主要看句子的主语和谓语。
主语如果是复数代词we,you,they,these,those或有复数名词(通常有s词尾),句子就是复数。
主语如果含有both...and...,句子就是复数。
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谓语部分,如果助动词是are,have,were,*do,或谓语动词是be的are形式,句子就是复数。
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关于这个问题,最好还是看看语法书上有关主谓语的一致问题。
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主谓语的一致:
1、主语和谓语基本保持单复数的一致,即:主语是可数名词单数或不可数名词时,谓语动词用单数形式:
The computer was a great invention. The water in the glass is very cold.
2、集体名词(如family, class, team, group, row, police, school等)做句子主语时,
① 如果表示整体概念,则谓语用单数形式,如:Class Three is a very good class.
② 如果表示其中的所有成员时,则谓语用复数形式,如:Class Three have a map of China.
3、Chinese,Japanese,fish,sheep,people等表示单个时谓语用单数,表示许多时,谓语用复数。如:
There is a sheep in the yard. / There are some sheep in the yard.
4、maths,news等虽然有s结尾,但不是复数,因此谓语仍用单数:The news is very exciting.
5、glasses,shoes,socks,trousers,gloves等名词往往用复数形式,故谓语用复数。如:
The trousers are very cheap and I want to take them.
6、a lot of 后跟名词复数时谓语用复数形式,跟不可数名词时谓语用单数形式。如:A lot of students are playing baseball now. A lot of time was wasted on that work.
7、and 连接两个名词做主语时,谓语原则上用复数,但是两个名词若构成一个整体事物时,谓语则用单数。如:The teacher and his son are picking apples now. Fish and chips is very famous food.
8、 there be 句型中be的单复数一般由靠近的名词决定。如:There is a table and four chairs in the room.
9、用both…and…连接两个事物做主语时,谓语一般用复数。如:Both you and I are required to be here tomorrow.
10、主语中含有with的短语时,谓语单复数由with之前的人物决定。如:A woman with a 7-year-old child was standing at the side of the road.
11、either…or…或者 neither…nor…连接两个人物做句子主语时,谓语采用就近原则。如:Either you or he is right. / Neither you nor I am going there.
12、表示一段时间或长度概念的复数名词做主语时,谓语一般用单数。如:Two months is not a short time. Two thousand kilometers is quite a long distance(距离).
13、主语中含有half of… / (three quarters)of… / all (of) the ….等词语时,谓语的单复数由名词确定,如:Over three quarters of the information on the Internet is in English. / A third of the students were playing near the lake. / All of the water in these rivers has been polluted.
但是,population一词又有特殊情况: What’s the population of China? / Three quarters of the population in this city are Arabs(阿拉伯人).
主谓一致的定义
主谓一致指的是主语和谓语在人称和数的方面取得一致的问题。
主语若是复数,谓语也采用复数形式。
主语若是单数或是不可数名词,谓语采用单数形式。
主谓一致的分类
主谓一致分为两大类:就近一致原则和意义一致原则。
就近一致原则指的是,以靠近谓语动词的,作主语的名词作为人称和数的参考标准。
意义一致原则指的是,必须分析主语属于单数或是复数,可数或是不可数,然后才能决定谓语动词的人称和数的形式。
就近一致原则(1)
连词not only...but also/ neither...nor/ or/ either...or/ not...but
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Not only the students but also the teacher is enjoying the film.
不仅学生而且老师都在津津乐道地看着电影。
Neither the students nor the teacher knows anything about it.
同学们和老师对此都一无所知。
Neither he nor they are wholly right.
他和他们,谁都不是完全对的。
Either he or I am right.
或者他对,或者我对。
就近一致原则(2)
副词here/ there
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Here comes the bus.
瞧,公共汽车来了。
Here is a pencil-box for you.
这儿有一个铅笔盒要给你。
Here are my replies to your questions.
这些是我针对你的问题的回答。
There is an apple, two bananas and some oranges on the plates.
盘子里有一个苹果,两条香蕉和一些桔子。
主谓一致:and
and的两边分别是不同的可数名词。
John and Mary are my friends.
约翰和玛丽都是我的朋友。
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and的两边分别是不同的不可数名词。
Both rice and wheat are grown in China.
中国有种水稻也有种小麦。
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and的两边的单词构成一个统一的概念。
Fish and chips is a popular supper here.
炸鱼土豆片在这里是一种很受欢迎的晚餐。(鱼和土豆片作为整体)
The poet and writer has come.
那位诗人兼作家来了。(同一个人既是诗人又是作家)
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each(every) + 单数名词 + and + each(every) + 单数名词
谓语动词用单数
Every hour and every minute is important.
每一小时,每一分钟,都很重要。
主谓一致:with...
