LectureSubjectverbConcord(II)技术.doc

A New English Grammar Course Book Legend User Page 1 1/22/2017 Lecture 3 Subject-verb concord II ? This lecture deals with problems of concord with a coordinate construction, a quantitative expression, ora nominal clause as subject. problems of concord with a coordinate subject ? The following rules are to be observed in the case ofa coordinate subject. 1) Coordination with “ and ” or“ both … and ” 1. Coordination by“ and ” or“ both... and ” is usually treated as plural when it refers to two or more than two persons / things 2. But it is treated as singular when it refers to only one person or thing. Compare: Both Pauline and bob have gone fishing on Miramar Lake. The secretary and treasurer was absent from the meeting. Ham and eggs isa good breakfast. 3. Elliptical construction with and has a plural mean and the predicate verb takes singular form. eg: Good and bad taste are inculcated by example. What I say and think are no business of yours. 4. When the coordinated noun phrases by and are preceded by each , every , many a, the verb usually takes singular form. eg: Every boy and every girl in this room is entitled toa copy. Many a man and woman in munity finds himself or herself in need. 2) Coordination with “ or”/“ either … or”,“ nor ”/“ neither … nor ”,“ not only ... but also ” 1. Here the problem of concord is generally dealt with according to the principle of proximity