在中學(xué)英語(yǔ)教學(xué)和高考英語(yǔ)復(fù)習(xí)中,辨析清楚英語(yǔ)主語(yǔ)和謂語(yǔ)的一致關(guān)系,通常是教師和學(xué)生難解的問題。我結(jié)合多年的教學(xué)實(shí)踐,闡釋并辨析英語(yǔ)主語(yǔ)和謂語(yǔ)的一致關(guān)系。
一、主謂一致的基本用法
1.并列結(jié)構(gòu)作主語(yǔ),且當(dāng)意義為復(fù)數(shù)時(shí),謂語(yǔ)用復(fù)數(shù)形式。
注意:當(dāng)主語(yǔ)由and連結(jié)時(shí),如果它表示一個(gè)單一的概念,即指同一人或物時(shí),謂語(yǔ)動(dòng)詞用單數(shù),and連接的兩個(gè)名詞前只用一個(gè)冠詞。如:
The writer and teacher Smith has gone through millions of ups and downs since he moved to Sydney.
2.主謂一致中的靠近原則。
?。?)當(dāng)there be句型的主語(yǔ)是一系列事物時(shí),謂語(yǔ)應(yīng)與最近的主語(yǔ)保持一致。如:
There is a bowl,two knives and several forks on the table..
There are thirty boy-students and twenty-five girl-students in the class.
?。?)在由not only ...but also ...,not just ... but ...,or,neither ... nor ...,either ... or ...連接主語(yǔ)的句子中,謂語(yǔ)動(dòng)詞的單復(fù)數(shù)遵循就近一致原則,即按與謂語(yǔ)動(dòng)詞最靠近的那個(gè)主語(yǔ)來確定謂語(yǔ)動(dòng)詞的單復(fù)數(shù)形式。如:
Not only Mary but also I am going to London next week.
3.謂語(yǔ)動(dòng)詞與前面的主語(yǔ)一致。
當(dāng)主語(yǔ)后面跟有with,together with,like,except,but,as well as 等詞引起的短語(yǔ)時(shí),謂語(yǔ)動(dòng)詞與前面的主語(yǔ)一致。如:
The teacher together with his students is discussing Writing Skills that was newly published in China.
4.謂語(yǔ)動(dòng)詞與后接名詞或代詞保持一致。
?。?)用half of,part of,most of 等詞引起主語(yǔ)時(shí),動(dòng)詞通常與of后面的名詞或代詞保持一致。如:
Most of her money is spent on dress.
?。?)在more than ... of 作主語(yǔ)時(shí),動(dòng)詞應(yīng)與其后的名詞或代詞保持一致。如:
More than 60 percent of the students are from the city.
5.謂語(yǔ)用單數(shù)。
?。?)主語(yǔ)中含有each,every時(shí),謂語(yǔ)動(dòng)詞需用單數(shù)。如:
Each boy gets a present.
(2)當(dāng)主語(yǔ)是一本書或一條格言時(shí),謂語(yǔ)動(dòng)詞常用單數(shù)。如:
The Arabian Nights is a book known to lovers of English.
?。?)表示金錢、時(shí)間、距離、價(jià)格或度量衡的復(fù)合名詞作主語(yǔ)時(shí),通常把這些名詞看作一個(gè)整體,謂語(yǔ)多用單數(shù)。(用復(fù)數(shù)也可,意思不變)如:
Two weeks is allowed for preparing for the examination.
6.指代意義決定謂語(yǔ)的單復(fù)數(shù)。
(1)代詞what,which,who,none,some,any,most,all等詞后面的謂語(yǔ)動(dòng)詞的單復(fù)數(shù)由其指代的詞的單復(fù)數(shù)決定。如:
All is right.
All are present.
?。?)集體名詞作主語(yǔ)時(shí),謂語(yǔ)的單復(fù)數(shù)要根據(jù)主語(yǔ)的意思來決定,如family,audience,crowd,class,company,committee等詞后用復(fù)數(shù)形式時(shí),意為這個(gè)集體中的各個(gè)成員,用單數(shù)時(shí)表示整個(gè)集體。如:
The committee is made up of 12 people.
Her family are music lovers.
但集合名詞people,police,cattle等在任何情況下后面的謂語(yǔ)動(dòng)詞都用復(fù)數(shù)形式.
Are there any police around?
?。?)有些名詞,如variety,number,population,majority等構(gòu)成的表示“一些”的詞組作主語(yǔ)時(shí),有時(shí)看作單數(shù),有時(shí)看作復(fù)數(shù)。如:
A number of+名詞復(fù)數(shù)+復(fù)數(shù)動(dòng)詞
The number of +名詞復(fù)數(shù)+單數(shù)動(dòng)詞
The number of the students in our school is over 3,000.
二、主謂一致中的“表里不一”現(xiàn)象
1.“more than one +名詞”作主語(yǔ)時(shí),從意義上看是復(fù)數(shù),但謂語(yǔ)動(dòng)詞常用單數(shù)。例如:
More than one high official has been questioned by the police since the mayor was shot dead.
