主谓一致(Subjectverb Agreement)
句子成分间或词语间必须在人称、数、性等方面保持一致,一致这一语言现象在日常应用及各类英语考试中出现较多,最主要的一致关系是主谓一致。
一、主谓一致的分类
1.语法一致,即主语为单数形式,谓语动词也采取单数形式;主语为复数形式,谓语动词也用复数形式。
2.意义一致,即从意义上着眼来处理主谓一致问题,也就是说有时主语形式为单数,但意义为复数,这时谓语动词视其意义采用复数形式,反之亦然。
3.就近一致,即谓语动词的人称和数往往和最靠近的词语保持一致。
二、主谓一致原则的具体应用
(一)what从句或其他名词性从句作主语时,谓语动词用单数形式
例句: All I have to do is to go to my CD shelf, or boot up my computer and download still more recorded music from iTunes.(选自2011年Text 1)
分析: 该句是复合句,其中,定语从句I have to do前省略了关系代词that,修饰先行词all,all that相当于what。
译文: 我要做的是走到我的唱片架旁,或者打开电脑从iTunes上下载更多的音乐录音。
例句: He claims to be an expert in astronomy, but in actual fact he is quite ignorant on the subject. What little he knows about it is out of date and inaccurate.(1997年第7题)
分析: but前后为一组并列句,而What little he knows about it is out of date and inaccurate是一个复合句,即主语从句,what little he knows about it在主语从句中作主语。
译文: 他声称是天文学的专家,而事实上他对该学科一窍不通。所知道的一点点也是过时的且不准确的。
例句: That these seas are being overfished has been known for years.
(选自2006年Text 3)
分析: 该句是复合句,其中主语从句的主语由That these seas are being overfished充当。
译文: 众所周知,人类在海洋里过度捕捞已经很多年了。
(二)主语后跟有由特殊连词引出的词语时,其谓语动词的单复数由主语决定
这样的连词有as well as, rather than, together with, along with, but, except, accompanied by, in addition to, including, instead of, like, more than等,有时这些词也可以置于句首。.
例句: The pollution question as well as several other issues is going to be discussed when the Congress is in session again next spring. (1996年第36题)
分析: 该句是复合句,本句中主句主语后接as well as...,谓语动词的单复数和主语一致。
译文: 明年春天再次举行的国会会议上将讨论污染及其他一些问题。
例句: Johns uncle, together with his two relatives, suggests that we (should) stay here till next weekend.
分析: 该句是复合句,suggest后的宾语从句that we (should) stay here till next weekend用虚拟语气。
译文: 约翰的叔叔还有他的两个亲戚建议我们待到下周末。
例句: Together with another two scientists, he is publishing a paper which not only suggests that one group of humanity is more intelligent than the others, but explains the process that has brought this about. (选自2008年Use of English)
分析: 该句是复合句,句子主干是he is publishing a paper,介词短语together with another two scientists作状语,表示伴随, which引导一个定语从句,修饰a paper,其中包含了not only...but(also)这一句型,that one group...than the others作suggests的宾语,that has brought this about是一个修饰the process的定语从句。
译文: 他和其他两位科学家准备一起发表一篇论文,在文章中他们不仅提出某一族群人比另一族群人更加聪明的观点,而且还解释了引起这种结果的过程。
(三)主语为a portion of(一份), a kind of, a series of等短语
该情况中谓语动词根据形式一致原理用单数形式,但如果主语为portions of, many kinds of时,谓语动词相应采用复数形式。
例句: Next year, after a series of mergers is completed, just four railroads will control well over 90 percent of all the freights moved by major rail carriers.
(选自2003年Text 3)
分析: 该句是复合句, moved by major rail carriers在主句中作定语修饰all the freights。
译文: 明年,在一系列的合并完成以后,这四家铁路公司将占主要铁路公司货运总量的90%以上。
(四)there be句型
be的单复数根据就近原则,主谓一致。.
例句: There are thirteen or more of them, and if any is missing a deficiency disease becomes apparent. (选自1996年Cloze Test)
分析: 该句是由and连接的并列句,其中and后是一个复合句。
译文: 至少有13种维生素,若缺其中一种,维生素缺乏症疾病便明显可见。
例句: There are a number of bestselling downshifting selfhelp books for people who want to simplify their lives; there are newsletters, such as The Tightwad Gazette, that give hundreds of thousands of Americans useful tips on anything from recycling their clingfilm to making their own soap; there are even support groups for those who want to achieve the mid90s equivalent of dropping out. (选自2001年Text 5)
分析: 本句由三个分句构成,在第一个分句中,定语从句who want to simplify their lives 修饰people;在第二个分句中,定语从句that give hundreds of thousands of...修饰newsletters,其中介词短语from recycling their clingfilm to...修饰anything;在第三个分句中,定语从句who want to...修饰先行词those。
译文: 对那些想要简朴生活的人,有许多畅销的关于“顺其自然”生活方式的自助书;还有像“守财奴报”之类的通讯,给数十万美国人提供包罗万象而且实用的指导,从胶卷的再利用到自己制造肥皂;甚至还有支持小组,帮助有些人实现90年代中期逃避社会现实的理想。
(五)不定式、动名词作主语,谓语动词用单数形式
例句: Blaming the permissive 1960s is nothing new, but this is not yet another criticism against the decline in education. (选自2005年Text 4)
分析: 该句是由but连接的一并列句。
译文: 将责任推卸到崇尚自由的20世纪60年代不足为奇,然而这并不是对于教育衰退的另一场批判。
例句: To take this approach to the New Englanders normally means to start with the Puritans theological innovations and their distinctive ideas about the church—important subjects that we may not neglect.(选自2009年Text 4)
分析: 该句是复合句。句子主干是to take this approach to the New Englanders normally means...,to start with...the church是不定式短语作谓语动词means的宾语,破折号后面内容作innovations和ideas的同位语,that we may not neglect是修饰subjects的定语从句。
译文: 通过这条途径来了解新英格兰人通常意味着要从清教徒的神学创新以及他们对宗教与众不同的观点开始研究——我们不能忽视这些重要课题。
(六)在not only...but also,neither...nor,either...or或者or连接的并列结构作主
语时,根据就近原则
例句: Neither rain nor snow keeps the postman from delivering our letters which we so much look forward to receiving. (1998年第12题)
分析: 该句是复合句, which we so much look forward to receiving是修饰letters的定语从句。
译文: 无论下雨或下雪都阻挡不住那个邮递员投递我们急切盼望收到的信件。.
