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当数量概念作主语时主语一致的用法

2017-05-15来源:和谐英语

当数量概念作主语时主语一致的用法

1. 表时间长度、钱数、速度等的词组作主语时,通常将其视为整体,谓语动词用单数。如:

Twenty years is a long time. 20年是很长的时间。

Ten dollars is all I have left. 我只剩下10美元。

2. “分数(百分数)+of+名词”结构作主语时,谓语动词的数与其中名词的数保持一致。如:

About 20 percent of the pupils were absent that day. 那天大约有20%的学生未到。

Three-fourths of the surface of the earth is covered by sea. 地球表面的四分之三是海。

注:在现代英语中,有时即使该结构中的名词为复数,其谓语也可用单数(即将其视为整体)。如:

Over eighty per cent of families own [owns] a television. 百分之八十以上的家庭已拥有电视机。

3.“one in [out of]+复数名词”作主语时,谓语动词通常用单数。如:

Only one in ten students has passed the examination. 只有十分之一的学生通过了考试。

One out of twelve bottles was broken. 每12个瓶子中有一个破了。

注:在非正式文体中有时也用复数谓语。如:

Nationwide, one in five adults are illiterate. 就全国范围而言,五个成年人中有一个是文盲。

4. “all of (some of, none of, half of, most of, lots of, plenty of)+名词”作主语时,谓语动词的数与其中名词的数保持一致。如:

Half of the apple is bad. 这个苹果有一半是坏的。

Half of the apples are bad. 这些苹果当中有一半是坏的。

Half of our money goes on food. 我们有一半的钱花在食物上。

5.“one and a half+复数名词”与“a+单数名词+and a half”作主语时,国内不少书认为,这两个结构作主语,谓语均用单数。如:

One and a half months has passed. / A month and a half has passed. 已经过去了一个半月。

但是,国外一些词书则认为,谓语动词的数取决于这两个结构中名词的数。如:

One and a half months have passed. / A month and a half has passed. 已经过去了一个半月。

6.“the [a] number of+名词”作主语时,该结构若用定冠词,其后谓语用单数;若用不定冠词,其后谓语用复数。如:

The number of people invited was fifty, but a number of them were absent for different reasons. 有50人被邀请参加,但是很多人因为各种原因而缺席。