五 指代意義決定謂語的單復(fù)數(shù)
1) 在代詞what, which, who, none, some, any, more, most, all等詞的單復(fù)數(shù)由其指代的詞的單復(fù)數(shù)決定。
All is right. (一切順利。)
All are present.(所有人都到齊了。)
2) 集體名詞作主語時(shí),謂語的數(shù)要根據(jù)主語的意思來決定。如family, audience, crew, crowd, class, company, committee等詞后用復(fù)數(shù)形式時(shí),意為這個(gè)集體中的各個(gè)成員,用單數(shù)時(shí)表示該個(gè)集體。
His family isn’t very large.他家不是一個(gè)大家庭。
His family are music lovers. 他的家人都是音樂愛好者。
但集合名詞people, police, cattle, poultry等在任何情況下都用復(fù)數(shù)形式。
Are there any police around?
3)有些名詞,如variety, number, population, proportion, majority 等有時(shí)看作單數(shù),有時(shí)看作復(fù)數(shù)。
A number of +名詞復(fù)數(shù)+復(fù)數(shù)動(dòng)詞。
The number of +名詞復(fù)數(shù)+單數(shù)動(dòng)詞。
A number of books have lent out.
The majority of the students like English.
六 與后接名詞或代詞保持一致
1) 用half of, part of, most of, a portion of 等詞引起主語時(shí),動(dòng)詞通常與of后面的名詞,代詞保持一致。
Most of his money is spent on books.
Most of the students are taking an active part in sports.
2) 在一些短語,如 many a 或 more than one 所修飾的詞作主語時(shí),謂語動(dòng)詞多用單數(shù)形式。但由more than… of 作主語時(shí),動(dòng)詞應(yīng)與其后的名詞或代詞保持一致。
Many a person has read the novel. 許多人都讀過這本書。
More than 60 percent of the students are from the city.百分之六十多的學(xué)生都來自這個(gè)城市。