“ It pours cats and dogs”means it rains heavily . 比较:
Weeping and wailing does nothing towards solving the problem . (weeping and wailing 指一回事)
Reading three classical novels and making some social investigations are assignments for the students during the holiday . (指不同性质的两件事)
7 . 一些常用作复数或只有复数形式的名词作主语时, 谓语动词用复数形式
常用的这类名词有clothes , t rousers , shorts (短裤) , scales, spectacles , effects, goods , papers, arms , greens, tongs, riches, suburbs , wages , stockings, tweezers , customs ,
gloves , compasses , binoculars, jeans , shades, calipers , flares , forceps , suspenders, belongings,
bookings , clippings , diggings, earnings , filings , sweepings , takings (收入) ,
sur roundings(环境) , doings ( 活动, 所作所为) , eaves, odds , thanks , proceeds ( 收益) , woods , winnings, savings , remains, quarters , oats, premises , rapids , grounds , assets , archives 等。scissors 偶尔可用单数谓语动词。pliers 和tongs 等用作单、复数皆可。例 如:
The eaves are dripping . 屋檐在滴水。
Riches are not always dependable . 财富无常。
The odds are that he will fail his examination . 他多半通不过这次考试。 The scales are mine . 这杆秤是我的。(间或用单数scale)
大学英语语法———讲座与测试(第二版) 771 一、主语和谓语的一致
The goods are to be exported to Canada . 这些货物要出口到加拿大。 The sightings were reported 20 years ago . 这些发现20 年前就报道过。
Note: ①若表示成双的东西的名词前面有数量词pair, 要根据pair 的单复数来确定谓语的 单数或复数形式。前有cluster, bunch , collection 等也是这种用法。例如: The scissors are on the ground . 这把剪刀在地上。
This pair o f scissors belongs to the tailor . 这把剪刀是裁缝的。 但也可说: A scissors is on the ground . 一把剪刀在地上。 A pliers is in the box . 一把钳子在盒子里。 The pliers are in the box . 这把钳子在盒子里。
A cluster o f grapes is on the table . 一串葡萄在桌子上。
Several clusters of grapes are on the table . 几串葡萄在桌子上。 Ten pair( s) of gloves are on show . 展出了10 双手套。
②5 , 000 dollars 表示一种价值, 72 degrees 表示一种温度, 像“多达5 000 美元”和“高 达72 度”这样的说法, 只能译为as much as 5 , 000 dollars 和as much ( high) as 72 degrees, 不可用as many as。
③pains(辛苦)虽为复数形式, 却不可用many 修饰, 要用great , much , a great deal of 等修饰, 谓语动词用单复数均可。例如:
Much pains has(或have) been taken to keep the plan secret .
8 . 表示时间、距离、价格、度量衡等的复数名词或短语作为一个整体看待时, 谓语动词一般
用单数形式
Fi f ty years is not a long time . 50 年并不长。
Four thousand dollars is more than she can afford . 她付不起4 000 美元。
Eighty dollars is what she needs . 她需要80 美元。( = the sum of eighty dollars)
Three days is too short a time for me to do it . 3 天时间要我做成这件事太短了。( = the period of three days)
Ten apples is enough . 10 个苹果就够了。( = Such a number of apples)
An estimated two hundred persons was killed in the battle . 在那场战斗中大约打死了 200 人。
A happy f ive days has passed like a dream . 那快乐的5 天像梦一样过去了。 The six months was a terrible dream to her . 那6 个月对她是一场噩梦。 That f irst f ive days was happy indeed . 起初5 天很愉快。
Note: 但若强调这类词组的复数意义, 谓语动词也可用复数形式。例如: Two hundred tons o f water were used last month . 上个月用了200 吨水。
The f i f ty miles were covered by the winner in three hours . 优胜者花3 小时跑完了 50 英里路程。
9 . 算式中表示数字的主语一般视为单数, 谓语动词多用单数形式
用plus 和and 表示“加”, 用minus 和less 表示“减”, 用times 表示“乘”时, 句中谓语动词
多用单数, 但也可用复数。例如:
Five plus ( and) five is( are ) ten . 5 加5 等于10。
Ten minus ( less) six leaves ( leave) four . 10 减6 等于4。 Ten times four makes (make) 40 . 10 乘4 等于40。
Note: 在用from 表示“被减”, multiplied by 表示“被乘”, into 和divided 表示“被除”时, 其
