如何确定主语和谓语的一致性

Answer 1

简单地说，谓语动词在人称、数的概念上必须与主语保持一致。归纳起来有以下几个方面：
一、 复合名词，在数的概念上通常是复数，所用的谓语动词也应是复数
如：The headmaster and the football player have arrived. 校长和足球队员已经到了。
但是，（1）The headmaster and football player has arrived. 校长兼足球队员到了。
（2）My classmate and best friend has just called me . 同学兼好友刚打电话给我。
以上三句都正确，原因在于the headmaster and the football player是两个人，动词用have.而the headmaster and football player及my classmate and best friend都指一个人，故动词用has.值得注意的是（1）（2）句中，在football player和best friend前没有冠词。
但是，在He was a driver and a famous singer.中a driver and a famous singer是指同一个人，这里and意思为“也”。
二、两个单数名词用连接词and连接，但前面加上every, each, neither, either等，谓语动词仍用单数
(1) Every boy and girl is asked the questions in the same way. 每个男孩女孩被问及同一方面的问题。
(2) Neither of the answers is right. 没有一个答案是正确的。
三、主语后面，当出现说明主语的修饰词或插入语时，其单复数不影响谓语动词数的概念。谓语动词仍与主语的数相一致
（1）This pair of new shoes is very comfortable to wear. 这双新鞋子穿着非常舒服。
(2 ) My mother together with my brothers wants to see me. 我母亲与我兄弟们一起想来看望我。
上述句子中of new shoes和together with my brothers分别是主语的修饰词和插入语，真正的主语是this pair 和my mother, 故动词用is和wants.
四、集体名词用作主语时，谓语动词可以是单数，也可以是复数
（1）The Green family has (have) gone to England for a long holiday. 格林先生一家去英国度长假了。
（2）The team that young people want to meet is (are) still in Japan.年轻人想见的球队还在日本。
(1)(2)句究竟用单数还是复数取决于说话人强调什么，如果强调整体，多用单数；强调每个成员，许多成员，多用复数。但如果我们把（2）句换成：
The team that young people want to see are the Americans. 说成 The team is the Americans 显然不妥，句中the team指队员，动词用are.
常见的集体名词有：army，class, crowd, company, family, public, team, group等。

五、由either…or, neither…nor, …or…, not only…but also…连接的短语做主语时，谓语动词在人称和数的概念上，与靠近它的名词或代词相一致
(1) You or I am to be invited. 你或我会受到邀请。
(2) Not the rivers but the sky was badly polluted. 不仅河流还有天空遭到了严重污染。
(3) Not the sky but the rivers were badly polluted. 不仅天空还有河流遭到了严重污染。
六、一些特殊名词的数的概念
1.英语中有些名词以-s结尾，看起来是复数，实际上多半表示单数，因而作主语时，谓语动词用单数。然而有些词不以-s结尾，又可作复数名词用。因而究竟何时用单数和复数一定要根据上下文意义来决定。例如：
(1) Maths is usually very interesting for boys. 对男孩们来说数学常常是非常有趣的。（类似的有：news, physics 等）
(2) Sheep are very common in Australia. 在澳大利亚绵羊是很常见的。(sheep单复数同形，这里是复数) 象这种单复数同形的有：sheep, people, fish, fruit, Chinese, Japanese, deer 等等。
2．用“表示部分数量的名词+短语”作主语时，谓语动词的数取决于of后面的名词。
（1）Most of the songs are popular songs. 大多数的歌曲是流行歌曲。
（2）two-thirds of the students agree with my idea. 三分之二的学生赞同我的主意。
（3）All of his money is gone. 他所有的钱都不见了。
（4）All of my books are in English. 我所有的书都是英文的。
由此可见，介词of后是复数，谓语动词用复数，是单数（包括不可数名词）时，用单数。
3.部分形容词加上定冠词，可以起名词作用，在数的概念上是复数。
(1) In many places, the rich become richer, the poor become poorer. 在许多地方富人变得越富，穷人越穷。
(2) The old are spoken to politely. 对老人说话要有礼貌。
类似的还有：the young, the public, the Chinese 等。
4.表示重量、距离、钱数、一段时间等的复数（或短语）用作主语时，谓语动词用单数。
(1) Twenty years is a long time. 二十年是一段很长的时间。
(2) One hundred and thirty pounds is what I used to weigh. 130磅是我以前的体重。
4.加减乘除运算中，谓语动词要用单数；some-, any-, no-, every-, -body, -one, -thing构成的代词作主语时谓语动词用单数；不定代词、动名词、从句作主语时谓语动词用单数。
（1）Nine minus two is seven. 九减二是七。

（2）Everything goes well. 一切进展顺利。
（3）Taking a walk after supper is good for health. 饭后散步对身体有好处。
（4）What I needed then was just a piece of bread. 那时我所需要的仅仅是一片面包。
但是要注意：none作主语时，谓语动词可用单数也可用复数。
None of the classmates was/were here. 没有一个同班同学在这里。
5.here, there开头的句子，谓语动词的数取决于动词后的第一个“真正的主语”的形式。如：(1 ) There is a pen and some pencils in my case.
(2 ) There are some pencils and a pen in my case.
(3 ) Here comes the bus.
(4 ) Here are the other things.

Answer 2

如果句子主语是单数，则对应动词的单数形式。如果主语是复数，动词需与主语保持一致性

例：She lives in China. （三单）

More people live in Asia than in any other continent. （主语复数动词原型）

当句子的主语结构复杂时，动词和主语的主体部分保持一致

例：Many leading members of the opposition party have criticised the delay. （members和have对应）

The only excuse that he gave for his actions was that he was tired. （excuse和was对应）

当主语跟在动词后面，则动词必须跟主语保持一致

例：Displayed on the board were the exam results. （与The exam results were displayed ...进行比较）

从句作主语时，动词是三单形式

例：To keep these young people in prison is inhuman.

