主谓一致一、主谓一致的定义谓语动词必须在人称和数上与主语保持一致，这就叫做主谓一致。
二、主谓一致的原则在英语中，主语的单复数形式决定着谓语动词应该采取的相应形式。
这看起来似乎很简单，但使用起来却常遇到复杂的情况。
（－）语法一致原则一般来说，语法形式是单数的主语，谓语动词用单数形式；语法形式是复数的主语，谓语动词用复数形式。
如：The number of errors was surprising．错误之多是惊人的。
We love our motherland．我们热爱我们的祖国。
The girl has found her mother．那个姑娘找到了她的妈妈。
（二）意义一致原则主、谓语的一致不是根据其外部语法形态来决定，而是取决于主语所表达的内在含义。
如：The crowd were fighting for their lives．这些人正为生存而战斗。
（主语形式虽为单数，但在意义上却为复数，谓语动词应采取复数形式。
）Three years in a strange land seem like a long time．在异国土地上生活三年，仿佛是很长的时间。
（主语形式虽为复数，但在意义上视为单数，谓语动词应采取单数形式。
）（三）就近原则谓语动词根据它前面最邻近的主语的名词或代词或其他词的数的形式，来决定其自身的数的形式。
如：Not only his children but also he himself wants to go there．不仅他的孩子想去，而且他本人也想去那里。
Either my wife or I am going to work there．不是我妻子就是我将去那里工作。
三、主谓一致的应用情况由于汉语里没有主谓一致现象，因此，不少英语初学者不能正确掌握英语的主谓一致。
一般来说，英语的谓语形式随主语的人称、单复数以及动作的时态、语态而变。
以下结合中国人学英语的特点，列出英语的主语和谓语在下列13种非一般情况下是如何协调的。
1.两个作主语用的名词或代词由either…or，neither…nor，not only…but also连接时，谓语动词应与后一个主语的人称和数一致Either he or I am wrong．不是他错就是我错了。
Neither the students nor the teacher knows anything about it．学生们和教师都不知道这件事。
Not only the students but（also）the teacher is active in sports and games．不但学生，就连老师都积极参加体育运动。
2.主语是单数而后面跟有as well as，with，together with，like，but，except等短语时，谓语动词仍用单数形式She as well as the other students has learned how to type. 她和其他学生一样，也学会了如何打字。
Our school，with some few schools，was built in the 1950s．我们学校和不少学校建于20世纪50年代。
A professor，together with some students，was moved into a new laboratory．一位教授和几个学生搬到新实验室里去了。
Nobody but the students is in the classroom．只有学生在教室里。
3.作主语用的集体名词作为一个整体看待时谓语动词可用单数，如就其中各个成员来考虑谓语动词则用复数The committee was made up of ten members．委员会由10人组成。
The committee were in the hall．委员们都在大厅内。
My family enjoy sports and games.我全家人都喜欢体育运动。
My family has moved into the new house.我家已搬进了新房子。
4.表示数目、时间、金额的名词复数作主语时谓语动词仍可用单数Two hours is enough for us to finish the experiment.这项实验，两个小时就够了。
Ten dollars is too cheap for this pair of shoes．这双鞋10元钱太便宜了。
5.两个或两个以上的并列主语由and连接时，如果表示不同概念谓语动词用复数，如果表示同一概念谓语动词要用单数Wu Dong and Wu Xi are twin brothers．吴东和吴西是孪生兄弟。
The singer and dancer comes from Harbin．那位歌舞演员来自哈尔滨。
（同一人）6.each，either，neither或由some，any，no，every构成的合成代词(none除外)作主语时谓语动词用单数Each of us has read the book．我们每个人都已经看过这本书。
Neither of them is interested in English．他们两人都对英语不感兴趣。
Either of the stories is interesting．这两个故事中的任何一个都有趣。
Somebody is waiting for you at the gate of the school．有人在学校大门口等你。
Nobody wants to go there．没有人愿意去那里。
7. none作主语时谓语动词可用单数或复数None knows（或know）a great deal about this experiment．没有一个人对这项实验知道得很多。
None has（或have）been found.一个也没有找到。
8.代词what，who，which，any，all，most，more等作主语时，谓语动词用单数还是复数主要由它们所代替的意义决定What is wrong with you？你怎么了？There are some books on the desk．What are the names of them？桌子上有一些书。
书名是什么？He who laughs the last laughs the best．谁笑在最后，谁笑得最好。
All of the students have seen the film．所有的学生都看过这部电影。
All that glitters is not gold．闪光的不全是金子。
9.people，police，cattle等作主语时谓语动词用复数The people in the city are very friendly．那个城市的人很友好。
The police are searching for the murderer.警察正在寻找杀人犯。
The cattle are eating grass near the river．牛在河边吃草。
10.用“ever／each／no／many a／a great deal十单数名词”作主语时谓语动词用单数，而“a great man／或a great number of等十复数名词”作主语时谓语动词则用复数Every man and woman attends the meeting.男的、女的都参加这个会。
Many a student and teacher is watching the football match．许多学生和老师正在观看足球比赛。
A great deal of our time was spent on this test．我们很多时间花费在这项试验上。
A great many people have moved into new houses．许多人搬进了新居。
11.有些名词只有复数形式可根据谓语单复数来判别其主语所表示的事物的实际上的单、复数The steel works was built in the 1950s．这个钢厂是20世纪50年代建的。
The steel works in the country produce more steel than those in that country.这个国家的钢厂比那个国家的钢厂生产的钢要多。
12.“there be十并列主语”和“here be十并列主语”结构中的谓语形式一般应与并列主语中的第一个主语的数一致There is a pen and two books on the desk．桌上有一只钢笔和两本书。
（非正式英语中可用are）There are some books and a pen on the desk.桌上有些书和一支钢笔。
At that time there was only a teacher and a student in the room．那时房间里只有一个教师和一个学生。
（可用were）Here is a letter and a book for you．这里有一封信和一本书是给你的。
（可用are）13.“the十形容词/-ed分词”这一表示一类人的结构作主语时谓语动词用复数The injured were sent to hospital.伤员已被送往医院。
The young are required to respect the old．年轻人应该尊敬老年人。
这种结构表示物时，谓语动词用单数。
如：The good in him outweighs the bad.他身上的优点多过缺点。
