Ⅳ. 主语前、后加表“数、量”等的修饰语时:
1. a)“many a + 单名 ”接单数谓语:“a good (great ) many + 复名”接复数谓语。e.g.
①Many a fine man has died for it . 许多优秀战士为此献出了生命。
②A great many parents were present at the meeting . 许多家长出席了会议。
b)"a / an + 单名+ or two " 大多接单数谓语: "one or two + 复名"接复数谓语。e.g.
①Only a word or two is (are )needed. 只需说一两句。
②One or two reasoms were suggested . 提出一两条理由。
c)"a / an + 单名+ and a half"常接单数谓语;“one and a half +复名”多接复数谓语。e.g.
①A year and a half has passed . 一年半已过去了。
②One and a half tons of rice are sold . 已卖了一吨半大米。
d) "more than one + 单名"大多接单数谓语。e.g.
①More than one person was (were )absent . 不止一个人缺席。
"more + 复名+ than one "接复数谓语。e.g.
②More students than one have been there . 不止一个学生去过那儿。
"more than two (three,…)+复名 " 接复数谓语。e.g.
③More than one hundred students have attended the concert . 不止一百名学生听了这场音乐会。
2. 主语前加表示“单位、度量”的短语如“a kind (sort / type / form /pair /cup /glass /piece / load / block / box / handful / quantity / ton / metre /… )of”等时,表示“单位、度量”的这个名词的单复数决定谓语形式。e.g.
a)①There is only a small quantity of paper (books ) left . 只剩下少量的纸(书)了。
②Large quantities of water are needed . 需要大量的水。
b)①This kind of apple is sweet . 这种苹果甜。
②This kind of apples is (are) sweet . (大多依 kind ,作单数用 )
③These kind(s) of apple(s) are sweet . (总作复数用)
但:Apples of this kind are sweet . (总作复数用)
3. 主语后接“with…”等构成的短语修饰成分时:谓语仍须与这类短语前的“主语”一致。可构成这类短语的常用“with ,along with ,together with ,as well as , but , besides , except ,added to , including , like ,no less than , rather than , more than ”等。e.g.
①A woman with two children has come . 一位妇女带着两个孩子来了。
②I as well as they am ready to help you . 不仅他们,我也愿帮助你。
4. "one of + 复数名词+ 定语从句":
1)定语从句的先行词通常是这个“复数名词”,因此从句的谓语用复数形式。e.g.
①This is one of the best novels that have appeared this year . 这是今年出版的最佳小说之一。(关系词“that”代“novels”)
②He was one of the boys who were praised . 他是受表扬的男孩之一。
2)若“one”前加“this, the ,the only ”等时,定语从句的关系词指代one,作从句主语时,接单数谓语。e.g.
He was the only one of the boys who was praaised .他是男孩中唯一受到表扬的。(关系词who 代 the only one )
【意义一致原则(Notional Concord)】
I. 集合名词作主语时:(参见“名词”部分)
1. 有些通常作复数用(不变词形)。如:“people , police , cattle (牛,牲口),folk , youth , militia (民兵)”,等。e.g.
The police have caught the murderer .警方已捕获凶手。
2. 有些指“整体”时作单数,指其中的“成员”时作复数(不变词形)。如 "army , audience(听众),class ,club (俱乐部) ,company(公司), committee(委员会) ,crew ,crowd ,staff(员工) ,family ,public ,government ,group ,party ,union ,couple ,population ,team ."等。e.g.
①Our family is a happy one . 我们有个幸福的家庭。
②The family are early risers . 这家人都起得早。
③The public are (is )requested not to litter . 请公众不要乱扔废弃物。
但上述集合名词也可有复数形式。如:families , two classes .等。有些变复数形式后意义不同。如:peoples多个民族。 youths男青年。 folks亲友。