(2)Subject-verb Concord(1)

1、SubjectVerb Concord (1),Lecture Two,Generally speaking, the grammatical principle applies to formal English; on the other hand, the notional principle and the principle of proximity, play an auxiliary role in supporting the grammatical principle in informal English.,2.1 Guiding principles,The subjec

2、t-verb concord refers to the agreement between subject and predicate verb in number (the number concord between subject and verb). There are three principles guiding subject-verb concord: grammatical concord, notional concord and proximity.,1) Grammatical concord,The principle of grammatical concord

3、 refers to the rule that the verb must match its subject in number. If the subject is plural, the verb should take the plural form; if, on the other hand, the subject is singular or is a mass noun, the verb should take the singular form. e.g.: Every man has his faults. A friend in need is a friend i

4、ndeed. Peter and Bob are deadly rivals. Tall trees catch much wind. Time flies. Bad news has wings.,2) Notional concord,The principle of notional concord refers to the rule that the verb can sometimes agree with the subject according to the notion of number.,e.g.: Five minutes is left. Two miles see

5、ms like a long way to me. A million pounds was spent on this project. It was too late, but the audience was increasing. The audience were all moved to tears. His family is a great one. His family are fat and short. 类似用法的名词: class, team, government, committee, crowd, crew, army, club, party, public,

6、group, band, jury, orchestra, council, 等。,3) Proximity,It denotes agreement of the verb with a closely preced- ing NP in preference to agreement with the head of the NP that functions as subject.,e.g.: Either you or I am mad. Not only his children but he himself is hoping to be there. Not you but yo

7、ur father is to blame. (类似的其它连接词: neithernor, whetheror, or, 等。) There is an eraser, a pair of compasses, and one ruler on the desk. Here is a pen, a few envelops and some paper for you. On the left of each person is a fork, a plate and a table-napkin. (在倒装句中, 谓语与后面第一个主语保持一致),这种受临近词影响的情况在现代英语中越来越多:

8、(1) Is your sister and her husband coming to join us? (2) Where is your wife and children to stay while you are away? (3) One in ten are expected to take part in the contest. (4) No one except his own supporters agree with him. (5) Dr. Black together with his crew are going to stay in the observatio

9、n station for a whole winter. 正式文体中还是应该使用语法一致原则！,2.2 Problems of concord with nouns ending in -s,They are generally treated as singular.,1) Disease and game names ending in -s,There are quite a few nouns that end in -s but which are not countable. Some of these nouns are treated as singular, some as

10、 plural, and some either as singular or as plural.,Nouns in -s denoting diseases: appendicitis(阑尾炎), hepatitis(肝炎), shingles(带状疱疹), phlebitis(静脉炎), rabies(狂犬病), etc. (measles/rickets: singular/ plural.) Nouns in -s denoting games: billiards(台球), bowls (保龄球), draughts(国际跳棋), skittles(撞柱戏), 等等, 作为一种游戏

11、解时是单数, 而作为个体的数量则可用作复数。(cards: plural),2) Subject names ending in -s,They are generally treated as singular nouns: ethics, electronics, phonetics, semantics, classics (古典文学), genetics (遗传学), astronautics (宇航学), logistics (后勤学), aerodynamics (空气动力学), obstetrics (产科学), thermodynamics (热力学), etc. But so

12、me such nouns are treated as plural when used in other senses than subject names: politics (政治观点), mathematics (运算能力), statistics (统计资料, 统计数字), economics (经济效益), etc. e.g.: Statistics is taught in many colleges. Statistics show that 65% of the new businesses have made profits this year.,3) Geographi

13、cal names ending in -s,Mountain ranges, straits, water falls such as the Alps, the Rockies, the Highlands (高地,高原; 特指苏格兰高地), the Maldives (马尔代夫岛国), the Balkans (巴尔干半岛各 国), the Bermudas(百慕大三角洲), Victoria Falls, are generally used as plural. But a few are treated as singu- lar when used as country name

14、s. e.g.: The Alps rise over four countries. The Rockies have a magnificent variety of plant and animal life. the United States, the Netherlands, the Philippines, the United Nations, There are some nouns ending in -s always treated as plurals, such as: congratulations(祝贺词), customs(海关), commons(平民),

15、dregs(残渣, 渣滓), particulars(详细情节), fireworks(烟花), funds(资金, 基金), amends(赔罪, 赔偿), annals(编年史), bowels(肠), ashes(灰烬), guts(胆量), curtains(幕布), refreshments(提神的点心), brains(头脑), greens(绿叶蔬菜), looks(容貌), outskirts(郊区, 郊外), pains(费心, 辛苦), tropics(热带地区), wares(货物, 商品), premises(房屋建筑及附属场地), proceeds(收益, 所得),

16、spirits(情绪, 心情), livingquarters(住宅区), valuables(贵重 物品), terms(条件), likes(喜好), riches(财富), suds(肥皂 泡沫), damages(损害赔偿金), etc. 这类名词用于某些特殊意义时, 只有复数形式, 作主语 时, 动词用复数形式。,4) Other nouns ending in -s,There are also nouns such as barracks and head-quarters whose singular and plural number share the same form.

