浅析关于一致原则

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【论文关键词】一致原则 语法一致 意义一致 就近一致

【论文摘要】英语中的一致原则主要是指主谓一致,即:谓语的数应和主语的数保持一致。一致原则大致可分为:语法一致、意义一致和就近一致。一致原则在英语中处处可见,本文就一致原则进行详细地探讨汇总,其总的情况如下:

1 语法一致

指形式上的主谓一致,即谓语动词在人称和数上必须和主语一致

(1)以单数名词、不可数名词、动名词、不定式或从句作主语时,谓语一般用单数;主语为复数时,谓语动词也应用复数

When he leaves is of his own decision.

What you really want is fortune and fame。

注:what引导的句子作主语谓语常用单数,但有时单复数皆可,视具体情况而定。What I want is/are books.(表语是复数名词,故也可用复数谓语,相当于Books are what I want.)

(2)用and或both..and连接的并列主语,其谓语常用复数

John and Joe are Jack of all trades.。

注1:若由and连接的并列主语表示同一人、物或概念,且and后面的名词前无冠词时,谓语需用单数

The red and white rose needs watering.

若and后面的名词前有冠词时则表示两个物体,此时谓语应用复数

The red and the white rose need watering.

注2:由and引导的单数名词并列作主语,若and前后的单数名词前都有each,every, no 或many a修饰时,谓语动词常用单数

Each man and each woman plays a waiting game.

No boy and no girl chases after rainbows.

(3)主语是单数,尽管后面跟有(together)with, as well as, like, but, except, including, no less than, rather than, in addition to 等介词短语时,谓语仍用单数

The husband, rather than the wife, deserts the family.

(4)若主语是“a kind of,a series of,a species of,a portion of 等+名词(单数或复数)”时,谓语动词一般用单数,即谓语的数需与这些结构中中心词的数一致。若这种结构中的词为表示一个整体的词时,如:a school of,a group of, a herd of , a flock of, a swarm of,如果指的是一个整体,作主语时谓语动词用单数;如果强调各个组成部分谓语用复数

This kind of dogs is amicable.

Those kinds of dogs are amicable.

A school of fishes lives in the middle reaches of the Yangtse River.(强调整体)

A school of fishes live in the middle reaches of the Yangtse River.(强调个体)

(5)关系代词who, that, which等在定语从句中作主语时,定语从句谓语的数应和先行词的数保持一致

I, who am a green hand, need your help with practice.

The policemen arrested these blackmailers who were involved in kidnapping minor students.

2 意义一致"

(1)表示时间,金钱,重量,金额,长度,价格等的复数名词作主语时,谓语用单数;但在there be句型中谓语却用复数

Fifty years is but a moment in history.

There were two hours left for the discussion.

(2)在算式中,数字作主语,谓语多用单数形式

nine minus three equals six.

(3)与集合名词有关的意义一致

1)有些集合名词作主语,若指整体时,谓语用单数;若指个体的具体成员时,谓语用复数。此类集合名词常见的有:family, team, group, crowd, crew,class, audience, population, committee, staff, public, party,jury, infantry等。

His family is very large.他家是个大家庭。

His family are all tall.他一家人个子都高。

2)有些表示总称意义的集合名词表示的是有生命的东西,虽然形式上是单数,但概念上却表示复数,这类集合名词作主语时谓语用复数。如:cattle, folk,people, police, gentry,youth, spanish等。

Extra police were rushed to the scene of the trouble.

3)表示无生命东西的集合作主语时,谓语常用单数形式。如:scenery, machinery, poetry, jewellery, stationery, clothing等。

The stationery I bought yesterday has gone.

3 就近一致:指谓语动词的数与离谓语最相近的作主语的名词的数一致

(1)在正式文体中,由or,either…or, neither…nor, whether…or,not only…but also等连接两个主语时,其谓语动词应与和谓语最靠近的主语保持人称和数的一致

Neither you nor I am an only child.

(2)在there be,here be句型中,主语不止一个时,be动词的数常和最邻近的主语的数保持一致

There is a notebook, a pen and some books on the desk.

(3)在倒装句中,谓语动词应与其后的主语保持数的一致

How is this word spelt?

参考文献

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[3] L.G.Alexander,朗文高级英语语法,外语教育与研究出版社,1999.

[4] 张道真,实用英语语法(最新版本)外语教学与研究出版社,2002.

[5] Wikipedia,the free encyclopedia on line.

[6] Quirk et al:,A comprehensive Grammar of the English Language,1985.