1.某些集體名詞如果作為一個整體來看待,謂語動詞用單數(shù)形式,如果表示集體中的個體成員,謂語動詞就要用復數(shù)形式。
這類集體名詞包括:audience(觀眾),class(班級),club(俱樂部),company(公司),crowd(人群),government(政府),group(團隊),team(隊伍)等。如:My family is a small one with three people.
但people,police,cattle等,只能按照復數(shù)對待,謂語動詞必須用復數(shù)。
如:The people around us are all friendly and helpful.
如:Ten years for them was so long because they led a working but hard life.
3.由“a pair(a kind,a bottle…)+of+復數(shù)名詞”作為主語時,謂語動詞要用單數(shù)形式,但由“pairs( kinds,bottles…)+of+復數(shù)名詞”作為主語時,謂語動詞要用復數(shù)形式。
如:This pair of shoes is very nice but expensive.
4.不定代詞each,every,no所修飾的名詞即使以and或逗號連接成多主語時,謂語動詞仍用單數(shù)形式。
如:Each boy and each girl was given a new book.
5.某些只有復數(shù)形式的名詞(glasses,clothes,trousers,shoes,chopsticks,scissors等),謂語動詞用復數(shù)形式。
如:Those shoes are put under the desk.
6.and或both…and連接并列主語,謂語動詞通常用復數(shù)形式。如:Walking and riding are good exercises.
但并列主語如果指的是同一個人、同一事物或同一概念,謂語動詞用單數(shù)形式。
如:A knife and fork is on the table.
7.當主語中含有as well as,in addition to,(along)with,together with,except,besides,including等引導的詞組時,其謂語動詞的單、復數(shù)依據(jù)他們前面的主語而定。
如:Jack as well as his parents has been to China before.
但either…or,neither…nor, not only…but also和There be出現(xiàn)在句中時,謂語動詞的單復數(shù)就要采用就近原則。
如:There is a photo and two maps on the wall.
Neither her sisters nor Mary is going to the party tomorrow.
如:Ten percent of the water is polluted there.
9.由a number of+名詞復數(shù)做主語時,謂語要用復數(shù)形式;由the number of+名詞復數(shù)做主語時,謂語要用單數(shù)形式。
如:A number of people are waiting to be interviewed.
The number of students in our class is 50.
10.在“one of+復數(shù)名詞+who/that/which”引導的定語從句中,從句中的動詞應該是復數(shù)形式。但如果the only來修飾one時,從句的動詞應是單數(shù)形式。如:This is one of the most interesting stories that have been told.