1、主谓一致周容 发布时间： 2010-8-6 10:10:19 英语中主语和谓语在人称和数上必须保持一致。这种一致关系一般遵循三条原则：语法一致原则、概念（意义）一致原则、毗邻一致原则。在用英语表达时，必须注意主谓一致，否则就容易出错。本文以三条原则为基础对英语主谓一致进行论述。1、语法上一致（grammatial concord）。主要指动词和主语在数和人称上的一致。传统语法规则大多符合这个原则。1主语为单数形式，谓语动词用单数形式；主语为复数形式，谓语动词也用复数形式。例如：This girl is clever enough to study maths well.The masses h
2、ave full confidence in the their leaders2、一些由两个部分构成的名词表示衣物或工具，作主语时，谓语通常用复数形式，如glasses（眼镜），clothes，trousers，shoes，compasses(圆规)，shopsticks，scissors，scales(天平)，spectacles（眼镜），gloves，stochings，pants等。例如：His trousers have worn out .My glasses are new .但如果主语由“a kind of ,a pair of , a series of 等加名词”构成时，谓
3、语动词一般用单数形式。例如：A pair of shoes was in the box .“pair , piece + of + 名词或物主代词”作主语时，谓语动词与pair 和 piece 等词保持一致，与of 之后的名词或代词无关。例如：The pieces of stone were then carried to the new place for the temple , 60 metres higher up the hill .They watched pairs of people who were sitting in college coffeeshops for at
4、 least an hour .3、如果主语被more than one.或many a .修饰时，尽管从意义上看是复数内容，但它的谓语动词仍用单数形式。这符合语法一致原则。例如：More than one student has seen the film .Many a ship has been damaged in the storm .但是，“more + 复数名词 + than one”结构之后，谓语动词一般多用复数形式。例如：More members than one are against your plan .4、each , every , no 所修饰的名词即使以and
5、或逗号连接成多个并列主语，谓语动词仍用单数形式。例如：Each boy and each girl wants to serve the people.No teacher and no student is excused from taking part in such a stormy discussion .In our country every boy and every girl has the right to education .5、由and 或bothand连结的主语有复数意义时，用复数动词。这是遵循语法上一致原则的。例如：A hammer and a saw are t
6、o be used .Both my sister and my cousin study in Shanghai .Plastics and rubber never rot .Walking and riding are good exercises .但是，并列主语如果指的是同一个人、同一事物或同一概念时，谓语动词用单数形式，这时and后面的名词没有冠词。例如：The director and chief engineer is an experienced person .A knife and fork is on the table .The girls teacher and f
7、riend is a young doctor .Truth and honesty is the best policy .To love and to be loved is the great happiness .6、this kind of book = a book of this kind (这种书)其谓语用单数；短语this kind of men = men of this kind = these kind of men (口语)（这一类人），但this kind of men 作主语，谓语用单数，men of this kind 和 these kind of men 的
8、谓语用复数。all kinds of 后跟复数名词，谓语用复数形式。例如：This kind of men is dangerous .Men of this kind are dangerous .This kind of man annoys me .There are three kinds of computer .Some new types of bus are on show .7、不定代词each , either , neither ,none , all, one , the other , anyone , anything ,someone , some , more等
9、作主语，因其有单数意义，谓语动词可用单数，以符合语法上一致原则。但在某特定情况下，不定代词也有复数概念，这时一般用复数动词。这样，语言流畅自然而且也符合概念上一致和紧邻一致原则。例如：Each takes a cup of coffee .Nobody is listening .Now all has been changed .All are present .I invited both Peter and John , but neither have come .I wonder if either are coming .The speech was tedious . Nobod
10、y , not even the teacher , were listening .但Either , none , any , 和 neither 后面如果有“of + 复数名词或代词”，动词可以用复数，也可以用单数；在正式文体中，单数形式更常用。例如：Do(es) any of you know his address .None of them has (have) seen the film .We are expecting guests from the country , but none of them has arrived .8、当主语后跟有as well as , as
