基本概念
1、定义：所谓“主谓一致”，就是指谓语在人称和数上必须受主语的人称和数的支配。这是英语和汉语在构句里的又一迥异之处。
2、主谓一致的种类：
⑴ 语法形式上的一致
主语为单数形式，谓语动词用单数形式；主语为复数形式，谓语动词为复数形式。如：
I often help him and he often helps me. 我经常帮助他，他经常帮助我。
We often help each other and learn from each other.我们经常互相帮助，互相学习。
⑵ 意义上的一致
a.主语形式虽为单数，但意义为复数，谓语动词用复数。如：
The crowd were surrounding the government official. 人群包围住了这位政府官员。
单数形式代表复数内容的词有：people, police, cattle等。如：
The Chinese people are brave and hard-working. 中国人民勇敢而又勤劳。
b.主语形式为复数，而意义上却是单数，谓语动词用单数。如：
Great Expectations was written by Charles Dickens in 1860. 《远大前程》是查尔斯?狄更斯1860年所著。
形复意单的单词有：news，works 和一些以s结尾的书名、组织机构的名称（如：“The Selected Poems of Li Bai”，the United States, the United Nations）以及以ics结尾的学科名称（如：physics，politics，maths，economics等）。
⑶ 就近原则
就近原则即谓语动词的单、复数形式取决于最靠近它的词语。
a. 并列主语用连词or, either…or, neither…nor, not only…but also等连接，谓语应同相邻的主语保持人称和数的一致。如：
Not only the students but also the teacher enjoys listening to the music.
不仅学生而且这位老师也喜欢听这种音乐。
Are either you or he wrong? 要么是你错，要么是他错吗？
b. 在there be 表存在的句式中，主语是两个或多个名词（短语）的并列时，be 的形式与最前边的一个名词（短语）一致。如：
There is a pen, two knives and several books on the table.
? There are two knives, a pen and several books on the table.桌子上有一支钢笔、两把小刀和几本书。
C. 副词或介词短语在句首的倒装句中，必须认准哪是主语。如：
Between the two buildings stands a monument. 两幢楼之间耸立着一块纪念碑。
On the ship were over 2,200 people. More than 1,500 people lost their lives. Among those was the young woman. 船上有2,2001人, 1,500多人丧生，这位年轻妇女也在其中。
重点疑难
名词作主语
1、某些集体名词，如family, team等作主语时，如果作为一个整体看待，谓语动词用单数形式，如果就其中一个个成员而言，谓语动词用复数形式。如：
My family is large. 我的家庭是个大家庭。 （看作一整体）
My family all like music. 我的家人都喜欢音乐。 （指家庭中一个个成员之和）
属于这类的集体名词还有：audience, class, club, company, crew, crowd, group, government,party, public, staff 等。
名词population一词的使用情况类似。如：
The population of the earth is increasing very fast. 地球上的人口数增长很快 。
One third of the population in this country enjoy drinking coffee. 这国三分之二的人喜欢喝咖啡。
“a group(crowd) of＋复数名词”等短语之后的谓语动词也同样可用单数或复数，前者强调整体，后者强调各个部分。
2、单、复数同形的名词作主语时，按意义一致的原则。作单数意义时，谓语动词用单数，反之，谓语动词用复数。这类名词有：sheep, fish, deer, means(方法), works(工厂), Chinese, Japanese等。如：
Every means has been tried out without much result.每一种方法都试过了却没什么结果。
All means have been tried out without much result. 所有方法都试过了却没什么结果。
This shoe works was set up in 1980. 这家鞋厂建于1980年。
Those shoe works were all set up in 1980. 这些鞋厂都建于1980年。
当它们前面有a, such a, this, that修饰时，谓语用单数；有all, such, these, those修饰时，谓语用复数。
3、名词所有格之后的名词被省略，这种情况一般指商店、工场、住宅等，作主语时，谓语动词一般用单数。如：
My doctor′s is not far from my home. 我的家庭医生诊所离我家不远。
My uncle′s is just across the street. 我叔叔家在街对面。
常见的省略名词有：the baker′s, the barber′s, the carpenter′s, the Smith′s 等等。
表示店铺的名词一般作集体名词看待，但作主语时，谓语动词常常用复数。如：
Richardson′s have a lot of goods to sell. Richardson的店里有许多货可卖。
4、当名词词组中心词为表示度量、距离、金额、时间等复数名词时，往往可以根据意义一致的原则，把这些复数名词看作一个整体，谓语动词用单数形式。如：
