分項語法之十三：主謂一致

1、AgreementWang Jin XiangContentsABCDiscussion on the examples based on the TEM-4Three principles guiding subject-verb concordExercises for subject-verb concord Discussion on the examples based on the TEM-42014.54：WhichofthefollowingsentencesisINCORRECT?A.Physicsisanimportantschoolsubject.B.TheNiagara

2、FallsisinNorthAmerica.C.TheUnitedStatesbordersCanada.D.Mumpsisakindofinfectiousdisease. Discussion on the examples based on the TEM-42013.59：WhichofthefollowingsentencesisgrammaticallyINCORRECT?A.Politicsaretheartorscienceofgovernment.B.Tenmilesseemslikealongwalktome.C.Mumpsisakindofinfectiousdiseas

3、e.D.Allthefurniturehasarrivedundamaged. Discussion on the examples based on the TEM-42012.51：WhichofthefollowingsentencesisINCORRECT?A.Twentymilesseemslikealongwalktohim.B.Nooneexcepthissupportersagreewithhim.C.NeitherJulianorIweregoingtotheparty.D.Fewstudentsinmyclassarereallylazy. Discussion on th

4、e examples based on the TEM-42012.65：WhichofthefollowingsentencesisINCORRECT?A.Poultryareveryexpensiveinthecity.B.Newmachinerywereintroducedinthefactory.C.Thepoliceareinvestigatingthemurdercase.D.Themilitiawerecalledouttorescuefloodvictims. Discussion on the examples based on the TEM-42007.52： Allth

5、ePresidentsMen_oneoftheimportantbooksforhistorianswhostudytheWatergateScandal.A.remainB.remainsC.remainedD.isremaining Discussion on the examples based on the TEM-42006.62：Thestatistics_thatlivingstandardsintheareahaveimproveddrasticallyinrecenttimes.A.provesB.isprovingC.areprovingD.prove Discussion

6、 on the examples based on the TEM-42004.61：Mr.Wells,togetherwithallthemembersofhisfamily,_forEuropethisafternoon.A.aretoleaveB.areleavingC.isleavingD.leave Discussion on the examples based on the TEM-4 Agreement in TEM-4 nation/organizationas singularsubject/diseaseas singulartime/money/distanceas s

7、ingularnounsending in-s geographical nameas plural notionallysingularart/literatureas singular collective/proper nounsdeterminerbased: kind/pair the principle of grammatical concord the principle of notional concord the principle of proximityThree principles guiding subject-verb concordIf the subjec

8、t is plural, the verb should take the plural form.e.g. The boys each have their own room.If the subject is singular or a mass noun, the verb should take the singular form. e.g. When heated, water turns into vapor. the principle of grammatical concordThe verb can agree with the subject according to t

9、he notion of number in spite of the actual form of the subject.If the reference of the subject is singular, the verb takes the singular form. If the reference of subject is plural, the verb takes the plural form.e.g. 1. All was contrary to her expectation. 2. All but one were here just now.3. The te

10、am have had their dinner. 4. Ten thousand dollars is enough for a car. the principle of notional concordThe verb agrees with a preceding noun phrase which is closest to it, instead of agreeing with the head of the noun phrase that functions as the subject .e.g. 1. Either he or I am going.2. No one e

11、xcept the two girls were crying.3. One out of five students are from Zhejiang.4. A man of abilities are needed. the principle of proximity16 Problems of concord with nouns ending in sTherearequiteafewnounsthatendins butwhicharenotcountable.Someofthesenounsaretreatedassingular,someasplural,andsomeeit

12、herassingularorasplural.Allthiscanbedealtwithunderthefollowingheadings.17 Problems of concord with nouns ending in sA) Disease and game names ending in sNamesofdiseaseendinginsaremostlytreatedassingular.Gamenamesendinginsaregenerallyusedassingularwiththeexceptionof“cards”,whichisusuallytreatedasplur

13、al.B) Subject names ending in icsNamesofsubjectsendinginics aregenerallysingularnouns,butsomesuchnounsaretreatedaspluralwhenusedinothersensesthansubjectnames.18 Problems of concord with nouns ending in s e.g.1. Economics(經(jīng)濟學經(jīng)濟學) is a required course for all the students. 2. The economics(經(jīng)濟情況經(jīng)濟情況) o

14、f the project are still being considered.C) Geographical names ending in sGeographicalnamessuchasthenameofarchipelagos(群島),mountainranges,straitsandfallsaregenerallyusedasplural,exceptforafewtreatedassingularwhenusedascountrynames,eg:19Problems of concord with nouns ending in se.g.1. The Tai Wan Str

15、aits have not lost their strategic importance.2. In early January 1976, the Netherlands was hit by its worst storm since 1953. D) Other nouns ending in sNamesforthingsmadeoftwopartssuchasscissors(剪刀), pincers(鉗子),etc.areusuallyusedasplural.Butwhentheyareprecededbysuchunitnounsasa pair ofortwo pairs

