主谓一致
谓语动词要与主语的人称和数保持一致，即主语是复数，谓语也用复数形式，如are, were, have等，主语是单数，谓语要用单数形式，如：is, was, has, works等，如：
The news about the Olympic Games is exciting.
China and Canada are two of the largest countries.
American Indians have lived in southern Canada for over 20, 000 years.
I am a student in a senior middle school.
John gets up at six o'clock every morning.
A library with five thousand books was offered to our school.
(一)名词作主语
要掌握了解名词的单、复数，尤其要记住其中的一些特殊形式，如：
1. 无复数形式的名词：
advice, fun, clothing, education, furniture, fruit, grass, equipment, homework, information, money, knowledge, progress等。
2. 无单数形式的名词：
clothes, trousers, goods, police, people, cattle, scissors, shorts等。
3. 一些以-s结尾的单数名词：news, means, mathematics, politics, physics等。
(二)主谓一致
1. 通常一个不定式，一个动词-ing形式，一个从句作主语时，谓语动词用单数，如例1)，例2)，例4)；两个疑问词引导的一个不定式或一个从句作主语，谓语动词仍用单数形式，如例5)，例6)；两个以上不定式、-ing形式、从句做主语，谓语动词用复数，如例3)，例7)，例9)。但是如果两个短语是表达同一概念的两个方面，互相依赖，是一个整体，谓语动词也用单数，如例8)。
1) To say is one thing; to do is another.
2) Reading English papers and magazines is helpful to our study of English.
3) Listening, speaking, reading and writing are four skills for English study.
4) Whether he comes or not is of no matter.
5) How and why he come to Princteon Newserzy was an advantual story.
6) When and where to have the meeting isn't decided.
7) Where to find the plant and what to do with it are still the problems to settle.
8)Going to bed early and getting up early is a good habit.
9)What he says and what he does do not agree.
2. “and”“both…and…”作主语，谓语用复数。如果and连接的两个名词指的是同一个人，同一件事或同一概念时，谓语用单数形式，and后面的名词没有冠词，如：
He and I are classmates.
Both rice and wheat are grown in this part of China.
The worker and writer is to give us a talk.
这位工人兼作家要给我们做报告。
Fruit and cream is not healthy food.
All work and no play makes Jack a dull.
类似的还有：
a cup and saucer coffee and milk
a cart and horse meat and potatoes
the needle and thread iron and steel
3. and连接两个名词前分别有each, every, no修饰，或many a+ 名词，谓语也用单数形式，但其意义为复数，and后面的名词前的every, each, no还可以省略。
Each actor and (each) actress was invited to our school.
Every boy and (every) girl has got a toy train.
No teacher and no student agrees to have classes on Sunday.
Many a student are interested in the computer.
4. 但两个名词前分别有定冠词变成复数概念时，each放在它们后面作同位语，谓语用复数。
The boy and the girl each have their toys.
The driver and his passenger were each fined five dollars.
5. every∥one, everybody, everything, any∥one, anybody, anything, no one, nobody, nothing, some∥one, somebody, something, (none除外)等不定代词及each, the other作主语时，谓语动词用单数形式，如：
Is every∥one here?(对比：All are here. )
Nothing in the box is mine.
6. 代词none和neither有时作单数看，有时作复数看，要根据说话人意思定，但none代替不可数名词，谓语一定是单数形式了，如：
None of them has arrived yet at the new settlement. 他们中没有一个人到达新住宅区。
None of them are right. 他们都错了。
None of the food is good to eat.
7. 主语是单数形式，后面有as well as, besides, with, together with, along with, including, like(像)等+ 名词时，谓语仍用单数形式，如：
A woman with a baby in her arms was waiting for the bus in the rain.
My sister together with/along with/with/as well as/besides my parents has gone to Beijing.
The book, including ten science stories, sells well.
8. but(除了……以外)，except+ 名词或代词等，谓语动词与主语数保持一致，如：
All but he know it.
No one except us knows it.
9. 由either…or，neither…nor…，not only…but also…，not…but…，or连接两个主语，谓语动词通常和邻近的主语一致，如：
Either the girl or the boy is from Canada.
Not only the door but also the windows are open.
Neither you nor I know the answer.
Not you but I am wrong. (区别：All but I are wrong. “but”除了……以外)。
You or he is to take part in the competition.
10. 由there或here引起的句子，主语又不止一个，谓语通常与邻近的主语一致，如：
There is a pencil box, five books and a note in my school bag.
Here are some envelopes and paper for you.
11. all(some, a lot, plenty, any, part, the rest, most, …percent, 分数，half)+ of+ 名词，谓语动词根据of后面的名词决定，如果of后面是可数名词单数或不可数名词，谓语用单数；如果of后面是名词复数，谓语用复数形式，如：
Half of the apple is rotten.
Half of the apples are rotten.
Half of his income was spent on books.
The rest of the water isn't enough.
Two-thirds of the books are borrowed.
70 percent of the surface of our planet is covered by water.
Lots of damage was caused by the fire.
(区别：Quantities of food were wasted).
12. 一些可数或不可数名词可以和量词连接，一般情况下只要有量词修饰，谓语动词与量词的数保持一致，如：
The whole box of matches is wet.
对比：There are twenty matches left in the box.
There are two bowls of rice on the table.
对比：There is some rice in the bowl.
This kind of books is helpful
Books of this kind are helpful.
13. 集体名词如: group, class, company, government, family, army, enemy, population,
team, public, crowd, audience等作主语时，如果强调整体，谓语用单数，如果强调个体，往往译作“人”就用复数，例如：
The population of the world is still increasing.
Two-thirds of the population here are young people.
My family are music lovers.
My family is not poor any more.
The army is going to remain in this town.
The army have rescued the travelers.
The government is to build new settlements in the north.
The government are holding a meeting to discuss the problems.
14. 下列名词总是复数，无单数形式，作主语，谓语用复数形式，如：police, cattle, people,
clothes, shorts, trousers, goods, scissors等
The police are searching for the murderer.
The cattle are eating grass.
All his goods were lost at sea.
15. 一些以s结尾的单数名词，如：news, physics, mathematics, politics, 谓语用单数形式。
The news is important.
Physics is not easy to learn.
“The Arabian Nights”is an interesting book.
16. the+ 形容词，(包括-ing形式或ed分词)表示一类人，谓语动词用复数，如果表示物或抽象概念，谓语动词用单数，如：
The sick have been saved and the lost have been founded.
The young are stronger than the old, but the old are wiser than the young.
The new and progressive always takes the place of the old.
17. 时间、距离、价格等度量衡名词及数词作主语，谓语可用单数形式。
Twenty years is a long time.
Ten thousand dollars is enough.
Two and three is five.
18. 一些单复数相同的名词，根据具体情况确定，如：deer, sheep, fish, means, works等。
The milu deer has returned to China.
More milu deer are being moved to a new large nature park in Shishou in Hubei Province.
Every means is tried to improve teaching.
All such means are unpleasant.
The foreigners are visiting a steel works
There are some iron works near the river.
责任编辑：李芳芳