Two hours is enough for me to finish the work. 两小时对我来说完成这项工作足够了。
Two hundred dollars gives Jack much help. 两百美元帮了Jack大忙。
5、如果主语有more than one… 或many a…构成，尽管从意义上看是复数内容，但它的谓语动词仍然用单数形式。如：
More than one comrade has asked to stay. 不止一位同志已经要求留下。
Many a passenger was killed in the accident. 许多乘客在这一次事故中丧生。
但是“more＋复数名词＋than one”结构及“more than one hundred＋复数名词”结构之后，谓语动词一般用复数形式。如：
More members than one are against your plan. 不止一位成员反对你的计划。
６、不定代词each, every, no所修饰的名词及each…and each…, every…and every…, no…and no…, many a …and many a…结构作主语时，谓语动词仍用单数形式。如：
Every man and every woman is at work. 所有男的和女的都在工作。
Many a desk and many a bench is to be taken out of the hall. 许多课桌和凳子将被搬出大厅。
７、表示成双成套的名词，如：chopsticks (筷子), compasses, clothes, glasses, jeans, scissors, shoes, socks, trousers等，作主语时，谓语动词通常用复数形式；但如与a kind of, a pair of, the pair of, a series of 连用，作主语时，谓语动词用单数形式。如：
The trousers are in the drawer. 裤子在抽屉里。
There is a pair of shoes under the bed. 有一双鞋在床下。
The pair of shoes is rather expensive. 这双袜子很贵。
８、this kind of book ? a book of this kind （这种书），其谓语动词用单数；短语this kind of books? books of this kind? these kind of books（口语）（这类书），但this kind of books作主语时，谓语动词用单数；books of this kind 和these kind of books作主语时，谓语动词用复数。all/these kinds of 后跟复数名词，谓语动词用复数形式。如：
This kind of books is very popular with young people. 这类书很受年轻人欢迎。
Books of this kind are very popular with young people.这类书很受年轻人欢迎。
These kind of parties are dangerous. 这类政党很危险。
All kinds of flowers have come out in the valley. 山谷里各种各样的花已竞相开放。
９、如果名词词组的中心词是all, most, rest, some, neither, none, no等词，所指是复数意义，谓语动词用复数形式；反之用单数。如：
Some of the pigeons have been missing. 一些鸽子已经不见了。
Some of the ice has melted so far. 迄今已有一些冰融化掉了。
All of the water in the area has been seriously polluted. 这地区所有的水都已受严重污染。
All of the books have been sold out. 所有的书都已被卖完了。
None of us have been there. 我们没人去过那里。
None of the stolen money has been found yet. 被偷的钱至今一点也未找到。
The rest of the students are watering trees. 其余的学生正在浇树。
The rest of the wine has gone bad. 剩下的酒已经变质了。
B. 由连接词连接的名词作主语
1、用and或both…and连接并列主语，表示不同概念，谓语动词常用复数。如：
You and he both stand up. 你和他都站了起来。
Water and air are both important. 水和空气都很重要。
Time and tide wait for no man. 岁月不待人。
但并列结构充当主语表示整体概念时，即指的是同一人，同一事物或同一概念，谓语动词用单数形式，这时and后面的名词没有冠词。
英语中并列结构表示整体概念的有：
⑴ 相关名词并列表示整体概念。如：
iron and steel 钢铁 law and order 治安 bread and butter 黄油面包
⑵ 配套事物。如：
a watch and chain 一块带链的表 a needle and thread针线 a coat and tie配有领带的上衣
A knife and fork is needed for a western meal. 吃西餐时要用刀和叉。
The cart and horse is coming. 马车来了。
⑶ 表示兼职或有多个称呼的人。如：
the worker and poet 这位工人兼诗人
The writer and teacher is speaking at the meeting. 这位教师兼作家正在会上发言。
⑷ 两个完全重合的概念并列。如：
aim and end 目的 truth and honesty 真诚
capacity and efficiency 效能 love and affection 情感
To love and to be loved is the great happiness. 爱与被爱是幸福。
Going to bed early and getting up early is a good habit. 早睡早起是好习惯。
