majority作主语时的主谓一致问题1.the majority表示“大多数”时，为集合名词；单独用作主语时，如果强调整体，谓语动词用单数形式；如果强调个体，谓语动词用复数形式。
如：The majority agree [agrees] with me.大多数人同意我的意见。
The majority was [were] in favour of the proposal.多数人赞成这个建议。
但是若单独用的the majority后跟有复数表语，则谓语通常要用复数。
如：The majority are young people.大多数是年轻人。
2.“the majority of+复数名词”用作主语时，谓语动词通常用复数，但偶尔也可用单数。
如：The majority of his books are kept upstairs.他的大部分书藏在楼上。
The majority of people realize the importance of limiting population growth.大多数人意识到了限制人口的重要性。
The majority of students were [was] indifferent to the political meeting.大多数学生对政治集会漠不关心。
3.“the majority of+集合名词”用作主语时，谓语动词可用单数（视为整体）或复数（考虑其个体）。
如：The vast majority of the population lives [live] in utter misery.这里的绝大多数人生活在极度贫困之中。
4.“the majority of+不可数名词”用作主语时，谓语动词总是用单数。
如：The majority of the work has been finished.大部分工作已完成。
The majority of the damage is easy to repair.这次的损害大部分容易补救。
注：按传统语法，the majority of只用于修饰可数名词复数或具有复数意义的集合名词，但在现代英语中也可用于修饰不可数名词。
5.“a majority of+复数名词”用作主语时，谓语动词通常用复数。
如：A majority of visitors have arrived.大多数参观者已经到了。
A clear majority of voters were in favour of the motion.绝大多数选民赞成这一动议。
A majority of people seem to prefer TV to radio.大部分人似乎喜欢看电视而不喜欢听收音机。
generation作主语时的主谓一致问题generation的意思是“一代（人）”，为集合名词；用作主语时，如果强调整体，谓语动词用单数形式；如果强调个体，谓语动词用复数形式。
如：Each generation has its own standards of judgement.每一代都有它自己的判断标准。
My generation behaves differently from my father’s and grandfather’s.我这一代人和我父辈及祖辈表现不同。
The older generation have a different set of values.老一辈人有一套不同的价值观。
在许多情况下，谓语用单数或复数均可以。
如：The younger generation smoke [smokes] less than their parents did.年轻一代比他们的父辈抽烟抽得少。
we each等作主语谓语用单数还是复数we each等作主语时，谓语动词应用复数，因为当we each作主语时，真正的主语是we，其后的each是修饰we的同位语。
如：We each have a map.我们每人都有一张地图。
We each think the same.我们大家想到一起了。
We each know how the other is getting along.我们每人都知道对方的情况。
类似地，当they each, the children each, the teachers each等用作主语时，谓语动词也应用复数，而非单数。
如：They each have their own share.他们每人都有一份。
They each were fitted with a barred door.它们每个都装有带门闩的门。
The plans each have certain advantages and disadvantages.这些计划各有其优点和缺点。
the rest (of)等作主语，谓语的数取决于什么请看下面两道题：a. The rest of the boys __________ watching TV.b. The rest of the money __________ stolen.A. were，wereB. was，wereC. were，wasD. was，was此题应选C。
all，most，some，half，percent，the rest等词语后接介词of再接名词用作主语时，若该名词为可数名词的复数形式，则其谓语要用复数形式;若该名词为不可数名词或可数名词的单数形式，则其谓语要用单数形式()：1. a. Most of the apples are bad.这些苹果当中大部分是坏的。
b. Most of the apple is bad.这个苹果坏了一大部分。
c. Most of the time was spent on it.这上面花了大部分时间。
2. a. Half of the buildings were destroyed in the fire.有一半的楼房在大火中被毁。
b. Half of the building was destroyed in the fire.这座大楼在大火中有一半被毁。
c. Half of the money was spent on food.有一半的钱用来买食物。
3. a. 30 percent of the workers here are women.这里的工人有30%是女性。
b. 30 percent of the work has been done.有30%的工作已完成。
c. 30 percent of the wall has been painted.墙壁有30%已被刷漆。
从句主语时谓语用单数还是复数当从句用作主语时，主句的谓语动词通常用单数。
如：That he is still alive is a wonder.他还活着，真是奇迹。
That we shall be late is certain.我们要晚了，这是确定无疑的。
What she lacks is experience.她缺的是经验。
What he says is not important.他说的话并不重要。
Whatever she did was right.她做的一切都是对的。
When we arrive doesn’t matter.什么时候到没有关系。
How it was done was a mystery.这是怎样做的是一个谜。
How this happened is not clear to anyone.这件事怎样发生的，谁也不清楚。
Whether it will do us harm remains to be seen.是否对我们有害还要看一看。
Who he is doesn’t concern me.他是谁与我无关。
Whoever breaks this law deserves a fine.违反本法者应予以罚款。
若用作主语的是what引导的从句，且其后为系表结构，此时需注意以下两点：1.若表语为复数，主句谓语通常用复数。
如：What I want are details.我要的是细节()。
What is needed are rational and firm actions.所需要的是合理的坚决的行动。
2.若what从句中的what表复数意义，则主句谓语动词要用复数。
如：His muscles were wasting away, and what were left were flabby.他的肌肉正在消耗，所剩下的就是松弛的皮肉。
采用“就近原则”的两个典型用法即谓语动词的单、复数形式取决于最靠近它的词语。
1.连词or, not…but…, either…or…, neither…nor…, not only…but also…等连接的并列主语，谓语动词的数与靠近它的主语一致。
如：Not his parents but he doesn’t want to go.是他的父母亲不想去而不是他不想去。
Neither you nor I am a stranger here.你和我都不是刚来这里。
Does neither he nor his classmates know the secret?他和他的同学都不知道这个密秘？2.当there be后有两个或几个并列的主语时，be的数由与其靠得最近的那个主语一致。
如：There is an apple, two pears and some oranges on the plate.盘子里有一个苹果，两个梨子和一些桔子。
There are two pears, some oranges and an apple on the plate.盘子里有两个梨子，一些桔子和一个苹果。
并列结构作主语的主谓一致1.就近型：由or, either…or, neither…or, not… but…, not only…but also 等连接的并列成分作主语时，其谓语通常要与靠近的主语保持一致。
如：Neither you nor he is tired.你和他都没累。
Not you but I am to blame.不是你的错而是我的错。
Either my father or my brothers are coming.不是我父亲就是我兄弟要来。
2.就远型：由as well as, as much as, rather than, more than, no less than 等连接的并列成分作主语，其谓语通常与前面一个主语保持一致。
如：The son, as well as his parents, wants to go there.不但儿子想去那儿，而且他的父母也想去。