巩固练习一、选择：1. The number of pages in this dictionary about two thousand.A. areB. hasC. haveD. is2. Thirty dollars too expensive.A. areB. isC. wereD. be3. Both bread and butter sold out in that grocery.A. isB. areC. wasD. were4. In this hotel, the bread and butter served for breakfast.A. isB. areC. wasD. were5. In our country every boy and every girl the right to receive education.A. hasB. isC. haveD. had6. On the wall famous paintings.A .is B. was C. were D. have7. My sister, together with Jane and James , gone the other day.A .is B. was C. are D. were8. The sick been cured and the lost been found.A. have, haveB. have, hasC. has, hasD. has, have9. Not only the teacher but also the students attend the meeting tomorrow.A .is going to B. are going to C. wants to D. hopes to10. One third of the population here workers.A. isB. areC. wasD. were11. A number of students to the countryside to help with the harvest.A. has goneB. have goneC. goesD. has been12. It is I who next.A. amB. beC. isD. are13. Either of the books mine.A .is B. are C. were D. belong to14. Was it at the school gate the girl picked up the purse?A. which B .in which C. where D. that15. No sooner than it began to rain.A. had I come homeB. I had come homeC. have I come homeD. had I come to home16. Hardly the airport when the plane took off.A. I had arrived atB. had I arrived C .had I reached D. I had got to17. he speaks very good English.A. He is a childB.A child he isC.A child as he isD. Child as he is18. Not until I began to work how much time I had wasted.A. didn’t I realizeB. did I realizeC. I didn’t realizeD. I realized19. Gone when we used the foreign oil.A. are the daysB. the days areC. have the dayD. the days here20. today, he would get there by Friday.A. Should he leaveB. Had he leftC. If he leaveD. Was he left二、从括号中选择适当的动词（如有必要可选两个）：1. Where (is, are) that five dollars I lent you?2. The number of the students in that school (has, have) greatly increased in recent years.3. A number of students in our class (has, have) seen the film.4. This kind of apples (tastes, taste) very good.5. No news (are, is) good news.6. Ten weeks (has, have) passed since the new term began.7. One hundred kilometers (is, are) a long distance.8. Five and eight (is, are) thirteen.9. Few of his family really (understands, understand) him.10. Many a student (enjoys, enjoy) pop music.11. Every man and woman (was, were) invited to the party.12. The rest of the lecture (was, were) not interesting.13. After the exam there (is, are) a lot of time for us to relax.14. Y ou're the only one that (know, knows) the answer to the question.15. Here (comes, come) the three naughty boys from next door.16. Neither she nor I (is, am) wrong.17. Each of us (has, have) seen the film.18. None of this milk (is, are) sour.19. None of the books (are, is) interesting.20. Those who only (think, thinks) of themselves can never be happy.2l. The police (has, have) been sent to search the murderer.22. Not only my classmates but also my teacher (is, are) fond of sports.23. Nobody but Wu Dong and Wei Fang (was, were) in the room.24. He as well as I (am, is) active in singing.25. Tom with his parents (is, are) watching TV.三、下列句子中如果有错误请改正：1.The whole family is against his plan.2. The audience was moved to tears at the words.3. Neither we nor he is right.4. Every means have been tried out without much result.5.The number of tickets is limited. I can't give you more.6.The police is searching the building for the murderer.7. Medical help and care are free of charge in that country.8.Tom and Jack were playing basketball on the playground. The rest of us was at work within door.9.The news are too good to be true.10. Three hours is not enough.11. Is your wife and children going with you?12. Half of them are newcomers. They each has little experience in studying English.13. Every man and every woman there have met the famous scientist.14. Great Expectations (远大前程) are a book by Charles Dickens.15. He is one of the greatest presidents who has ever lived.16. The old lives a very happy life in new China.参考答案：一、1. D2. B3. D4. A5. A6. C7. B8. A9. B 10. B 11. B 12. A 13. A 14. D 15. A 16. C 17. D 18. B 19. A 20. A二、1. is2. has3. have4. tastes5. is6. has7. is8. is/are9. understand 10. enjoys 11. was 12. was 13. is 14. knows 15. come 16. am 17. has 18. is 19. is/are 20. think 2l. have 22. is 23. was 24. is 25. is三、1. is 改成are2. was 该成were3. 正确4. have 改成has5. 正确6. is改成are7. are 改成is8. was 改成were9. are改成is 10. 正确11. 改成: Are your wife…? 12. has 改成have 13. have 改成has 14. are改成is 15. has改成have 16. lives 改成live。