備考主謂一致的五個易錯點

一、誤解集合名詞的單復數意義

英語中的集合名詞，有些只表示復數意義，如police, people, cattle 等；有些只表示單數意義，如clothing, poetry, baggage / luggage, furniture, machinery, scenery, jewellery, equipment 等；有些既可表示單數意義（視為整體）也可表示復數意義（考慮其中的個體），如family, team, class, crowd, government, crew, committee, audience 等。

警方正調查事故原因。

正：The police are looking into the cause of the accident.

誤：The police is looking into the cause of the accident.

你在清洗地毯之前得把所有的家具都挪出室外。

正：All the furniture has to be moved out before you clean the rug.

誤：All the furniture have to be moved out before you clean the rug.

二、根據字面意義錯用主謂一致

在有些情況下，從字面上看，好像是單數意，但實際上句子真正的主語是復數。如：

這些年輕人每個人都有不同的觀點。

正：These young people each have a different point of view.

誤：These young people each has a different point of view.

說明：句子真正的主語是 these young people，而不是 each。

三、誤將主語后的介詞短語為句子主語

當句子主語后面接有 in addition to, with, along with, together with, except, but等介詞引出的短語時，其后的謂語動詞形式取決介詞前主語，而與介詞短語中的名詞無關。如：

除我父母之外沒有知道此事。

正：No one except my parents knows anything about this.

誤：No one except my parents know anything about this.

四、沒弄清用作主語的指代意義

有些用作主語的名詞或代詞的意思并不是固定的，而是需要根據句子的上文來確實，此時則要注意它所指代的相關詞語是復數意義還是單數意義。如：

他說的有一部分是真的，其余的就不是了。

正：Part of what he says is true; the rest is not.

誤：Part of what he says is true; the rest are not.

所有的房間都有貨個人浴缸，并且大多數房間還有無線電和電視機。

正：All of the rooms have private baths, and most have radios and TV.

誤：All of the rooms have private baths, and most has radios and TV.

五、不知道主謂一致中的某些特殊用法

英語中有些特殊結構，它們雖然意義是復數，但習慣上要用配單數謂語動詞，其中最典型的是“many a +名詞”和“more than one +名詞”這兩個結構。如：

Many a child was playing there. 很多小孩在那兒玩。

More than one student has failed the exam. 不止一個學生考試未及格。

【即學即練】用括號內所給詞的適當形式填空：

1. The goods that you ordered _______ (have) arrived in the store.

2. The headmaster said that the teacher rather than the students _______ (be) to blame.

3. 20 kg of luggage _______ (be) the maximum we allow on the flight.

4. Some guests are already here and the rest _______ (be) coming.

5. A few people were killed in the fire, but most _______ (be) saved.

6. All the machinery in the factory _______ (be) made in China.

7. I was told that his children as well as his wife _______ (be) invited to the party.

8. Many a mother _______ (try) to act out her unrealized dreams through her daughter.

參考答案：1. have  2. was  3. is  4. are  5. were  6. is  7. were  8. tries