2、当主语后面跟有as well as, as much as, no less than, along with, with, like, rather than, together with, but, except, besides, including, in addition to等引导的词组时，其谓语动词的单、复数按主语的单、复数而定。如：
Your father as well as you is very kind to me. 不仅你而且你的父亲对我都非常好。
He, like you and Xiao Li, is very clever. 他象你和小李一样非常聪明。
Mr Robbins, together with his wife and children, is leaving London for Paris. Robbins先生明天将和妻子和孩子离开伦敦去巴黎。
C. 代词作主语
1、名词性物主代词作主语时，根据它所替代的是单数还是复数来确定谓语动词的单、复数。如：
Theirs (their classroom) is a big classroom. 他们的教室是一个大教室。
Your trousers are black and mine are brown. 你的裤子是黑色的，我的是棕色的。
2、such, the same起指示代词作用，应根据其所指的内容来确定单、复数。如：
Such is our plan. 这就是我们的计划。Such are my hopes. 这些就是我的愿望。
3、关系代词which, who, that在定语从句中作主语时，其谓语动词的数应与其前的先行词的数保持一致。如：
Those who want to go should sign your names here. 那些想去的人在这儿签上你们的名字。
He is one of the students who are good at maths. 他是那些擅长数学的学生中的一位。
He is the only one of the children who often speaks ill of others behind their backs. 他是这些孩子中唯一经常在背后讲别人坏话的人。
4、疑问代词who, what, which作主语时，谓语动词可以根据说话人所要表达的意思决定单、复数。如：
Who lives next door? It′s Xiao Liu.
Who live next door? It′s Zhang and Liu.
5、不定代词any, either, neither,none, all, some, more等作主语时，有以下两种情况：
单独作主语，视其在文中的意义，动词可用单数或复数形式。例如：
Now all has been changed. All are present at the meeting.
either, neither单独作主语，谓语通常用单数。
但是后接of时，若of的宾语为不可数名词，谓语动词当然用单数形式，若of的宾语为复数名词或代词时，动词可以是单数，也可以是复数，在正式文体中，单数形式的动词更为常用。如：
Do (Does) any of them know English? 他们中有人懂英语吗？
None of them like (likes) football. 他们中没人喜欢足球。
D. 分数、量词作主语
1、“分数或百分数＋of＋名词”构成的短语及由“a lot of, lots of, plenty of, half of, a heap of, heaps of ＋名词”构成的短语作主语时，谓语动词的数与短语中of后面的名词的数保持一致。如：
More than 70 percent of the surface of ouor planet is covered by water. 我们星球的表面百分之七十多都被水覆盖着。
One third of the students are girls in our group. 我们队三分之一的学生是女生。
注意： a large quantity of 修饰可数名词或不可数名词，其短语作主语，谓语动词用单数，而(large) quantities of修饰可数名词或不可数名词，其短语作主语，谓语动词一般用复数。如：
A large quantity of people is needed here. 这儿需要大批人。
Large quantities of food have rotten away. 大量食物都已经腐烂了。
短语in quantity, in large quanities意为“大量的”；in small quantities意为“少量的”。
2、a great deal of/ a large amount of修饰不可数名词，其短语作主语时，谓语动词用单数形式，但large amounts of 修饰不可数名词，其短语作主语时，谓语动词常用复数形式。如：
A great deal of rice was taken from the country to the city by railway. 很多大米通过铁路从乡下运往城市。
Large amounts of money were spent on the bridge. 许多前都花在这座桥的建设上了。
3、a number of＋复数名词作主语，谓语动词用复数：the number of＋复数名词作主语，谓语动词用单数。如：
A number of students are going for a picnic this weekend. 这个周末许多学生将去野炊。
The number of days in February this year is 28. 今年二月份的天数是二十八天。
4、one and a half后，名词要用复数形式，但其短语作主语时，谓语动词用单数形式。如：
One and a half bananas has been eaten by the child. 这孩子已经吃了一根半香蕉。
5、half of, (a) part of修饰可数名词单数及不可数名词作主语时，谓语动词用单数，修饰可数名词复数作主语时，谓语动词用复数。如：
Half of the building is finished. 这幢大楼已经建了一半。
