“一致”指句子成分之s间或词语之间在语法形式上的协调关系。主谓一致指主语和谓语动词之间在“人称”和“数”方面的一致关系, 这又叫“主-动一致”。它通常依据三项原则:语法一致、意义一致、就近一致。语法一致即主语和谓语动词在单、复数形式上一致。如:Both boys have their own merits.Each boy has his own book.但有时主谓一致的关系取决于主语的单复数意义, 这种关系叫意义一致。如:The government has asked the country to decide by a vote.Fifteen miles seems a long walk to me.有时谓语动词的单复数决定与最靠近它的词语的单复数形式, 这种关系所依据的原则叫做“就近原则”。如:Either my brothers or my father is coming.Neither Julia nor I am going.但上述原则在实际使用中往往受到习惯用法和不同语体、语域的制约, 所以, 在这个知识点上, 我们往往犯错。现将主谓语一致的现象归纳如下。
1 主语和谓语应在数上一致
(1) 复数主语须用复数谓语, 单数主语须用单数谓语, 不受修饰语的影响。如:
The results of the research are to be publishedsoon.
The suggestion put forward by the girls has been accepted.
(2) 如果主语是一个抽象概念, 一般都用单数谓语。名词性从句或者非谓语动词短语做主语时往往表达一种抽象概念, 谓语动词应用单数形式。如:
Money is not everything.
Silence is golden.
Driving cars is easy.
To protect the fruits of our country victory is our sacred duty.
(3) 当主语是and连接的两个名词时, 在指一样东西时用单数谓语, 若指两样东西, 则须用复数谓语。如:
With the development of modern agriculture and industry, more and more waste and poison is poured into the water、the sour and the air.
在这个句子里, waste and poison指的是有毒的废物, 表示单一的概念, 所以谓语动词用单数。类似的词组有:bread and butter (涂有奶油的面包) 、truth and honesty (真诚) 。
More and more Chinese and Japanese silks are exported to Italy.
“Chinese and Japanese silks” (中国丝绸和日本丝绸) , 是两个不同的事物, 所以谓语动词用复数。
(4) 如果主语是单数, 一般情况下, 主语后面跟上with, together with, as well as, rather than, no less than, but, except, besides, as much as这类词连接的成分, 虽然主语和谓语分开了, 但谓语仍须和真正的主语保持一致, 谓语仍用单数, 但也有例外。如:
Dr Smith, together with his wife and two sons, is to arrive on the evening flight.
Everybody except Tim speaks Chinese.
但也有例外, 如:
One man with his wife, both looking very anxious, were asking the guard to let them through.在这个句子里, with的意义和and相近, 根据意义一致的原则, 即使主语是单数, 谓语仍用复数形式。
2 某些代词作主语时的谓语
(1) each, some, any, no, every构成的代词作主语时, 谓语都用单数形式。如:
Somebody wants to see you.
Is there anything I can do for you?
(2) both, some, many, few, all (of them) 后的谓语多用复数形式。如:
All are not merry that dance slightly.Some are still out of work.
代表不可数东西的代词则跟单数谓语:
Some of the milk has gone sour.
All is well that ends well. (结果好, 一切都好)
(3) 有些代词可跟单数谓语, 也可跟复数谓语, 根据意思来决定。
Which is my seat?
Which are our seats?
3 一些集体名词作主语的情况
(1) 有些集体名词都指复数的人或动物, 后面都用复数谓语。
The police are searching the city for a chief.
Police, people, cattle, media等集体名词, 虽然形式上是单数, 但意义上却为复数, 谓语动词须用复数形式。
(2) 有些集体名词可跟单数谓语, 也可跟复数谓语, 视作整体时, 用单数, 着重于所包含的成员时, 用复数。这类词有f a m i l y, t e a m, audience, committee等。
Chinese is a kind of difficult language.The Chinese are kind and friendly. (3) 有些集体名词跟单数谓语。
The entire community is behind the appeal. (整个社区都支持这项呼吁)
The opposition was quick to reply to the charge. (反对党迅速对指控作出反映)
(4) 有些集体名词后面的谓语用单数或复数都可以。如:
The enemy is (are) retreating.
The school’s teaching staff is (are) excellent.
4 某些名词作主语时的情况
(1) 有些名词, 随着意思的不同, 有时跟单数谓语, 有时跟复数谓语:
Statistics is a branch of mathematics. (统计学是数学的一个分支)
These statistics show that exports are still low. (这些统计数字表示出口额仍然很低)
(2) 有些单复数同形的名词要根据意思决定谓语的形式:
All means have been tried. (各种手段都试过了)
One means is still to be tried. (还有一种手段尚待试一试)
This species of rose is very expensive. (这个品种的玫瑰很贵)
There are thousands of species of butterflies. (蝴蝶有成千上万种)
(3) 以—ics结尾表示学科名称的名词作主语时, 谓语用单数, 这类名词有p h y s i c s, politics, mathematics等。以s结尾的news, plastics等同属此类。
Politics is now taught in all school.
The New York Times is read all over the United States.
5 某些特殊情况
(1) 某些形容词前加上定冠词the, 如the old, the young, the dead, the rich, the sick等用以表示一类人时, 其意义为复数, 谓语动词用复数。
The old are taken good care of in our c o u n t r y.
(2) 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。
Two hours is not long enough for this work.
(3) 一些由两个对应部分组成一体的复数名词, 如trousers, glasses等作主语时, 若前面有“一条”、“一副”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 pair of trousers is his brother’s.The trousers are his brother’s.
(4) the number of people+复数名词或代词作主语时, 表示“……”数量, 谓语动词用单数, a number of+复数名词或代词, 表示“许多”, 谓语动词用复数。
The number of people who own cars is increasing every year.
A number of people have cars now.
(5) 引号中的词作为整体看待并作主语时, 谓语动词用单数。
“Bikes”is the plural of“bike”.
(6) “neither…nor”, “either…o r”, “not only…but also”这些连词连接两个或两个以上的复合主语时, 判断谓语的形式有三个原则:
(1) 如果所连接的成分分别为单数时, 其谓语用单数形式。
(2) 如果所连接的成分分别为复数时, 其谓语用复数形式。
(3) 如果所连接的成分在数上不一致, 根据毗邻原则, 其谓语单副复形式取决于它前面最近的主语的单复数情况。
Not only I but also Tom is fond of watchingTV.
Either reading aloud of poetry or reciting it by heart compels the students to study their meaning closely.
Either the teachers or the students have misunderstood this.
(7) more a, more than one作定语修饰主语的单数可数名词时, 虽然表示复数概念但谓语动词要用单数。
Many a way has been tried.
More than one example is necessary to make students understand.
(8) 修饰主语的短语不影响主语的单复数, 谓语动词仍按主语进行判断。
The first problem for all of us, men and women, is not to learn but to unlearn.
A large amount of damage was done in a very short time.
总而言之, 英语中主谓一致并不是单纯的语法现象, 而是在写作中的具体应用, 所以, 在英语的学习过程中, 我们一定要灵活应用, 根据实际情况, 掌握这个知识点, 尽量少犯错误, 努力提高自己的英语水平。
摘要：英语句子中的主语和谓语在人称和数量方面必须保持一致。在这个知识点上, 同学们经常会犯错误。本文阐述了主谓一致的原则, 重点就主谓一致这一现象的难点、疑点进行了归纳。
关键词：主谓一致,原则,难点,疑点
参考文献
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