谓语动词要求用单数, 不可用复数。例如:
新/ 世/ 纪/ 英/ 语/ 丛/ 书 772 第十九讲 一 致 关 系
8 f rom 10 leaves 2 . 10 减8 等于2。
25 divided by 5 equals 5 . 25 除以5 等于5。 Two into eight goes four . 2 除8 得4。
5 multiplied by 8 equals 40 . 5 乘8 等于40。
10 . 以-ics 结尾的学科名词和疾病名词如optics(光学) , acoustics( 声学) , electronics, mechanics(
力学) , classics, linguistics, plastics, tactics, statistics, economics, measles( 麻
疹) , diabetes(糖尿病) , mumps( 腮腺炎) , shingles( 带状疱疹) , AIDS, mathematics, physics, ethics(伦理学) , politics 等, 作为学科或疾病名称时, 是单数名词, 谓语动词用 单数形式; 而如果转义表示具体实践活动、性能、现象等, 则是复数名词, 谓语动词用复 数形式
Mathematics seems to be difficult to him . 数学在他看来似乎很难。
His politics are very radical . 他的政治观点很激进。
The acoustics are imported from abroad . 这些音响设备是从国外进口的。 Statistics in his report are not accurate . 他报告中的统计数字不确切。 Tactics di f f ers from strategy . 战术与战略不同. His tactics are successful . 他的战术行动是成功的。
Athletics is recommended for the old . 老年人应参加运动。
Athletics include all kinds of sports, such as rowing and running . 运动包括各种竞技, 如划船和赛跑。
Economics is a study of production and consumption . 经济学研究的是生产与消费。 The economics in this country are stable . 这个国家的经济稳定。 Note: 个别疾病名词用单数或复数皆可。例如:
Mumps is(或are) fairly rare here . 腮腺炎在这里相当罕见。 11 .“the+ 形容词”作主语, 谓语动词用单数还是用复数 1)泛指一类人时, 谓语动词用复数形式
这类词有the poor, the rich , the deaf, the brave, the dead, the dumb, the old, the
young , the sick, the innocent(无知的人, 无辜的人) , the guilty(有罪的人) , the wise, the living(活着的人) , the unemployed(失业者) , the injured , the wounded , the strong(强者) , the weak(弱者) , the learned(有学问的人) , the aged(老人) , the down-trodden(受蹂躏的 人) , the oppressed(受压迫者) , the dying(快死的人) , the exploited(被剥削者) , the able bodied(身强力壮的人) , the mentally ill (精神病患者) , the deceased( 死者) , the bereaved (丧失亲人的人) , the beloved(心爱的人) , the departed(死者) , the assured(被保险人) , the pure in heart(心地纯洁的人)等。例如:
The old are well looked after by the government . 政府对老年人照顾得很好。 The living mourn for the dead . 生者哀悼死者。
The wise are perceptive men . 聪明人是有洞察力的人。 The good are happy . 善者长乐。
The op pressed are to rise one day . 受压迫者总有一天会反抗。 The walking wounded were left behind . 轻伤员被留在了后面。 The enemy abandoned their wounded . 敌人丢下了伤员。
2)指个别人时, 要看作单数, 谓语动词用单数形式。参见第一章。比较: His intended is a pretty girl . 他的未婚妻是个漂亮女孩。 The dead was about thirty years of age . 死者30 岁左右。
大学英语语法———讲座与测试(第二版) 773 一、主语和谓语的一致
The accused was found guilty . 那个被告被证明有罪。
Several o f the accused were found guilty . 几个被告被证明有罪。 The bereaved was full of grief for his dead wife . 失妻者痛失良妻。
The bereaved were full of grief for their dead children . 丧失孩子的父母们为死去的孩 子而哀痛。
The beloved is forever in his heart . 被爱的人永远在他心中。(一个) The beloved are forever in his hear t . 被爱的人永远在他心中。(多个)
The deceased has left nothing to his children . 死者没给他的孩子留下任何东西。(一人) The deceased have left nothing to their children . 死者没有给他们的孩子留下任何东
西。(多个)
The departed is gone forever . 逝者长已矣。(一人) The departed are gone forever . 逝者长已矣。(多人)
The assured has not been paid . 被保险者没有得到赔偿。(一人) The assured have not been paid . 被保险者没有得到赔偿。(多人) The condemned was sentenced to death . 犯人被判了死刑。(一人) The condemned were sentenced to death . 犯人被判了死刑。(多人)