Part of the glasses in the store are made in Suzhou. 店里部分玻璃杯是苏州产的。
E. 名词化的形容词作主语
“the＋形容词（或过去分词或现在分词）”如：the brave, the poor, the rich, the blind, the young, the old, the sick, the wounded, the injured, the unemployed, the dying, the living 等结构担任主语表示一类人时，谓语动词常用复数形式；但也有少数的形容词或过去分词与定冠词连用指个别或表示抽象的概念时，谓语动词用单数。如：
The young are more active than the old in the work. 做这项工作青年人比老年人积极。
The injured in the accident is an engineer. 在这次事故中受伤的那人是位工程师。
The beautiful attracts all the tourists. 美景吸引住了所有的游客。
F. 动名词、不定式短语和从句作主语，谓语动词用单数形式。如：
To learn a foreign language is not so difficult as you think. 学一门外语并不象你想象的那么难。
Smoking is bad for health. 吸烟有害健康。
That he has won the game is known to us all. 他赢了这场比赛是我们众所周知的事。
但what引导的主语从句所指的具体内容是复数意义时，谓语动词一般用复数形式。如：
What we need is more time. 我们需要的是更多的时间。
What we need are good teachers. 我们需要的是好老师。
专项练习
单项选择题：
1.The whole class _____ the teacher attentively.
A. are listening to B. is listening to C. are listening D. is listening
2. The League secretary and monitor _____ asked to make a speech at the meeting.
A. is B. was C. are D. were
3. He played on the _____ for two hours and when he returned he found half his goods _____ stolen.
A. sand; were B. sand; was C. sands; were D. sands; was
4. _____ can be done _____ been done.
A. All; have B. All that; have C. All; has D. All that; has
5. About 40 _____ of the population of that country _____ on farms.
A. percent; lives B. percent; live C. percents; live D. percents; lives
6. The Olympic Games _____ held every _____ years.
A. is; four B. are; four C. is; five D. are; five
7. No one but her parents _____ it.
A. know B. knows C. is knowing D. are knowing
8. The results of the examination _____ that you have all made great _____ .
A.show; progress B.shows; progress C.show; progresses D.shows; progresses
9. No bird and no beast _____ in the lonely island.
A. are seen B. is seen C. see D. sees
10.Here _____ a new pair of shoes for you.
A. is B. are C. have D. has
单句改错题：
1. Your family is very kind. I′ll never forget the favor you′ve done me.
2. When and where to build the new school haven′t been decided.
3. Three quarters of the land is covered with green grass while the rest are covered with pine trees.
4. Not even one of the hundred students who took the test have passed.
5. On each side of the street stands a lot of trees.
6. There seem to be a knife and fork on the table.
7. The students in our school each has known the meaning of WTO.
8. The number of people who own cars are increasing.
9. Such people as he is to be punished.
10.It were Tom and John who played a trick on the old man.
（答案：一、1. A 2. B 3.C 4. D 5. B 6. B 7. B 8. A 9. B 10. A
二、1. is—are 2. haven′t—hasn′t 3. are—is 4. have—has 5. stands—stand
6. seem—seems 7. has—have 8. are—is 9. is—are 10. were—was