“主语 + 后置定语”谓语动词只看主语,不看后置定语部分。
引起这种后置定语的单词有:
with, along with, together with, as well as, like, rather than, but,
except, besides, including, in addition to。
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The teacher with two students was at the meeting.
那位老师还有两个学生参加会议。
I as well as they am ready to help you.
不仅他们乐以帮助你,我也乐以帮助你。
A woman with two children is over there at the bus stop.
一个妇女还有两个孩子在公共汽车站那儿。
主谓一致:to do, doing
主语是由不定式、动名词、从句构成的,谓语动词采用单数。
To learn a foreign language is not easy.
It’s not easy to learn a foreign language.
学外语不容易。
Working with you is pleasant.
It’s pleasant working with you.
同你一块工作是令人愉快的。
The building whose roof we can see from here is a hotel.
我们从这儿就能看到屋顶的那座楼房就是旅馆。
主谓一致:police
police 警察/ militia民兵/ people人们/ vermin 害虫/ cattle 牲畜/ poultry 家禽
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这类集体名词的后面常接复数的谓语动词。
The police are questioning everyone in the house.
警察正在盘问房间里的每一个人。
Domestic cattle provide us with milk, beef, and hides.
家牛为我们提供牛奶、牛肉和皮革。
主谓一致:family
army军队/ data 数据/ jury 陪审团/ audience 观众/ enemy 敌人/ media 媒体
bacteria 细菌/ family 家庭/ navy 海军/ committee 委员会/ flock 羊群
nobility 贵族/ community 共同体/ firm 商号/ party 政党/ company 公司
gang 一群/ press 新闻界/ council 理事会/ government 政府/ public 公众
couple 对、双/ group 组/ staff 全体职员/ crew 全体人员/ herd 牧群/ team 队
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这类集体名词可以用作单数也可以用作复数。如果把"family"看成家庭成员,谓语用复数。如果把"family"看成一个整体,谓语用单数。
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His family are waiting for him.
他的家人正在等他。(把"family"看成家庭成员)
I've got to make it clear that my family was very poor.
我得说清楚,我的家是很穷的。(把"family"看成一个整体)
主谓一致:furniture
mankind 人类/ furniture 家具/ foliage 植物
clothing 衣服/ machinery 机械/ merchandise 货物
这类集体名词只能用作单数形式,因为它们属不可数名词。
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Our clothing protects us from cold.
衣服保护我们免受寒冻。
Then the furniture was moved in.
然后家具被搬进来。
主谓一致:trousers
glasses眼睛/ spectacles眼睛/ scissors剪刀/ shorts短裤/
trousers裤子/ pajamas睡衣
Where are my pajamas? 我的睡衣在哪里?
My trousers are too long. 我的裤子太长了。
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shoe鞋子/ glove手套/ sock袜子/
目前的教辅把shoes归入和trousers同一类,这样作对于高考没有大碍。不过两者的不同之处在以后的大学课堂中还需明辨。
主谓一致:the old
名词化的形容词作主语时要看主语的具体情况。
一. 看作复数
The wounded were sent home.
伤员被送回家。(指一批人,动词用复数。)
The old are taken good care of here.
这儿的老人受到很好的照顾。(一批人)
二. 看作单数
The true is to be distinguished from the false.
真假必须辨明。(抽象的概念,看成单数。)
The accused was punished to prison.
那个被告被判入狱。(一个人)
主谓一致:two years
时间、金钱、路程的名词
虽是用复数形式作主语,谓语动词仍然要用单数形式。
Two years is enough.
两年就够了。
A hundred miles is a long distance.
一百英里是一段很长的距离。
主谓一致:percent
分数和百分数的词作主语时,以“of 短语”中的名词为判断标准。
Thirty percent of the grain is used to feed animals.
百分之三十的粮食用来饲养牲口。
Ninety percent of the smokers are male.
百分之九十的吸烟者是男性。
主谓一致:each
以下列不定代词作主语的句子谓语动词用单数:
either, neither, each, one, the other, another, anybody, anyone, anything,
somebody, someone, something, everybody, everyone, everything, nobody,
no one, nothing(含有单数意义的不定代词)
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Neither of those men is wrong.
那两个人都没有错。
Each of the books costs ten dollars.
每一本书花费10美元。
Somebody is using the phone.
有人在用电话。
过多的,我就不说了,关键是先寻找到句子的主语,一般主语都会在句子的前面.根据主语(可数名词复数/可数名词单数/不可数名词)来判断用单数还是复数.可数名词复数用复数,其他的都用单数.
看主语。
主语是单数(如一个人:SHE)就用IS/WAS。
主语是复数(如两个人及以上:THEY)就用ARE/WERE。
干脆买本书得了。
《无敌英语》
are,have,were,do 还有一些复数的动词形式