英语中的一致关系主要指主谓一致、代词与被指对象一致和句子各成分间的一致。

　　主谓一致

　　主谓一致主要指主语和谓语动词之间在"人称"和"数"方面的一致关系。这种一致关系常受三种不同的原则支配，即：语法一致原则、意义一致原则和就近原则。

　　语法一致原则

　　主语和谓语之间的一致关系主要表现在"数"的形式上，即用作主语的名词中心词和谓语动词在单、复数形式上的一致。如果名词中心词是复数名词，动词就该用复数形式；如果名词中心词为单数名词或不可数名词，动词则用单数形式。这种一致关系就是语法一致。对于语法一致原则，我们很熟悉，这里就不再举例了。

　　意义一致原则

　　有时，主语和谓语之间的一致并非单纯取决于语法上的单、复数形式，而要取决于主语的单、复数意义。比如有时主语在语法形式上并非复数，但有复数意义，随后的谓语动词便用复数；反之，主语在语法形式上为复数，而在意义上可视为单数，随后的谓语动词便用单数。这种一致关系叫做意义一致。遵循意义一致原则的情况有：

　　1.非谓语动词或主语从句作主语时，谓语动词用单数。如：

　　Learning English needs hard work.

　　2.不定代词作主语或修饰主语时，谓语动词用单数。如：

　　Each country has its own customs.

　　3.表示时间、金钱、距离的名词作主语时，谓语动词用单数。如：

　　Sixteen miles seems like a long way to me.

　　4.一些集体名词，如audience, committee, class, crew, family, government, public等，若强调一个整体，谓语动词用单数；若侧重点放在组成集体的成员上，谓语动词用复数。如：

　　The anti-crime committee is making its report now.

　　就近原则

　　有时，谓语动词的单、复数形式取决于最靠近它的主语的单、复数形式，这种一致关系所依据的原则就是就近原则。遵循就近原则的情况有：

　　1.当主语由or, either...or, neither...nor, not only...

　　but also连接时，谓语与离它最近的主语保持一致。如：

　　Either my brothers or my father is coming.

　　2.在"there be"结构中，谓语与离它最近的主语保持一致。如：

　　There is a pen, a few envelopes for you.

　　对于主谓一致，还有几种情况应引起我们的注意：

　　1.当主语后面跟有由as well as, along with, rather than, more than, besides, together, including, in addition to, with等引导的从属结构时，谓语动词的形式依主语本身的单、复数而定。如：

　　His brother rather than his parents is to blame.

　　2. the number of+可数名词，谓语动词用单数；

　　a number of+可数名词，谓语动词用复数。

　　3.量词+ of +名词(包括分数、百分数+ of +名词)及more than +名词作主语，谓语动词的单、复数形式取决于of后的名词的单、复数形式。

　　4. many a +名词，谓语动词用单数。

　　5.定语从句中的主谓一致：在"one of +复数名词+定语从句"中，该从句中的谓语动词要用复数形式；在"the only one of +复数名词+定语从句"中，该从句中的谓语动词要用单数形式；在"代词+定语从句"结构中，从句中谓语的人称、性、数都要与被修饰的代词保持一致。

　　代词与被指对象一致

　　代词与被指对象一致主要是指代词与其所指代的名词在性、数、格方面要保持一致。我们要注意以下情况：

　　1.不定代词作主语或修饰主语时，其后的代词一般用单数。

　　2.由and连接的两个名词，若由each或every修饰，用单数代词；若两个名词分别为阳性和阴性，则使用he或his。如：

　　Each man and woman has his own right.

　　3.不定代词one作主语时，相应代词用one或one's及he或his。如：

　　If one does not work hard, one (he) cannot succeed.

　　4.表示国家、船只等事物的名词一般看作阴性，相应的代词应用she或her。

　　句子各成分间的一致

　　句子各成分间的一致主要指句子平行结构的一致。当句中出现由and, but, as well as, either...or等词连接的平行结构时，这些成分应在形式上保持同类、完整、对等性，以保证句子结构的平衡。如：

　　[误] Henry walked swiftly, neither looking to right nor left.

　　[正] Henry walked swiftly, looking neither to right nor to left.

　　请做以下练习：

　　1. No one _______ that to his face.

　　　[A] dare to say [B] dares say

　　　[C] dare say [D] dares saying

　　2. Either the girl or her twin brother must have finished _______ homework.

　　　[A] his [B] theirs [C] her [D] their

　　3. All work and no play _______ Jane a dull girl.

　　　[A] will make [B] made

　　　[C] make [D] makes

　　4. When he got there, what were left behind _______ two empty boxes.

　　　[A] was [B] were [C] just [D] only

　　5. Nobody but Jack and May _______ in the office

　　yesterday.

　　　[A] are [B] were [C] was [D] had been

　　　6. Neither the students nor their teacher _______ .

　　　[A] is to blame [B] was to be blamed

　　　[C] are to be blamed [D] were to blame

　　7. Eating sensibly and exercising regularly _______ caused me to lose twenty pounds.

　　　[A] was [B] have [C] were [D] has

　　8. When traveling in a foreign country, one should be

　　careful to carry _______ passport at all times.

　　　[A] their [B] one's [C] your [D] ones'

　　9. A series of brilliant scientific discoveries _______ made by them.

　　　[A] have [B] was [C] are [D] has

　　10.To balance a budget is to show the sum of a man's earnings _______ the sum of his expenditures.

　　　[A] equals [B] is equal

　　　[C] equal [D] are equal

　　11. A large collection of contemporary photographs,including some taken by Henry, _______ on display at the museum.

　　　[A] are [B] have [C] has [D] is

　　12. After the vote was taken, we saw that he was among the few who strangely enough _______ to do away with the council.

　　　[A] want [B] wanting

　　　[C] wants [D] has wanted

　　13. Mary accompanied by her brother and sister _______ in the entrance room, waiting to discuss with you the plans for the fancy dress ball.

　　　[A] are [B] being [C] will be [D] is

　　14. Either of these young ladies _______ perfectly qualified to teach Greek, Latin and French.

　　　[A] is [B] are [C] have [D] being

　　15. All but _______ going to the show.

　　　[A] he and I are [B] him and me are

　　　[C] he and I am [D] he and me am

　　16. This is the only one of the books on this subject _______ ever been written in English.

　　　[A] that have [B] which have

　　　[C] that has [D] which has

　　17. Every bus and taxi company claims that _______ would offer a better service if _______ fares were raised.

　　　[A] they, their [B] they, its

　　　[C] it, their [D] it, its

　　Answers:

　　1.C 2.A 3.D 4.B 5.C 6.A 7.B 8.B 9.B 10.A 11.D 12.A 13.D 14.A 15.A 16.C 17.D

　　(文/燕忠忙；英语辅导报大学二年级版03～04学年第21期；版权归英语辅导报社所有，独家网络合作伙伴新浪教育，未经许可，不得以任何形式进行转载。)