3)以-sh, -ch 和-ese 等结尾的表示民族和国籍的名词, 表示总称, 谓语动词用复数形式 这类词有the Chinese, the English , the British (英国人) , the Spanish (西班牙人) , the Russian(俄国人) , the French(法国人) , the Swedish(瑞典人) , the Polish(波兰人) , the Dutch(荷兰人) , the Danish (丹麦人) , the Japanese ( 日本人) , the Portuguese ( 葡萄牙 人) , the Turkish(土耳其人) , the Welsh(威尔士人) , the I rish(爱尔兰人) , the Congolese (刚果人)等。例如:
The English are a little conservative . 英国人有点保守。 The Chinese is hard-working . (误)
The Chinese are hard-working . (正)中国人勤劳。
Note: ①Swiss 和Chinese 等指国人时单复数形式相同, 如a Swiss, two Swiss, a Chinese, two Chinese; 但Swede(瑞典人)和Jew(犹太人)指国人时有单复数变化, 如: a Swede, two Swedes, a Jew, two Jews。
②Jewish 是形容词, 意为“犹太人的, 具有犹太人特点的”, 表示犹太民族要用the Jews(注意下面泛指全体和指个别成员的不同用语) the British 英国人
two Britons 两个英国人 the Irish 爱尔兰人
two Irishmen 两个爱尔兰人 the Spanish 西班牙人
two Spaniards 两个西班牙人 the French 法国人
two Frenchmen 两个法国人
4)表示不可数的事物或抽象概念时, 谓语动词用单数形式
这类词有the worst (最坏的情况) , the latest ( 最新情况) , the smooth ( 好事) , the unknown(
未知的事) , the rough(难事) , the foreign(外国的事情) , the unreal (不真实的事
物) , the exciting(令人激动的事) , the lovely(漂亮的东西) , the mystical(神秘的事物) , the good(善) , the evil(恶) , the beautiful(美) , the ugly(丑) , the t rue(真) , the false(假) , the ridiculous(荒谬) , the sentimental(多愁善感) , the supernatural(超自然)。例如: The agreeable is not always the useful . 好看的不一定实用。 The beauti f ul is the ideal of life . 美是生活的理想境界。
The true looks less attractive than the false . 真往往不如假那么迷人。
新/ 世/ 纪/ 英/ 语/ 丛/ 书 774 第十九讲 一 致 关 系
The white of an egg is full of protein . 蛋白的蛋白质丰富。
The mystical (神秘的东西) and supernatural(超自然的东西) in literature appeals to some people .
The unknown(未知的事物) is bound to come . The very best (最好的结果) is yet to come .
12. 某些企业、航空公司、俱乐部、球队等带有集体意义的专有名词作主语时, 谓语动词通常
用复数形式
John Ling and Son Ltd . announce the completion of the long-distance motorway . Air Canada are now being modernized .
Scotland(苏格兰队) are playing England in a football match next week .
13. 以-s 结尾的游戏名词, 如billiards, bowls, darts, dominoes, draughts, fives, ninepins(九 柱戏) , checkers(跳棋)等, 作主语时, 谓语动词一般用单数形式 Billiards(台球) is his favorite recreation .
Fives(手球) has continued to be played by the hand . Is draughts(跳棋) a game for two ? .. 但: Cards are allowed here .
14 .“a number of + 复数名词”的中心词是短语中的名词, 故谓语动词用复数形式; 而“the number of + 名词”的中心词是number, 故谓语动词用单数形式 A number of students were absent yesterday . 许多学生昨天缺席。
The number of pages in this book is nine hundred . 本书的页数是900。 比较:
A total of fifty thousand trees are planted this spring . 今年春天总共植了五万棵树。 The total o f trees planted this spring is about fifty thousand . 今年春天植树的总数大 约是五万棵。
An average of five books are read each month . 平均每月读五本书。
The average of books read is five each month . 每月读书的平均数是五本。
Note: 下面的短语作主语时, 谓语动词用复数: a majority of people(许多人) , a variety of colours(各种各样的颜色) , a sea of faces(人山人海) , a flood of resources(无数的 财富) , a mountain of grain bags(堆积如山的粮袋) , a rain of bombs(雨点般的炸 弹) , a storm of locusts(肆虐的蝗虫) , a trickle of customers(川流不息的顾客)。
15 . 表示数量的one and a half 后面一般要接复数名词, 作主语时谓语动词用单数形式 One and a hal f bananas is left on the table . 一根半香蕉剩在桌子上。( = a banana and a half)
One and a hal f dollars was spent on sugar . 花了1 .5 美元买糖。( = one dollar and a half)
It is one and a hal f meters long . 它一米半长。