large number of ”修饰时,其谓语用复数形式。
- There are many kinds of water in nature.
- 自然界中有很多种水。
- A great many /A large number of compounds do exist in nature.
- 自然界中确实存在着大量的化合物。
7.集体名词作整体看待时,谓语用单数;若就其中各个成员来考虑,谓语用复数形式。
常见的有以下集体名词:
family,class,team,government,crowd,committee,jury,party,firm,couple,board,group,gang,enemy,union,audience,public,mankind,,humanity,youth
- My family is a large one.
- 我家是个大家庭。
- My family are all workers.
- 我的家人都是工人。
8.在There be引导的句子中, 谓语动词be的人称和数应该和它后面的主语(名词)保持一致, 当有两个或两个以上的名词作并列主语时, be的形式则和第一个名词保持一致(就近原则)。
- There is no endless winter in the world.
- 世界上没有无尽的寒冬。
- There are two thousand students in our school.
- 我们学校有2000名学生。
- There is a pen and two books on the desk.
- 课桌上有一枝钢笔。
9.两个作主语的名词或代词由“either...or,neither...nor,not only...but also...”等连接时,谓语动词应该按照后一个主语的人称和数而变。
- Either he or I am to get online.
- 不是他就是我要上网。
- Neither the students nor the teacher knows anything about this matter.
- 学生和老师都不知道这件事。
10.主语是单数,而后面跟有as well as, with, together with, along with, besides, in addition to, but, like, unlike, including, except, rather than等词或短语连用时,谓语动词仍用单数形式。
- Air as well as water is matter.
- 空气和水都是物质。
- A professor,together with some students,was moved into a new laboratory.
- 一位教授和一些学生一起搬进了一个新的实验室。
- Nobody but the students is in the classroom.
- 只有学生在教室里。
- None but the teachers are having a meeting in the room.
- 只有老师们正在会议室开会。
11.none作主语时,谓语可用单数或复数。若与可数名词有关,谓语多用复数形式,若与不可数名词连用,则谓语用单数形式。
- There are faults from which none of us are free.
- 我们每个人都有自己的缺点。
12.以“the majority of和the number of”修饰的情况:
the majority of后可用单数名词,也可用复数名词,谓语动词的数与of后面的名词相一致。
- The majority of people seem to prefer TV to radio.
- 多数人喜欢电视胜过广播。
- Racism is abhorrent to the majority of people.
- 种族主义是大多数人都憎恨的。
the number of 表示“.....的数目”,中心词是 number,所以是单数,谓语动词用单数。
- The number of business failures has risen
- 企业倒闭的数量增加了。