11、 much as , no less than , along with , with ,like , rather than ,togeter with , but , except , besidees , including , in addition to等引导的词组时，其谓语动词的单、复数按主语中心词的单、复数而定。例如：The teacher as well as the students was excited .An iren and steel works , with some satellite factories , is to be built here .He ,
12、like you and Xiao Li is very clever .Nobody but Smith and John was in the laboratory yesterday .Every picture except these two has been sold .No one , besides Helen , Joan , Mary , and Alice ,is willing to help me .The factory , including its machines , was burnt last night .His sister no less than
13、you is wrong .The father , rather than the brothers , is responsible for the accident .但以下两例除外，把它们可以看做受紧邻关系影响。No one except his own supporters agree . (张道真语法第426页)（GCE,7.24）One man with his wife , both looking very anxious , were pleading with a guard to let them through . （GCE,7.28 , Note b）9、关系代词w
14、ho , that , which 等在定语从句中作主语时，其谓语动词的数应与句中先行词的数一致。例如：Those who want to go please sign your names here .Some of the energy that is used by man comes from the sun .Old stamps that have not been used are usually more expensive than used stamps .He , who does not reach the Great Wall ,is not a true man .
15、10、在“It is 或 It was + 被强调部分 + that / who.”的强调语句中，当强调主语时，who或that后的动词应与被强调的词保持一致。例如：It is he who often helps me .It is I who have saved his wife .11、在“one of + 复数名词 +who / which / that”引导的的从句结构中，关系代词who that which的先行词是靠近它的复数名词而不是one，因此，从句中的动词应该是复数形式。例如：This is one of the most interesting questiongs t
16、hat have been asked .但是，但one之前有the only 等修饰语时，关系代词的先行词是one，而不是靠近它的复数名词，因此从句的动词应用单数形式。例如：She was the only one of the grils who was late for the meeting .12、“分数或百分数 + 名词”构成的短语以及由“a lot of、lots of、plenty of、a (large) quanty of、the rest of、a heap of、heap of +名词”构成短语作主语时，其谓语动词要与短语中of后面的名词数保持一致，这是因为短语中of后
17、面的名词是中心词，而名词前面的短语是修饰语。例如：70% of the earths surface is covered by water.I know that one of the towers is on the top of a hill , but the rest of the buildings are easy to get to.Three-fifths of the workers here are women.Lots of damage was caused by fire.Plenty of English books are on the shelf.A larg
18、e quantity of beer was sold.A quantity of blouses were on sale.13) a (great) number of, many, a few, quite a few 修饰可数复数名词，其短语作主语时，谓语动词用复数；a little ,much ,a great deal of ,a large amout of 修饰不可数名词，其短语作主语时，谓语动词用单数。例如：A number of other plants were found in America, for example, beans ,potatoes and diff
19、erent fruits.A great deal of trouble lies before us.A large amount of (A great deal of ) damage was done in a very short time .14) (large) quantities of 修饰可数复数名词或不可数名词，其短语作主语时，谓语动词一般用复数。Large amounts of 修饰不可数名词，其短语作主语时，谓语动词一般用复数。例如：Quantities of food (nuts) were on the table .Large amounts of money
20、were spent on the bridge.15) the number of +可数复数名词，the amount of+不可数名词，the quantity of +可数复数名词或不可数名词构成的短语，作主语时，谓语动词用单数。例如：The quantity of books in the library is amazing.As a result, the number of people who travel by plane in China is larger than ever before .The quantity of heat in the office has
