Grammar in Context

1.  Study the following sentences that appear in this unit and reflect on the subject-verb agreement, and then do the task in your textbook.

1)     All of their “research subjects” are widely known for their personal accomplishments.(Para. 2, Text A)

2)     What they discovered is truly fascinating! (Para. 3, Text A)

3)     Where there is no challenge, obstacle or hardship, growth and development is often limited. (Para. 8, Text A)

4)     Everyone can grow this emotional muscle. Everyone needs to.(Para. 2, Text B)

5)    The media offer plenty of possibilities: Christopher Reeve, Lance Armstrong, even Hillary Clinton. (Para. 14, Text B)

6)    If someone is rude to you, don’t immediately respond in kind or display contempt. (Para. 19, Text B)

                     Subject-verb agreement    主谓一致

一、基本语法规则

    谓语动词在人称和数上必须与主语一致。例如：

        He works in this factory.

                c.f.   They work in this factory.

        There is little time left.

                c.f.    There are many guests here.

        Unemployment as well as taxes influences votes.      

                c.f.     Taxes as well as unemployment influence votes.

二、单数主语

以下形式作主语时，谓语动词用单数

1）不定式短语、动词-ing形式及名词从句。例如：

        To get there before eight is impossible.

        Reading makes a wise man.

        What we need now ismore time.

2）事件、国名、机构名称、书名等。例如：

        The United Nations was established in 1945.

        Pride and Prejudice has become a classic.

3）以下不定代词和限定词作主语或修饰主语时：

      every, each, everyone, everybody, one, either, neither, many a。例如：

        Every studentis given a handbook.

        Is either of the books available in your store?

        Many a student wishes for more freedom in selecting courses.

三、复数主语

   以下不定代词作主语时，谓语动词用复数：both, few, many, several。例如：

      Few of my family understand me.

     Several of the managers are absent now.

四、带有量词的主语与动词的一致

确定核心主语，该主语与动词保持一致。例如：

       A lot of the equipment is new.

              c.f.     A lot of my friends are here tonight.

     More than one person is involved in the case.

            c.f.     More than one hundred people were killed in the typhoon.

五、并列主语

1）由and 或 both…and 连接两个主语时，动词一般用复数，除非并列主语作为整体考虑，或在意义上指同一个人或事物。例如：

        Both John and Ann aremy friends.

       Riding a bicycle and playing basketball are my greatest pleasure.

       The editor and publisher of the journal is John Smith.

                  (the editor和publisher是同一个人)

2）由or, either…or,或neither…nor连接两个主语时，动词与最接近的一个主语一致。例如：

       Neither the prices nor quality has changed.

             c.f.     Neither the quality nor the prices have changed.

六、集体名词作主语

集体名词作主语时，动词的数取决于主语表示的意义。当主语表示不可分割的整体时，动词用单数；当主语强调集体中的每一个成员时，动词用复数。例如：

       The family is the basic unit of the society.

            c.f.    The family are sitting around the dinner table.

Now do the tasks on Page 218 in your textbook