16、of,thenumberformofthefollowingverbisgenerallydeterminedbythenumbermarkeroftheunitnoun.20.Problems of concord with nouns ending in sNounsusuallytakingpluralendingssuchasarchives,armsandclothes aregenerallyusedasplural.Nounsendinginingssuchasclippings, diggings, findings, surroundings, etc.aregenerall

17、yusedasplural.Therearealsonounssuchasbarracksandheadquarterswhosesingularandpluralnumbersharethesameform.Thesenounsaretreatedaspluralwhenusedinthepluralsense,orviceversa.21 Problems of concord with collective nouns as subjectCollectivenounsaresingularinformbutpluralinmeaning.Thechoicebetweengrammati

18、calandnotionalconcordismostlydictated(支配)byusage.A) Collective nouns usually used as pluralTheseincludepeople,police, cattle, militia, poultry, vermin(害蟲,歹徒), folk, youth, crew, staff, etc.e.g.1. The Chinese people are great people. 2. Domestic cattle provide us with milk, beef and hides.22 Problems

19、 of concord with collective nouns as subjectB)Collective nouns usually used as singularTheseincludemachinery, equipment, furniture, merchandise,etc:e.g.1. All the merchandise has arrived undamaged. 2. All the machinery in the factory is made in China.C) Collective nouns used either as plural or as s

20、ingular Therearecollectivenounsthatcanbeusedeitheraspluralorassingular.Thechoiceoftheverbformfollowingsuchnounsdependsontheexactmeaningofthenouninaspecificcontext.23Problems of concord with collective nouns as subjectWhenthenounisusedinthesenseofacollectiveasawhole,theverbtakesthesingularform.If,ont

21、heotherhand,thenounisusedinthesenseoftheindividualsthatmakethecollective,theverbtakesthepluralform.e.g.1. The committee is to make its report. 2. The committee are divided in opinion. 3. That group is the best fighting unit. 4. That group are really hardworking.24 Problems of concord with collective

22、 nouns as subjectD)A committee of, etc + plural nounWhenapluralnounisprecededbya committee of / a board of / a panel of,theverbusuallytakesthesingularform,e.g.1. The board of directors is responsible for the management of the company. 2. A committee of five men and three women is to consider the mat

23、ter. 25Problems of concord with a coordinate subjectThefollowingrulesaretobeobservedinthecaseofacoordinatesubject.A) Coordination with “and” or “both and”Coordinationby“and”or“both and”isusuallytreatedaspluralwhenitreferstotwoormorethantwopersons/things,butitistreatedassingularwhenitreferstoonlyonep

24、ersonorthing.e.g.1. Both Pauline and Bob have gone fishing. 2. Rain, hail and wind have caused damage. 3. The secretary and treasurer(出納員出納員) was absent from the meeting. 4. Ham and eggs is a good breakfast.26 Problems of concord with a coordinate subjectB) Coordination with “or” / “either or”, “nor

25、”/ “neither nor”, “not only but also”Heretheproblemofconcordisgenerallydealtwithaccordingtotheprincipleofproximity.e.g.1. Neither you nor I am wrong.2. Either Jim or his parents have been there. 3. Not only his parents but also Jim himself has been there.27Problems of concord with expressions of qua

26、ntity as subjectQuantitativeexpressionfallintotwocategories:definiteandindefinite.A) Concord with expression of definite quantity as subjectWhenadefinitequantityisasingleunit,theverbtakesthesingularfromandwhenusedinthesenseoftheindividualsthatconstitutethequantity,theverbtakesthepluralform.e.g.1.Fif

27、ty dollars is not a big deal. 2. There were six silver dollars in each of the stockings.28Problems of concord with expressions of quantity as subjectIfthesubjectis“a fraction /percentage+of-phrase”,theformoftheverbisdeterminedbythenounintheof-phrase.Apluralnounintheof-phraserequiresapluralverb;asing

28、ularoramassnounintheof-phraseistobefollowedbyasingularverb.e.g.1.Over 60% of the city was destroyed in the war. 2. Two thirds of the swampland has been reclaimed for farming. 3. Nearly 50% of the doctors are women.29Problems of concord with expressions of quantity as subjectIfthesubjectisanexpressio

29、nof“A plus / and B”or“A multiplied by B”,theverbcaneithertakethesingularorthepluralform.If,ontheotherhand,thesubjectisoneof“A minus B”or“A divided by B”,theverbcanonlybesingular,e.g.1.Seven plus / and five (7 + 5) makes / make twelve. 2. Forty minus fifteen (40 15) leaves twenty-five. 3. Five times

30、eight (5 x 8) is / are forty. 4. Forty divided by eight (40 / 8) is five.30 Problems of concord with expressions of quantity as subjectIfthesubjectisanounphrasecomposedof“many a+noun”or“more than one +noun”,thiskindofnounphrase,thoughnotionallyplural,istreatedassingular:e.g. 1. Many a man has done h

31、is duty. 2. More than one game was lost.Ifthesubjectisapluralnounprecededby“an average of /a majority of”,theverbformisdeterminedbythenotionofthenounphrase.e.g. 1. An average of 25 applications a month is not unusual. 2. An average of 25 persons apply each month.31Other problems of subject-verb conc