21、not been increased .The amount of money is great.16) half of ，（a）part of 修饰可数名词单数及不可数名词时，谓语动词用单数；修饰可数名词复数时，谓语动词用复数。例如：Half of the year has passed .Half of the fruit is bad.A part of the stories are interesting.Part of his money is spent in buying books .17),动名词及动名词短语、动词不定式短语、从句，作主语时，谓语动词用单数。例如：Noddi
22、ng the head means agreement ,while shaking it means disagreement .To hold the Olympic Games is a rich prize for a country .Whether he succeeds or fails doesnt concern me.When they will come hasnt been made public.That this had happened is not your fault.2. 概念（意义）上一致（notional concord）.指动词和主语在数上的一致是根据
23、数的概念而不是根据数的形式。18）某些集体名词，形式虽为单数，但意义为复数，作主语时，谓语动词用复数。例如：The police are searching for him.Cattle are one cause of the problem.The crowd were running for their lives .The Chinese people are brave and hare-working.但people 作“民族”讲时，谓语动词可用单数。例如:Every people has its own ways of living .The Chinese people is
24、a brave and hard-working one.19)主语形式为复数而意义上却是单数，谓语动词用单数。这类词有表示学科的名词：physics,economics, statistics,linguistics, athletics,politics,mathematics.有表示山川，河流，人名，地名，作品名称的专有名词。如：the Alps, the Philippines, Athens,Williams,The Times ,the United States, the Arabian Nights等。有些常见的形复意单的普通名词，如means, news ,works, me
25、asles, headquarters等。例如：Mathematics is a very inpertant subject.Statistics is his major.The United States is in the western hemisphere.“The Arabian Nights ”is a very interesting storybook.Tadays news is quite surpising.The Alps is in Europe.The glass works was rebiult in 1959.Athens is the capital o
26、f Greece.The Times has a wide circulation.Every means has been adopted.但有时这类词有复数意义，这时动词就要用复数。例如：All possible means have been tried, Statistics show that there is a great increase in production.20)某些集体名词（如family,team等）作主语时，如果作为一个整体看待，谓语动词用单数形式；如果就其中的个体而言，谓语动词用复数形式。这类名词有：audience,class,club,committee,
27、company,crew,crowd,enemy,government,group,party,public,team, population等。例如：My family all love music.My family is not large.The football team are having baths now.The football team is playing well.The population in China is very large ,and eighty percent of the population in China are farmers.“a gro
28、up(crowd)of+复数名词”等短语之后谓语动词既可用单数也可用复数，前者强调整体，后者强调部分。21）单复数同形的名词作主语时，（如，sheep,deer,Chinese,Japanese等），谓语动词根据意义决定单复数。例如：A sheep is over there.Some sheep are over there.Deer run faster than dogs.22)名词所有格之后名词被省略的情况一般只指商店、工场、住宅等，作主语时，动词一般用单数。常见的省略名词有：the bakers,the barbers,the carpenters, the Zhangs等。例如：y
29、 uncles is not far from here.The doctors is on the side of the street.表示店铺的名词一般作集体名词看待，但用作主语时，谓语动词往往用复数。例如：Richardsons have a lot of leather goods to sell .23）当词组中心词为表示度量，距离，金额，时间等复数名词时，往往可以根据意义一致原则，把这些复数名词看作一个整体，谓语动词用单数。例如：Three years has passed.Ten months is enough for them to make a trip.Five pou
30、nds is quite enough.24）如果名词词组中心词是all,most,half,rest,part等词语，表示的是复数意义，谓语动词用复数形式，表示的是单数意义，谓语动词用单数。例如：All of my classmates work hard .All of the water is gone.25）名词性物主代词后的动词，既可以用单数，也可以用复数，这取决与它所代替的是单数还是复数。例如：Ours (our party) is a great party.Your shoes are black ,mine are brown.26）such,the same作指示代词用时，