例句: The message will be that neither the market nor the government is capable of dealing with all of their uncontrollable practices. (1998年第15题)
分析: 该句是复合句。
译文: 消息的内容将会是:无论市场还是政府都不能处理其所不能控制的行为。
(七)the+形容词/分词形容词
1. 表示一类人或一类事物时,采用语法一致原则,谓语动词用复数形式。
例句: In an odd way, however, it is the educated who have claimed to have given up an ambition as an ideal. (选自2000年Text 5)
分析: 该句是复合句,同时又是一个强调句型。其中the educated指受过教育的人,有教养的人。
译文: 然而,令人奇怪的是,正是那些受过良好教育的人宣布他们已不再把抱负当做理想。
例句: As a nurse, she has a responsibility to attend to the sick, who have no homes, no relatives here.
分析: 该句是复合句,who have no homes, no relatives here是修饰the sick的定语从句。
译文: 作为一名护士,她有责任和义务来照看那些医院里没有家也没有亲人的病人。
2. 指抽象概念时,谓语动词用单数形式。
例句: It is the true, the good and the beautiful that places a restriction on our behaviors.
分析: 该句是复合句,又是强调句型。
译文: 正是真善美对我们的言行起着约束作用。
3. the+某些个别分词形容词,如deceased, accused, 不表一类人而是指个人,谓语动词用单数。
例句: The deceased killed in the traffic accident has been taken away from the spot, at the same time, the accused causing the accident has been taken to the court.
分析: 该句是并列句,其中分词killed和causing the accident在句中分别修饰the deceased (死者)与the accused(被指控者)。
译文: 交通事故中的遇难者已被抬离现场,与此同时,导致这起交通事故的被指控者也被带到法庭。
(八)定语从句中主谓一致
1.先行词为单数或复数,谓语动词也用相应的单数或复数形式。
例句: Meanwhile, the theft of information about some 40 million credit card accounts in American, disclosed on June 17th, overshadowed a hugely important decision a day earlier by Americas Federal Trade Commission(FTC) that puts corporate America on notice that regulators will act if firms fail to provide adequate data security.
(选自2007年Text 4)
分析: 该句是复合句,主干部分为the theft...overshadowed a hugely...important decision, 分词短语disclosed on June 17th修饰the theft of information, that puts corporate America on notice是修饰decision的定语从句, that regulators will act作notice的同位语,if引导一状语从句。
译文: 与此同时,6月17日披露的消息表明,美国大约4 000万张信用卡的信息被人盗取,这一情况给美国联邦贸易委员会在前一天所做的决定蒙上了阴影。该决定极其重要,要求商业公司提供充分的数据安全,否则监管人员就采取行动。
例句: The sightseers who come by bus—and often take in Warwick Castle and Blenheim Palace on the side dont usually see the plays, and some of them are even surprised to find a theatre in Stratford. (选自2006年Text 2)
分析: 该句是并列复合句,其中主干部分为一个并列句the sightseers dont usually..., and some of them are...to find a theatre in Stratford, 定语从句who come by bus—and often take in Warwick Castle and Blenheim Palace on the side修饰the sightseers。
译文: 这些乘客坐着大巴蜂拥而至,来到了沃里克城堡及旁边的布雷恩宫殿。不过他们通常不是来看戏,有些人甚至会吃惊地发现斯特伏特竟然还有戏院。
2.先行词前有the only(very, just)等词修饰时,定语从句中谓语动词改由主句主语决定。
例句: She is the very one among the girls who comes and tells us of her drowned classmate.
分析: 该句是复合句,定语从句who comes and tells us of her drowned classmate修饰the very one。
译文: 正是这个女孩前来告诉我们她有个同学落水了。.
例句: Please refrain from your emotion, he is not the only one of the students who fails to observe the regulation of the class.
分析: 该句是由两个句子组成的,前一分句是表示建议的祈使句,后一分句中who fails to observe the regulation of the class作定语修饰the only one of the students。
译文: 不要生气,他并不是唯一没有遵守班级规定的学生。 |