主謂一致是指主語與謂語在數(shù)上要一致。把握主謂一致問題，考生主要解決的是對不同結(jié)構(gòu)的主語單復數(shù)的認定，進而選擇適當?shù)闹^語。解決主謂一致主要遵循三個原則：

　　語法一致原則

　　意義一致原則

　　就近一致原則

　　很多情況下應該綜合利用這三個原則來處理主謂一致，在不同情況下可能應用三個原則中的不同原則，具體應用哪種原則應該視具體情況而定。總結(jié)如下：

　　一.謂語動詞用單數(shù)的情況

　　1.動名詞短語、不定式短語、名詞性從句做主語，謂語用單數(shù)。如：

　　Buying clothes is often a time-consuming job because those clothes that a person likes are rarely the cones that fit him or her.

　　(1987年考研題)

　　To understand the situation completely requires more thought than has been given thus far.

　　2.表示時間、距離、金額、重量、面積、體積、容積等度量的名詞短語做主語時，謂語用單數(shù)。

　　Two weeks was too long

　　Five times five makes twenty five

　　3.一般用and連接的兩個單詞或短語做主語時候，謂語用復數(shù)，但是下面用and連接的主語表示一個概念，謂語用單數(shù)：

　　law and order 法制 soap and water 肥皂水

　　a cup and saucer 茶杯碟子 fork and knife 刀叉

　　the needle and thread 針線 trial and error 反復嘗試，不斷摸索

　　horse and carriage 馬車 time and tide 歲月

　　bread and butter 奶油面包 the ebb and flow 盛衰，潮漲潮落

　　如： If law and order not preserved, neither the citizen nor his property is safe.

　　A. is B. are C. was d. were

　　答案：A。

　　4.表示學科和某些疾病名稱的名詞是復數(shù)形式，作主語時候謂語動詞用單數(shù)形式

　　Linguistics is a branch of study on human language.

　　5.有些名詞形式上是復數(shù)，意義上是單數(shù)，根據(jù)意義一致原則動詞用單數(shù)

　　The chaos was stopped by the police

　　The news is a great encouragement to us

　　A series of debates between the lectures was scheduled for the next weekend.

　　6.用and 連接的成份表示一個單一概念時候，動詞謂語用單數(shù)形式

　　Bread and butter is our daily food

　　Time and tide waits for no man

　　二. 謂語用復數(shù)情況

　　1. 由and, both …and, 連接的并列主語，和both ,a few, many ,several 等修飾語后面謂語動詞通常用復數(shù)形式。

　　Few people know he and I were classmates when we were at college.

　　2.集體名詞police, public, militia, cattle ,class ,youth后常用復數(shù)形式的動詞

　　The Chinese people are brave and hardworking

　　The cattle are grazing in the sunshine

　　3.當表示民族的詞與冠詞合用當主語，謂語動詞用復數(shù)形式

　　The Japanese were once very aggressive

　　4.某些形容詞前面加定冠詞表示一類人，做主語時候，謂語動詞用復數(shù)

　　The rich are not always selfish

　　5.不可數(shù)名詞作主語，其前有表示數(shù)量的復數(shù)名詞修飾時，謂語動詞用復數(shù)

　　Three million tons of coal were exported that year

　　三.謂語動詞可用單數(shù)，也可以用復數(shù)的情況

　　1. 就近一致原則

　　這種情況下，謂語動詞使用單數(shù)還是復數(shù)取決于最靠近該動詞的主語的單復數(shù)，存在這種情況的主要由以下幾種可能：

　　1) 由連詞 either…or…; neither…nor…; whether… or…;not only…but (also) ;or 等連接的并列主語

　　Neither money nor fame has influence on me

　　Not only you but also he is wrong

　　2) 在倒裝結(jié)構(gòu)中，謂語動詞與后面的第一個主語一致

　　Blocking the open-sided porch, framed by the enveloping fog, stands a tall grave-faced policeman.

　　Just outside the ruins is a magnificent building surrounded by tall trees.

　　Although a great number of houses in that area are still in need of repair, there has been improvement in the facili

　　2. 主語帶有(together/along)with, such as, accompanied by, as well as, no less than, except, besides, with, combined with, in addition to , including, together with 等等附加成分，謂語的數(shù)不受附加成分的影響仍然與主語保持一致

　　Professor Taylor , with six of his students ,is attending a conference in Boston organized to compare current practice in the United States with those of other nations.

　　The president of the college, together with the deans, is planning a conference for the purpose of laying down certain regulations. (1981年考研題)

　　3.關系代詞做主語的定語從句中，謂語的數(shù)要與先行詞一致。如：

　　Despite much research, there are still certain elements in the life cycle of the insect that are not fully understood.

　　(1996年考研題)

　　There are many valuable services which the public are willing to pay for, but which do not bring a return in money to the community.

　　(1990年考研題)

　　4.一些表示數(shù)量的短語與名詞連用時候，謂語動詞的數(shù)取決于名詞的數(shù)，名詞是復數(shù)，謂語動詞用復數(shù)，反之就用單數(shù)。這些短語包括：a lot of /lots of; plenty of/heaps of; half of; two-third (three-fourth…) of; eighty(ten, twenty…) percent; part of; rest of ; none of 等等

　　Two-thirds of people present are women

　　Lots of damage was caused by the fire

　　5.集體名詞作主語時，謂語動詞的數(shù)取決于主語表示的意思和數(shù)，當表示整體時候，謂語動詞就用單數(shù)，當強調(diào)集體中的個體時候，謂語動詞就用復數(shù)。這些集體名詞如：army, audience, band ,government ,group ,flock, police, public ,staff ,team ,troop. Crowd, firm, family 等等

　　The family is the basic unit of our society

　　The family were watching the TV

　　The audience was enormous

　　The audience were greatly moved at the words

　　6.某些固定結(jié)構(gòu)中主語與謂語的數(shù)：

　　第一組：

　　a great many + 可數(shù)名詞復數(shù) 謂語用復數(shù)

　　a number of + 可數(shù)名詞復數(shù) 謂語用復數(shù)

　　the majority of + 可數(shù)名詞復數(shù) 謂語用復數(shù)

　　第二組;

　　the number of + 可數(shù)名詞復數(shù) 謂語用單數(shù)

　　each/every + 可數(shù)名詞復數(shù) 謂語用單數(shù)

　　neither/either of + 可數(shù)名詞復數(shù) 謂語用單數(shù)

　　one and a half + 可數(shù)名詞復數(shù) 謂語用單數(shù)

　　第三組;

　　more than one + 可數(shù)名詞單數(shù) 謂語用單數(shù) many a + 可數(shù)名詞單數(shù) 謂語用單數(shù)

　　第四組;

　　the greater part of a large proportion of 50% of one third of plenty of the rest of

　　謂語的數(shù)與of 后面的名詞一致

　　第五組;

　　(n)either…(n)or…. not only….. but also …… not …..but ……

　　謂語的數(shù)與主語的第二部分(即(n)or/ but also/ but引導的后面部分)一致.

　　注意比較：

　　More students than one have been referred to

　　More than one student is going to buy this book