1、主語和謂語基本保持單復(fù)數(shù)的一致,即:主語是可數(shù)名詞單數(shù)或不可數(shù)名詞時(shí),謂語動(dòng)詞用單數(shù)形式:如:

The computer was a great invention.(計(jì)算機(jī)是個(gè)了不起的發(fā)明)

The water in the glass is very cold.(玻璃杯里的水很冷)

2、集體名詞(如family, class, team, group, row, police, school等)做句子主語時(shí),

① 如果表示整體概念,則謂語用單數(shù)形式,如:

Class Three is a very good class.(三班是好班)

② 如果表示其中的所有成員時(shí),則謂語用復(fù)數(shù)形式,如:

Class Three have a map of China.(三班有張中國地圖)

3、Chinese, Japanese, fish, sheep, people等表示單個(gè)時(shí)謂語用單數(shù),表示許多時(shí),謂語用復(fù)數(shù)。如:

There is a sheep in the yard.(院子里有只綿羊)

There are some sheep in the yard.(院子里有一些綿羊)

4、maths, news等雖然有s結(jié)尾,但不是復(fù)數(shù),因此謂語仍用單數(shù):

The news is very exciting. (這個(gè)消息令人興奮)

5、glasses, shoes, socks, trousers, gloves等名詞往往用復(fù)數(shù)形式,故謂語用復(fù)數(shù)。如:

The trousers are very cheap and I want to take them.(褲子很便宜,我想買)

6、a lot of 后跟名詞復(fù)數(shù)時(shí)謂語用復(fù)數(shù)形式,跟不可數(shù)名詞時(shí)謂語用單數(shù)形式。如:

A lot of students are playing baseball now.(現(xiàn)在有許多學(xué)生在打壘球)

A lot of time was wasted on that work.(大量的時(shí)間花在了那個(gè)工作上)(被動(dòng)句)

7、and 連接兩個(gè)名詞做主語時(shí),謂語原則上用復(fù)數(shù),但是兩個(gè)名詞若構(gòu)成一個(gè)整體事物時(shí),謂語則用單數(shù)。如:

The teacher and his son are picking apples now.(老師和他的兒子在摘蘋果)

Fish and chips is very famous food. (魚和薯?xiàng)l是一種出名的食品)

8、 there be 句型中be的單復(fù)數(shù)一般由靠近的名詞決定。如:

There is a table and four chairs in the room.(房間里有一張桌子和四張椅子)

9、用both…and…連接兩個(gè)事物做主語時(shí),謂語一般用復(fù)數(shù)。如:

Both you and I are required to be here tomorrow.(你和我明天要求都來)

10、主語中含有with的短語時(shí),謂語單復(fù)數(shù)由with之前的人物決定。如:

A woman with a 7-year-old child was standing at the side of the road. (一名婦女帶著一個(gè)七歲的孩子(當(dāng)時(shí))就站在路邊)

11、either…or…或者 neither…nor…連接兩個(gè)人物做句子主語時(shí),謂語采用就近原則。如:

Either you or he is right.(要么是你對(duì),要么是他對(duì)。/你和他有一個(gè)人是對(duì)的)

Neither you nor I am going there.(你和我都不打算去那里)

12、表示一段時(shí)間或長度概念的復(fù)數(shù)名詞做主語時(shí),謂語一般用單數(shù)。如:

Two months is not a short time.(兩個(gè)月不是個(gè)短時(shí)間)

Two thousand kilometers is quite a long distance(距離)。(兩千千米是相當(dāng)長的一段距離)

13、主語中含有half of… / three quarters of… / all (of) the …等詞語時(shí),謂語的單復(fù)數(shù)由名詞確定,如:

Over three quarters of the information on the Internet is in English.(因特網(wǎng)上四分之三以上的信息是用英語寫的)

A third of the students were playing near the lake.(學(xué)生的三分之一(當(dāng)時(shí))正在湖邊玩耍)

All of the water in these rivers has been polluted.(這些河流中的水已經(jīng)被污染了)(被動(dòng)句)

但是,population一詞又有特殊情況:

What's the population of China?(中國人口是多少?)(句子用單數(shù))

Three quarters of the population in this city are Arabs(阿拉伯人)。(這個(gè)城市四分之三的人口是阿拉伯人)(句子用復(fù)數(shù))