2.“many a +名詞”作主語(yǔ)時(shí),從意義上看是復(fù)數(shù),但謂語(yǔ)動(dòng)詞常用單數(shù)。例如:
Many a student has been sent to plant trees.
3.What引導(dǎo)的主語(yǔ)從句,謂語(yǔ)動(dòng)詞可視表語(yǔ)而定:表語(yǔ)是單數(shù)名詞時(shí),動(dòng)詞用單數(shù),相反,則用復(fù)數(shù)。例如:
What they want to get is?the number of good books.他們想得到的是大量的好書。
4.And連接的兩個(gè)單數(shù)名詞前若用each,every,no修飾,從意義上看是復(fù)數(shù),但該名詞短語(yǔ)作主語(yǔ)時(shí),謂語(yǔ)動(dòng)詞用單數(shù)形式。如:
Each boy and each girl has found a good dictionary.
5.Each作主語(yǔ)的同位語(yǔ)時(shí),謂語(yǔ)動(dòng)詞由主語(yǔ)來決定,與each無(wú)關(guān)。如:
They each have a bike.
6.動(dòng)詞不定式,動(dòng)詞-ing形式短語(yǔ)作主語(yǔ)時(shí),從意義上看是復(fù)數(shù),但謂語(yǔ)動(dòng)詞常用單數(shù)。如:
Going to bed early and getting up early is a good habit.
7.The following作主語(yǔ)時(shí),謂語(yǔ)動(dòng)詞的數(shù)與后面名詞的數(shù)保持一致。如:
The following are good examples.
8.有些用來表示由兩個(gè)對(duì)應(yīng)部分組成一體的名詞復(fù)數(shù)(trousers,glasses,shoes,shorts,scissors等)作主語(yǔ)時(shí),前面若有“條”,“副”,“把”之類的單位詞,動(dòng)詞就用單數(shù);若沒有單位詞或單位詞是復(fù)數(shù),謂語(yǔ)動(dòng)詞就用復(fù)數(shù)。
The shoes are all right.
9.一些以-s結(jié)尾的名詞通常謂語(yǔ)動(dòng)詞用復(fù)數(shù)如:arms(武器),clothes,contents,remains(遺體),thanks等。
10.“one and a half +名詞”作主語(yǔ)時(shí),從意義上看是復(fù)數(shù),但謂語(yǔ)動(dòng)詞要用單數(shù)。例如:
One and a half apples is left on the table.
11.“One or two more +復(fù)數(shù)名詞”作主語(yǔ)時(shí),謂語(yǔ)動(dòng)詞用復(fù)數(shù)。如:
Time flies!One or two years has passed.
12.“One of+復(fù)數(shù)名詞+ 定語(yǔ)從句”結(jié)構(gòu)中,定語(yǔ)從句的謂語(yǔ)動(dòng)詞要用復(fù)數(shù);而在“the only one of +復(fù)數(shù)名詞+定語(yǔ)從句”的結(jié)構(gòu)中,定語(yǔ)從句的謂語(yǔ)要用單數(shù)形式。如:
He is one of the students who study hard in his class.
三、以-s結(jié)尾的名詞作主語(yǔ)的主謂一致問題
英語(yǔ)可數(shù)名詞的復(fù)數(shù)形式往往是在詞尾加-s或-es,但是有一些以-s結(jié)尾的名詞并不是可數(shù)名詞。它們用法多樣,實(shí)際使用起來比較困難,以下詳述了以-s結(jié)尾的名詞作主語(yǔ)的主謂一致問題。
1.以-s結(jié)尾的地理名稱作主語(yǔ)的主謂一致問題。
某些以-s結(jié)尾的地理名稱,如果是國(guó)名,如the United States,the Netherlands等,謂語(yǔ)動(dòng)詞就用作單數(shù)。如:
In early January 1996 the Netherlands was hit by its worst storm since 1976.
如果是群島、山脈、海峽等地理名稱作主語(yǔ),謂語(yǔ)動(dòng)詞就用復(fù)數(shù)。
The West Indies are commonly divided into two parts.
2.以-ics結(jié)尾的學(xué)科名稱的詞作主語(yǔ)的主謂一致問題。
某些以-ics結(jié)尾的學(xué)科名稱作主語(yǔ)時(shí),如physics,mathematics,politics statistics,economics,linguistics,athletics等,謂語(yǔ)動(dòng)詞通常用單數(shù)形式。
Athletics is a required course for students of all grades in China.
但如果這類名詞表示學(xué)科以外的其他含義,就可用復(fù)數(shù)形式。
Athletics have been greatly encouraged at this university.
總之,語(yǔ)法是對(duì)語(yǔ)言實(shí)踐運(yùn)用的總結(jié)。學(xué)生在掌握一定語(yǔ)法的基礎(chǔ)上,通過大量的訓(xùn)練,一定能突破主謂一致這一難點(diǎn),在高考中取得理想的成