31、应根据其所指代的内容来决定单复数。例如：Such is our plan . Such are his words .27) 、疑问代词who ,what , which作主语时，谓语动词可根据说话人所要表达的意思决定单复数。例如：Who lives next door？ It is Xiao Liu 。Who live next door ? The Zhangs .Which is (are) your book(s) .What produce(s) heat ?28）、基数词单纯表示数字作主语时，其谓语动词通常用单数形式，但当基数词表示的不是数值而是数量的时候，谓语动词可用复数形式。例
32、如：Ten billion is a large number .Twelve were boys . 英语中算术式作主语时，若是减法和除法算式，谓语动词通常用单数形式；若是加法和乘法，谓语动词有时也可用复数形式。例如;Three taken from eight leaves five .Twelve divided by four is three Three and (plus) two is/are four Three times fives is / are fifteen .在提问加、减、乘、除得数时，如果用how much，谓语动词多用单数形式；如果用how many 提问，位
33、于动词多用复数形式。例如：How much is eight divided by two ?How many are two times five ?29)、表示数量的one and a half后，名词要用复数形式。谓语动词的数视具体情况而定。中心词表示金钱、距离、时间等词，常被看作是一个整体，谓语动词习惯用单数；中心词是apple ,banana等可数名词时，位于动词习惯用复数，因为one and a half of是大于“一”的概念。例如：One and a half hours is enough for me to finish the composition .One and a
34、 half banana are left on the table .30) 如果主语由“the + 形容词”结构充当时，谓语通常用复数,这类词有the brave,the poor,the rich,the blind,the dead ,the deef and dumb,the oppressed,the injured,the wounded,the unemployed等；但也有少数的过去分词与定冠词连用时指个别，则用单数。例如：Tht blind study in special schools .The rich are for the plan,but the poor ar
35、e against it .The departed was a well-known engineer .31)、the world 作主语，谓语动词一般用单数。例如：It will be the bigget live concert that the world has ever seen .The whole world is watching for the results of talks .Half the world lives below the poverty line 32)、由what 引导的主语从句，谓语动词通常用单数；所指的具体内容若是复数意义，谓语动词一般用复数形
36、式。例如：What we need is more time .What we need are doctors 。What he says and does does not concern me .What he says and does do not agree .3、毗邻一直（preximity）。指的是动词的数要与它紧邻的名词或代词的数一致。33）、由or, either.or, neither.nor, not onlybut also,notbut 连接两个主语时，谓语动词与最靠近它的那个词保持数的一致。例如;A few notebooks or some paper is w
37、hat I need .Either the boys or Mary is wrong .Not only the boys but (also) the father was to blame .Not one but all of them are good .Neither the record nor the tapes are mine .但neithernor 有bothand 的反面意思，有些语法家认为，不论nor后的主语是否是复数，习惯上也用复数动词。例如：Neither father nor mother agree (李学平，藩欢怀著当代英语语法概论P184)34）、在主
38、谓倒装的句子中，谓语动词应与主语保持数的一致。如果主语为并列的几个词，谓语动词则和最近的那个词保持数的一致。例如：On the wall is a famous painting .On the wall were famous paintings .There is a pen and some books on the desk .There are two books and a pen on the desk .Between the two windows hangs a picture .There comes a young woman and her two children
39、.英语主谓一致是一个简单而复杂的问题。说其简单是因为它一般都遵循语法上一致、概念上一致、毗邻一致三个原则；说其复杂是因为它可分为三十多种情况而且不同语法家的观点不尽相同。笔者按照自己的观点，打破以往传统语法著作对主谓一致依据词类做主语的分类论述，把主谓一致三十多种不同情况分别归属于三条原则下，使人一看便知遵循的是哪条原则，进而对主谓一致做出准确判断。主谓一致的三条原则尽管不同，但它们相互作用，相互包容，还有些特殊情况，本文在论述中，进行了一一论述。对一些有争议的问题，笔者认为应遵循从人们普遍能接受的说法。试看下面两组例子。One and a half pears is left on the table .(徐立吾当代英语实用语法P431湖南教育出版社)One and a half bananans are left on the table . (包天仁高中英语语法过关训练P214吉林教育出版社)One in ten are expected to take part in the contests . (张道真，实用英语英法P426商务印书馆)One out of ten has been assigned to do the decoration .(李学平，藩欢怀当代英语语法概论P186 北京师范大学出版社）