17、 These nouns are treated as plural when used in the plural sense, or vice versa. e.g.: a barracks, two barracks; public works (公共建设 工程), a cement works, Names for things made of two parts are usu. used as plural. But when they are preceded by such unit nouns as a/the pair of, the number form of the

18、following verb is singular; (two pairs of: plural),Names of tools and articles of dress consisting of two equal parts: binoculars(双筒望远镜), compasses (圆规), scales(天平), calipers(测径器,双脚规), clippers(指 甲刀), earphones(耳机), flares(喇叭裤 ), shades(太阳眼 镜, 墨镜), spectacles(眼镜), forceps(手术钳), shears(大剪 刀), tongs(夹

19、钳, 火钳), pliers(钳子, 老虎钳), braces(裤子 背带), pants(裤子, 内裤), jeans(牛仔裤), tights(紧身裤), knickers(短裤, 衬裤), underpants(内裤, 衬裤), slacks(宽松 的长裤, 便裤), leggings(护腿), slippers(拖鞋), socks(袜子), tweezers(镊子), trunks(游泳裤), breeches(马裤), etc. (Note that when these nouns are adjectivalized, they drop their s ending: a t

20、rouser leg, a spectacle case.),My sunglasses were broken. Scales are used for weighing objects. The pair of pants/knickers costs 10 yuan. One pair of scissors is Two pairs of scissors are The happy pair is /are going to Paris for their honey-moon. A pair of swans is /are swimming in the lake., Nouns

21、 ending in -ings are generally used as plural: belongings(所有物), doings(行为), droppings(鸟兽的粪便; 蜡烛的烛泪), diggings(发掘物; 尤指金矿区, 金矿矿工宿营 地), findings(调查结果), furnishings(室内陈设), leavings (剩余, 残渣), peelings(土豆等剥下的皮), pickings(赃物, 不 义之财), savings(储蓄), shavings(刨花), winnings(奖金, 赢 得的钱), workings(活动方式), writings(

22、作品), etc. e.g.: The surroundings of the house are remarkably picturesque. But tidings(消息) / rejoicings(欢庆, 欢宴): both plural and singular) e.g.: The tidings were/was received with shouts of joy.,The Arabian Nights is read all over the world. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was published in 1844. T

23、he New York Times has a wide circulation. “Pride goes before a fall” is his motto.,书的名称、格言作主语时，尽管可能是复数，但谓语动词应用单数。如：,以复数形式出现的表示同姓一家人，谓语动词用复数。,e.g.: The Smiths were also invited.,2.3 Problems of concord with collective nouns as subject,Collective nouns are singular in form but plural in meaning. The c

24、hoice between grammatical and notional concord is mostly dictated by usage.,1) The collective nouns that refer to people or animals that have life are regarded as plural: faculty, militia, personnel, clergy, peasantry, people, police, poultry, cattle, vermin e.g.: The police have made many arrests b

25、ecause of drivers high alcoholic content. Domestic cattle provide us with milk, beef and hides.,2) Collective nouns that refer to things that do not have life are treated as singular: cutlery, jewelery, poetry, merchandise, machinery, scenery, luggage, clothing, furniture, equipment, foliage ,3) Col

26、lective nouns (ending in -s) that refer to things that do not have life are treated as plural: clothes, goods, terms, etc. 其用法特点是: 只有复数形式(表示复数意义, 用作主语时 谓语也用复数)。 e.g.: Clothes dry slowly in the rainy season. If goods are not well made you should complain to the manufacturer.,4) There are collective n

27、ouns that can be used either as plural or as singular: family, college, committee, army, audience, class, team, board, chorus, club, company, enemy, community, media, department, congregation, crew, staff, fleet, gang, flock, party, herd, data, brood, cast, jury, navy, family, public, minority, gove

28、rnment, majority, opposition, council, nobility, profession 如被看作一个整体, 谓语动词用单数; 如被看作组成该 集体的一个个成员, 则谓语动词用复数形式。,Compare: The army is well-equipped. The army were still fighting in spite of heavy losses.,5) A committee of, etc + plural noun,When a plural noun is preceded by a committee of/ a board of/ a

29、 panel of, the verb usually takes the singular form. e.g.: A committee of five men and three women is to consider the matter. The board of directors is responsible for the management of the company.,5) the + adjective,The subject may also take the form of the +adjective, which is notionally equivale

30、nt to a collective noun. With such a subject, the choice between a plural or a singular verb depends on whether the adjective refers to a group of people or to a particular person or an abstract quality.,“the + 形容词”要根据意义一致原则决定谓语动词的数的形式, 如果这种主语指的是一类人, 动词用复数; 如果指 的是单个人或抽象概念, 动词用单数。, the + adjective re

31、ferring to a group of people: e.g.: The rich are becoming richer; the poor poorer. The old are self-conceited because of their rich experience while the young are proud of their youth-fulness. The old care for the young and the young respect the old. The dead were buried after the battle. The aged a

32、re well taken care of in the village. The brave are honored. (勇敢的人无上光荣。) The sick have been cured and the lost have been found. Only the poor know what poverty means.,常用的表示名词化的形容词有: the blind/ the brave/ the wise/ the absent/ the weak/ the strong/ the living/ the dead/ the lame/ the dumb/ the capabl

33、e/ the innocent/ the wounded/ the learned/ the industrious/ the few/ the unemployed/ the accused / the oppressed/ the condemned / the wretched(穷人) / the wicked(邪恶的人), etc.,这种表达在个别场合也有用来表示单数意义的。 e.g.: There are two men in the room. The old is the youngs father. The accused was sentenced to death by t

34、he court. The condemned (被判刑的人) was moved to another prison. The deceased was his father, who left him a large sum of money. The departed was a good friend of his. 死者是他的一个好朋友。 The wounded were/was carried to the ambulance., the + adjective referring to an abstract quality: e.g.: The new is sure to replace the old. 新生事物一定会代替旧事物。 The beautiful is not always the same as the good. 漂亮的