Having overall responsibility for the course means that I have a lot of meetings.

Whoever took them remains a mystery.

然而，what从句作主语时，动词后的主名词为单数，则动词为单数形式，主名词为复数，则动词为三单或原型

例：What worries us is the poor selection process.

What is needed are additional resources. （更口语化则是...needed is...）

某些名词虽然是单数形态，但指的是复数个体，其对应的动词可用单数或复数形式。这种名词成为集合名词

例：The council has (or have) postponed a decision on the new road. 

通常当主语是一个机构或组织这种可以看成是一个整体时，对应单数动词，如果是由很多个个体组成的团体，对应复数动词。在正式书写尤其是学术报告中，动词常采用单数形式。

某些语境中必须正确选择动词的单复数形式


例：The committee usually raise their hands to vote 'Yes'. （因为举手的是一个个成员，所以不能用The committee usually raised its hands...）

The school is to close next year. （因为关掉的是学校这个机构，而非单指里面的学生或雇员，所以不能是The school are to close...）

当主语名词用-s结尾但是指的是一个单数个体，则动词对应的是单数形式，此类名词有countries, newspapers, titles of books, films等等

例：At this time of the year the Netherlands is one hour ahead of the UK.

The Machine Gunners was one of Robert Westall's most successful books.

'Daps' is the word used in the south-west of the country for sports shoes.

句中出现any of, each of, either of, neither of或none of，以及一个复数名词/代词的时候，可以用单数或复数动词

例：I don't think any of them knows（或know）where the money is hidden.

Neither of the French athletes has （或have）won this year.

句中出现a/the majority of, a number of, a lot of, plenty of, all (of)或some (of)，以及一个复数名词/代词时候，用复数动词。（主语the number of对应单数动词）

例：A number of refugees have been turned back at the border.

The number of books in the library has risen to over five million.

One of和一个复数名词/代词后面跟单数动词，然而one of+复数名词/代词+who后面即可跟单数也可跟复数动词，复数动词会更加符合语法习惯。

例：One of the reasons I took the job was that I could work from home.

He's the one of those teachers who insist/insists on pupils sitting silently in class.

句中出现any of, none of, the majority, a lot of, plenty of, all (of), some (of)和一个不可数名词时，用单数动词

例：All the furniture was destroyed in the fire.

None of the equipment appears to be damaged.

句中出现every或each和一个单数名词或坐标名词（x,y）,用单数名词

例：Every room looks over the harbour.

Every boy and girl takes part in the activity.

Each child has drawn a picture

注意The children have each drawn a picture.

句中出现everyone, everybody, everything （及类似的以any-, some-和no-打头的单词），用单数名词

例：Practically everyone thinks that Phil should be given the job.

当两个或两个以上的个体构成主语时，通常用复数动词

例：Ingrid and Tobias are moving back to Australia.

但是，当复数项目构成的主语视为一个单独个体的时候，可以用单数动词

例：The lorry, its cargo and passengers weighs around 35 tonnes. （或...weigh...）

当主语由两个或两个以上的个体用(either)...or...或(neither)...nor的形式构成，则最后个体为单数时对应单数动词（非正式英语汇总某些时候可以用复数动词），最后个体为复数时对应复数动词

例：Either the station or the cinema is a goodd place to meet. (不正式说法中可以用...are...）

The President or his representatives are to attend the meeting. 

如果最后的个体是单数，它之前的都是复数，可用单数或复数动词

例：Either the teachers or the principal is to blame for the accident. （或...are to blame...）

在there+be/have句型中，单数动词对应单数或不可数名词，复数动词对应复数名词。然而，在口语中通常用单数形式缩写there's对应复数名词

例：Over the last few years there have been many improvements in car safety.

There's been lots of good films on lately. （或There've been...）

某些名词通常以复数形式出现，对应复数动词，此类名词除以下示例外还有belongings, clothes, congratulations, goods, outskirts, overheads, particulars（译为信息），premises（译为建筑物），riches, savings, stairs, surroundings, thanks

例：The company's earnings have increased for the last five years.

whereabouts既可以跟单数也可以跟复数动词，police,people和staff通常对应复数动词

例：Police believe that Thomas is in Brazil, although his exact whereabouts are/is unknown.

Staff say that the new computer system has led to greater levels of stress in their work.

复数名词data，media（单数为datum, medium）通常对应单数动词，但是在学术报告这种正式书写中，建议用复数动词。其它复数名词例如criteria和phenomena（单数为criterion, phenomenon）通常用复数动词

例：All the data is available for public inspection. （或者...are available...）

I agree that the criteria are not of equal importance. （或者...the criteria is not...）

某些s结尾的不可数名词看上去像复数名词，但是作主语时对应单数动词，除以下示例外此类名词还有means （译为方法或钱），economics, linguistics, mathematics, phonetics, physics, politics, statistics, athletics, gymnastics, diabetes, measles, rabies

例：The news from the Middle East seems very encouraging.

句中出现尺寸、数量等的名词短语，通常用单数动词，补语为单数名词短语时（例如a long time），必须用单数动词

例：Only three metres separates the runners in first and second places. （比...separate更合适）

Three hours seems a long time to take on the homework. （不能是Three hours seem...）

复杂结构的主语是百分比或分数时，动词与最近的名词保持一致

例：An inflation rate of only 2% makes a difference to exports. 

About 50%/half of the houses need major repairs.

其中，如果出现的单数名词即可以作为整体又可以作为许多个体看待时，动词既可以是单数也可以是复数

例：Some 80% of the electorate is expected to vote. （或...are expected...）