谓语动词用单数形式。但如果所指内容为复数意义时，谓语动词用复数形式。例如：
What she said is correct.
What she left me are a few old books.
（8）凡是以“定冠词+形容词（或分词）”作主语，往往根据意义一致的原则决定谓语动词的单复数形式。如果这种主语指的是一类人，谓语动词用复数；如果指的是一个人或抽象概念，谓语动词用单数形式。例如：
The sick have been cured and the lost have been found.
The dead is a famous person.
3. 邻近一致的原则
（1）由连词or, either……or, neither……nor, not only…but also,等连接的并列主语，如果一个是单数，一个是复数，则谓语动词按就近一致原则，与最靠近它的主语一致。例如：
Either you or I am right.
Neither the children nor the teacher knows anything about it.
（2）在“There be” 句型中,谓语动词和靠近的主语一致。
There are two apples and one egg in it.
（3）as well as 和名词连用时,谓语动词和第一个名词相一致。
He as well as I is responsible for it.
不但是我，他对这件事也有责任。
（4）以here开头的句子，其谓语动词和靠近的主语一致。
Here is a letter and some books for you.
【实例解析】
1. (2004年天津市中考试题)
How time flies! Ten years ________ passed.
A. have B. has C. is D. are
答案：B。该题考查的是主谓一致。Ten years通常被看作是一个时间整体，谓语动词用单数形式。
2. (2004年南通市中考试题)
Not only his parents but also his brother ________ to the Summer Palace. They haven’t been back.
A. have been B. have gone C. has been D. has gone
答案：D。该题考查的是主谓一致。如果由not only…but also连接两个并列主语，其谓语动词同相邻的主语保持一致，谓语动词应用单数形式。又因为他们还都没有回来，所以用has gone而不用has been。
3. (2004年吉林市中考试题)
Neither my father ________ going to see the patient.
A. nor I am B. nor I are
C. or me are D. or me is
答案：A。该题考查的是主谓一致。Neither…nor是一组连词，可连接连个并列主语，其谓语动词应同靠近的主语I保持一致, 因此应选A。
4. (2004年包头市中考试题)
Look! There _______ playing with the tourists on Yinhe Square.
A. are a number of deer B. are a number of deers
C. is a number of deer D. is a number of deers
答案：A。该题考查的是主谓一致。这个句子的主语是a number of deer, 是个复数概念，因此谓语动词应用复数形式。（deer单复数相同）
【中考演练】
一. 选择填空
1. They said the eighteenth and last lesson _______ quite easy.
A. is B. was C. are D. were
2. ---When are you going to Kumming for your holidays?
---I haven’t decided. ______ this Sunday ______ next Sunday is OK.
A. Both; and B. Either; or C. Neither; nor D. Not only; but also
3. ______ Helen ______ Joan speaks beautiful Chinese after they came to China.
A. Neither; nor B. Not only; but also C. Both; and D. A and B
4. _______ of them has his own opinion.
A. Both B. Some C. Every D. Each
5. Are there any _______ on the farm?
A. horse B. duck C. chicken D. sheep
6. My shirt _____ white and my trousers _____ blue.
A. are; are B. are; is
C. is; is D. is; are
7. ------Two months _______ quite a long time.
------Yes. I’ |