32、ordThereareotherproblemsofsubject-verbconcordthatareworthmentioning.A) Problems of concord with a nominal clause as subjectWhenthesubjectisanominalclauseintroducedbywhat, who, which, how, why, whether,etc,theverbusuallytakesthesingularform.Butwhentwoormoresuchclausesarecoordinatedbyandorboth and,apl

33、uralverbisrequired.e.g. 1. What caused the accident is a complete mystery. 2. What caused the accident and who was responsible for it remain a mystery to us.32 Other problems of subject-verb concordB) Subject-verb concord with a non-finite clause as subjectWhenthesubjectisanon-finiteclause,theverbof

34、themainclauseusuallytakesthesingularform.Butwhentwoormoresuchclausesarecoordinatedby and,theverbofthemainclausetakesthesingularformwhenthesubjectreferstoonething,andthepluralformwhenthesubjectreferstoseparatethings.e.g. 1. To study English grammar requires patience. 2. Learning and teaching are some

35、times the same.33Other problems of subject-verb concordC)Subject-verbconcordinrelativeclausesIntheconstructionof“one of + plural noun + relative clause”,theprincipleofgrammaticalconcordisgenerallyobserved.Sometimes,especiallyinBritishEnglish,inordertolayemphasison“one”,theverbcanalsotakethesingularf

36、orm.When“one”isprecededby“the”or“theonly”,theverbcanonlybesingular.e.g. 1. Joan is one of those people who go out of their way to be helpful. 2. Keves is the only one of the players who has learned all the rules.34 Other problems of subject-verb concordD) Subject-verb concord in cleft-sentencesIncle

37、ft-sentences,subject-verbconcordinthat-/ who-clauseisgenerallydeterminedbythenumberofthefocalelementfunctioningassubjectintheclause.Thereisonepointthatshouldbenoted:whenthefocalelementis“I”,theverb“tobe”inthefollowingwho- / that-clauseusuallyagreeswith“I”inbothpersonandnumber;if,ontheotherhand,thefo

38、calelementis“me”insteadof“I”,theverb“tobe”inthefollowingwho- / that-clauseshouldtakethethirdpersonsingularnumber.e.g. 1.It is I who am to blame. 2. It is me that is to blame. 35ConclusionSomuchforsubject-verbconcord.Guidingprinciples,Problemsofconcordwithnouns,withcollectivenounsassubject,withacoord

39、inatesubject,withexpressionsofquantityassubject,andotherproblemsofsubject-verbconcordhasbeendiscussedinthislecture.NowletsdosomeexercisesExercises:36v_grazingonthehillside.A.ThecattleswereB.ThecattlewasC.AcattlewasD.Thecattlewere(有些名詞形式上是單數(shù)有些名詞形式上是單數(shù), 卻表示復數(shù)概念。卻表示復數(shù)概念。)vThepublic_requirednottoleaveli

40、tterinthesewoods.A.areB.isC.wasD.were(集合名詞在句中強調(diào)集體概念時，謂語用單數(shù)；強調(diào)個體的單獨行為時，集合名詞在句中強調(diào)集體概念時，謂語用單數(shù)；強調(diào)個體的單獨行為時，謂語動詞用復數(shù)。集合名詞有：謂語動詞用復數(shù)。集合名詞有：class, club, committee, company ,congress, couple, crowd, family, government, group, majority, minority, organization, population, public, team, etc.)vStatistics_thatthep

41、opulationofthiscountrywillbedoubledintenyearstime.A.suggestsB.suggestedC.suggestD.willsuggest (statistics 作作“統(tǒng)計學統(tǒng)計學”解時解時, 謂語動詞用單數(shù)謂語動詞用單數(shù),作作“統(tǒng)計數(shù)字統(tǒng)計數(shù)字”解時解時, 謂謂語動詞用復數(shù)。語動詞用復數(shù)。)37vEverymeans_triedbutwithoutmuchresult.A.hasbeenB.havebeenC.isD.arevHiscolored-spectacles_somespecialfunctioninhisjob.A.hasB.ha

42、sbeenC.haveD.havehadvThispairofscissors_dull.A.areB.isC.wasD.werevMan,nolessthanthelowerformsoflife,_theproductoftheevolution.(動物和人一樣動物和人一樣, 是進化的產(chǎn)物。是進化的產(chǎn)物。)A.isB.wasC.areD.were38( 謂語動詞前的介詞短語或分詞短語不看作主語的組成部分。下列詞或謂語動詞前的介詞短語或分詞短語不看作主語的組成部分。下列詞或詞組連接的名詞做主語時，動詞的數(shù)與主語的第一部分保持一致，詞組連接的名詞做主語時，動詞的數(shù)與主語的第一部分保持一致，因為這些詞或詞組并非并列連詞，而是介詞或分詞等。這類詞與有：因為這些詞或詞組并非并列連詞，而是介詞或分詞等。這類詞與有：companied by , along with，ap