语法一致
主语和谓语在单复数形式上的一致关系,主语为单数形式,谓语
动词用单数形式;反之,谓语动词用复数形式。
My child has no intention of spending a vacation with me.
我的孩子不想与我一起度假。
My children have no intention of spending a vacation with me.我的孩子们不想与我一起度假。
意义一致
谓语动词的单、复数取决于主语表达的概念，不取决于面上的语法标记
主语形式虽为单数,但意义为复数,谓语动词用复数。
The only people who are interested in the book seem to be lawyers.
唯一对这本书感兴趣的人好像是律师。
The majority of primary school teachers are women.大多数小学老师都是女的。
主语形式为复数,但意义上为单数,谓语动词用单数。
No news is good news.
没有消息就是好消息。
Billiards is becoming more and more popular in some cities.桌球在一些城市里越来越受欢迎。
就近原则
主语由两个或两个以上名词或代词组成时,谓语动词的数要与它紧邻的名词或代词的数一致。
There is a square table and some chairs in the center of thedining-room.
餐厅中央有一张方桌和几把椅子。
Either your students or Willam knows this.不是你的学生就是威廉知道这件事。
下列词属于表示抽象的概念,谓语动词需用单数。
the latest最新情况 the unknown未知的事 the rough难处理的事 the worst 最坏的事
the foreign 外国的事情 the unreal不真实的事 the lovely 漂亮的东西 the evil 恶
the ugly丑
the mystical神秘的东西 the true真
the false 假
倒装句的谓语动词的单复数应根据主语而定
On the wall were several famous paintings,墙上悬挂着几幅著名油画。
East of the city lie two chemical works.城东有两家化工厂。
Between the two buildings stands a monument.两幢楼之间耸立着一块纪念碑。
名词性从句和非谓语动词作主语，不定式短语、动词ing形式和名词性从句作主语，谓语动词用单数形式。
Doing experiments is a good way to find out answers to questions.
做实验是找到问题答案的好方法。
To learn foreign languages is not so difficult as you think.学一门外语并不像你想象的那么难。
That I shall work with you is a great pleasure.我能和你在一起工作是极大的快乐
a number/total of+名词复数,谓语动词用复数形式。 the number/total of+名词复数,谓语动词用单数形式。
A number of students are playing basketball on the playground.
操场上有相当多的学生在打篮球。
The number of pages in this book is 900.这本书的页数是 900. A total of 3,000 letters were received last month.上个月共收到3,000封信。
The total of letters received last month was 3,000.上个月收到信件共3,000封。
时间、价格、距离等作为整体看待时，谓语动词用单数形式。
Fifty kilometers is a long distance.五十公里是一段长距离。
Four thousand dollars is more than she can afford.她付不起4,000美元。
The six months was a terrible dream for her.那6个月对她来说是一场恶梦。
Only six days was allowed to make preparations for the finalexamination.
只给了六天的时间来准备期末考试。
分数或百分数+of+名词结构作主语。谓语动词要与短语中of后面的名词的数保持一致。
Three-fourths of its surface of the earth is Sea.地球表面四分之三是海洋。
Two-thirds of the people present are against the plan.在场的三分之二的人反对这个计划。
Around 10 percent of the forest is destroyed each year.每年大约有百分之十的森林被毁。
集合名词作主语时,若表示整体概念,谓语动词用单数,若表示构成该集合体的成员,则谓语动词用复数。
His family are waiting for him.他的家人正在等他。
But the man's family was small-only himself and his wife.但那人的家庭很小.只有他本人和妻子
One third of the population here are workers,这里人口中有三分之一是工人。
The population of the earth is increasing every year.地球上的人口每年都在增长。
许多学科名称，如 mathematics, physics, economics, politics等,以及news等名词作主语时,动词用单数。
Physics is required of every student in our school.
物理是我校每个学生的必修科目。
News is traveling fast nowadays.当今新闻传播得很快。
主语后跟有as well as, as much as ，no less than，along with，like,rather than，together with, besides, including,in addition to 引导的词组时,其谓语动词的单、复数按主语的单、复数而定，谓语动词不受这些词组影响
例如:The teacher as well as the students was reading in the library.
这位老师和学生们一起在图书馆阅读。
The students as well as the teacher were reading in the library.学生们和这位老师一起在图书馆阅读。
The manager, rather than the workers,is responsible for the loss.损失的责任应由经理而不是工人们来承担。
Nobody but three policemen was on the spot.当时只有三个警察在现场。
以or, either...or, neither...nor, not...but, not only...but also,等连接的名词(代词)作并列主语时,谓语动词的单复数应根据就近一致的原则。
Neither he nor l am willing to go shopping today.他和我今天都不愿去购物。
--Are either you or he to go there --是你还是他将去那里?--Neither is. --一个也不去。
Not only the Writer brothers but also their father was there.不只是莱特兄弟在那里,连他们的父亲也在。
Not the students but their teachers but also their father was there.被邀请去参加晚会的不是学生(们) ,而是他们的父亲。
当and连接的两个名词是指组合到一起的一件完整的或成套的东西,成表示同一个人或一种概念时,谓语动词要用单数形式。
The writer and teacher is speaking at the meeting.这位教师兼作家正在会上发言。
A needle and thread was given to her. Dut sne couia not sevw thebutton on.
针线给了她,但她不会把钮扣缝起来。
Going to bed early and getting up early is a good habit.早睡早起是个好习惯。
Bread and butter is his usual breakfast.他经常以黄油面包当早餐。
A cart and horse was seen in the distance.远方看见一辆马车。
用and(或 both.. and)连接并列主语时,谓语动词通常用复数例如:
A hammer and a saw are useful tools.
榔头和锯子都是有用的工具。
Both industry and agriculture have been greatly developed these years.
这几年工农业大大地发展了。
