主谓一致
主语和谓语之间的一致关系常有三种不同的原则所支配，即语法一致原则，意义一致原则和就近一致原则。
1） 语法一致
主语和谓语之间的一致关系主要表现在“数”的形式上，即主语的名词词组中心词和谓语动词在单复数形式上的一致。如果名词中心词是复数，动词就该用复数形式；如果名词中心词不是复数，而是单数名词或不可数名词，动词便用单数形式。这种一致关系叫做“语法一致”。例如：
Both boys have their own merits.
Few students are really lazy.   
Many people want to go.   
Each boy has his own book.
2)意义一致和就近一致原则
有时，主语和谓语动词的一致关系并非取决于语法上的单复数形式，而是取决于主语的单复数意义：比如有时主语在形式上并非复数，但有复数意义，随后的动词便用复数；反之，主语在形式上是复数，而在意义上可视为单数，随后的动词也用单数。这种一致关系叫做意义一致。例如：
The government have asked the country to decide by a vote.
Fifteen miles seems like a long way to me.
Fifty dollars was stolen from the cash register(现金出纳机).
有时，谓语动词的单复数形式决定于最靠近它的词语（主要指名词）的单复数形式，这种一致关系所依赖的原则叫做“就近原则”。例如：
Either my brother or my father is coming.
Only one out of five were present.
一， 以集体名词做主语的主谓一致问题
集体名词，如government,committee,team,group等，在意义上是复数，而在语法上是单数。以这类名词做主语的主谓一致问题往往在于对“语法一致”和“意义一致”两种原则的选择。这种选择通常遵循以下规则：
1） 通常做复数的集体名词
有些名词，如police,people,cattle,militia(民兵)，poultry(家禽)，vermin（害虫）等，通常做复数，随后的动词用复数。例如：
Domestic cattle provide us with milk,beef and hides.
食用牛给我们提供牛奶，牛肉和皮。
These people are against the proposal.
这些人反对这项提议。
The police are searching the wood for a robber.
警察在搜林寻一名抢劫犯。
Such vermin as bugs and rats are hard to get rid of.
像虫子和老鼠这样的害虫很难消灭。
2)通常做不可数名词的集体名词
又有一些集体名词，如foliage(叶，叶子)，equipment,furniture,merchandise(商品)，clothing,jewellery,通常做不可数名词，随后的动词用单数。例如：
The merchandise has arrived undamaged. 商品完好无损的运到了。
All the machinery in the factory is made in China.
在这个工厂里的机器都是中国制造的。
Then the furniture was moved in.
后来家具被搬进来了。
Our clothing protects us from cold.
衣服帮助我们御寒。
Jewellery is what she likes most.
珠宝是她最喜欢的。
2） 既可做单数又可做复数的集体名词
还有一些集体名词，如audience(观众)，committee(委员会)，class,crew(全体船员或机组人员)，familly,government,public(公众)等，既可做单数，有可做复数用。如将各该名词所表示的集体视为一个整体，则动词用单数。例如：
His family lives in Beijing.他的家住在北京。
His family were watching TV when I went in.我到他家时，他家人正在看电视。
The class is big.这个班很大。
The class are listening to the teacher attentively.全班的学生正在听认真听老师讲课。
The football team are having bath now.足球队员们现在都在洗澡。
A team which is full of enthusiasm is more likely to win.一个积极性高涨的队很可能会获胜。
4）a committee of等+复数名词
如果主语是由“a committee of/a panel of/a(the)board of+复数名词”构成，随后的动词通常用单数。例如：
A committee of five men and three women is to consider the matter.一个由五位男士和三位女士组成的委员会将会考虑这件事。
A panel of distinguished people has been chosen to judge this competition.It is meeting tomorrow.
A board of directors is responsible for the management of the firm.董事会对公司的管理有
责任。
二，以并列结构做主语的主谓一致问题
1） 由and/both…and连接的并列主语，如果意义是复数，谓语动词用复数。例如：
The red rose and the white rose are beautiful.红玫瑰和白玫瑰都很美。
2） 如果作主语的并列结构不是指两个或两个以上的人或物，而是表示单数意义，则，动词用单数。例如：
A knife and fork is needed for western meal.吃西餐的时候要用刀叉。
3）有一些带连词and的省略结构形似单数，而意义是复数，随后的动词用复数。例如：What I say and think are no of your business.=(What I say and what I think are no of your business.)我所说和所想的跟你无关。
4）当and连接的并列名词词组带有each,every,或者many a等限定词时，随后的动词通常用单数，例如：
register的名词Every boy and every girl in this room is entitled to a copy.
Many a man and woman in this community finds himself or herself in need.
5)如果定冠词分别出现在and连接的各名词前，意味着各并列的名词指不同的对象，谓语动词应用复数形式；如果定冠词只出现于第一个名词前，则各名词指的是同一个对象，谓语动词用单数形式。如：
The secretary and the principal of the school were present at the meeting.该校的校长和书记都出席了会议。
The secretary and principal of the school was present at the meeting.该校的校长兼书记出席了会议。
6)由or/nor/either…or等连接的并列主语
由连接的并列结构作主语，随后的动词形式通常按照“就近原则”处理。例如：
My sister or my brother is likely to be at home.我的妹妹或弟弟有可能在家。
Either her father or her mother calls her every afternoon.每天下午要么是她父亲要么是她母亲打电话给她。
Either my father or my brothers are coming.要么我的父亲要么是我的兄弟会来。
Neither the Kansas players nor the coach was overconfident.堪萨斯州的运动员和教练都没有过分自信。
Neither the Kansas coach nor the players were confident of victory.堪萨斯州的教练和队员们都对胜利没信心。
Not only the switches but also the old wiring has been changed.不仅开关连电线都已经换了。
7）主语+as much as等
当主语后面跟有有as much as,rather than,more than,no less than等引导的从属结构时，随后的动词形式依主语本身的单复数而定。例如；
Some of the workers as much as the manager were responsible for the loss.负责人和一些工人要对损失负责。
His brother rather than anyone else is to blame.是他兄弟而不是其他人应该被责备。
My wife, more than anyone else in the factory, is anxious to go there again.我妻子而不是工厂的其他人渴望再去那一次。
Man, no less than(和……一样)the lower forms of life, is the product of evolutionary process(进化过程).人类和其他低等形式的生物一样是进化过程的产物。
I,not you.am fit for the job.是我，而不是你，适合于这工作。

版权声明：本站内容均来自互联网，仅供演示用，请勿用于商业和其他非法用途。如果侵犯了您的权益请与我们联系QQ:729038198，我们将在24小时内删除。