⑼由并列连词(or, either…or, neither…nor, not only…but (also)等)连接的并列成份作主语时,谓语动词按就近原则与其保持一致。如:
Neither you nor I am right.
Either Jack or his sisters are going to the cinema.
⑽在“here, there”引导的结构中,如果有多于一个的主语,谓语动词与邻近的主语取得一致。如:
There are two books, a rule and a pen on the desk.
Here is a table, some chairs, and a few desks in the room.
⑾“the + 形容词或分词”作主语时,若指一个人或抽象概念,谓语动词用单数形式;若指一类人,谓语动词用复数形式。如:
The deceased was his mother.
The good are demanding their ringhts.
⑿由as well as, as much as, no less than, rather than等连接的并列主语,在意义上更强调第一主语。根据语法一致的原则,动词形式通常取决于第一主语的数和人称。如:
I, as well as him, am ready for outing.
He as much as us is responsible for it.
2.谓语动词用单数形式的情形
⑴不定式短语、动名词及名词从句作主语时,谓语动词用单数形式。如:
To become doctors is their ambition.
Reading without comprehension is no good.
What that country needs is more jobs and lower taxes.
⑵表示时间、距离、重量、长度、价值等的名词,不论单复数,当作主语时,谓语动词均用单数形式。如:
Twenty years is a long period of his life.
Five thousand dollars is more than I can afford.
⑶用and连接的名词或代词前有every, each, no, many a等修饰时,谓语动词用单数。如:
Every one of the figures was checked at least twice.
⑷事件、国名、机构名称、书籍及其它作品的名称作主语时,谓语动词均用单数形式。
The United Nations was formed in 1945.
Great Expectation is a very famous novel.
⑸限定词(each, every, one, many a, not only one, either, neither等)作主语或修饰主语时,谓语动词一般是单数。如:
Each of the students has a studying plan.
Every cook praises his own broth.
⑹and连接的两个名词或代词作主语时,如果指的是同一个人或指一种整体事物时,根据概念一致的原则,后面的动词要用单数形式。特别是and前的名词或代词前有冠词the,而and后的名词或代词前没有冠词the,须用单数谓语。
Ham and eggs is often preferred to hamburgers.
The manager and secretary was present at the meeting.
这类名词还有:fish and chips, bread and butter,law and order,a cup and saucer,the needle and thread等。
⑺短语“a deal (amount, proportion, quantity) + 不可数名词”、“a portion (kind, series,
species) of + 名词“作主语时,谓语动词用单数。
A large amount of oil was spilt on the road.
A portion of goods has been transported to the city.
⑻“the number of …”作主语时,谓语动词也用单数形式。如:
The number of students is increasing every year in the school.
3.谓语动词用复数形式的情形
当主语是下列情况时,谓语动词只能用复数形式。
⑴由and或both…and…连接的短语作主语。(2.中的⑹例外)
Both he and I are good at English.
⑵常以复数形式出现的名词作主语。如:clothes, pants, shears, riches, remains等。
⑶quantities后面的名词无论是可数名词的复数还是不可数名词,谓语都用复数形式。
如:
Large quantities of steam are used by modern industry in the generation of power.
⑷“a number (group等) of…”作主语。如:
A number of people are in the meeting room now.
⑸不可数名词前有表示数量的复数名词修饰。如:
Six hundred square meters of housing have been built.
⑹只能看作复数的集合名词作主语。这类集合名词有:cattle, poultry, youth, clergy, police,people, militia, vermin等。
The cattle were grazing at the foot of the hill.
⑺当两个形容词用and连接来修饰一个单数名词,实指两个事物时,谓语动词用复数形
式。如:
The third and the fourth page are missing.