“the+形容词”作主语时的主谓一致

“the+形容词”作主语时的主谓一致

一、“the+形容词”作主语时，若指一类人，则谓语用复数。如：

The young are mostly ambitious. 年轻人多半有雄心。

The sick and the wounded were sent home. 伤病员都送回家了。

The rich get richer and the poor get poorer. 富者愈富，贫者愈贫。

The injured were carried away on stretchers. 用担架把受伤的人抬走了。

The old are more likely to catch cold than the young. 老年人比年轻人更容易感冒。

二、若指个别或抽象概念，谓语用单数。如：

The beautiful is not always the useful. 美的并不总是有用的。

The unknown is always something to be feared. 未知的东西总是一种令人害怕的东西。

The beautiful is not always the good, and the good is not always the true. 美未必是善，善未必是真。

注：有个别的“the+形容词”结构既表示单数意义，也表示复数意义，若用作主语，谓语动词用单数还是复数需视情况而定。如：the good 指“好人”时表复数意义，指“善”时表单数意义；the accused 指一名被告时表单数意义，指多名被告时表复数意义。比较：

The accused was acquitted of the charge. 被告被宣告无罪。(指一人)

The accused were acquitted of the charge. 被告均被宣告无罪。(指多人)