Sự hòa hợp giữa chủ ngữ và động từ

Nếu 2 danh từ làm chủ ngữ nối với nhau bằng and thì động từ phải chia ở ngôi thứ 3 số nhiều Mary and her manager are going to a party tonight.. Nếu danh từ đó là số ít thì động từ phải

Sự hòa hợp giữa chủ ngữ và động từ

1 Các trường hợp chủ ngữ đứng tách khỏi động từ

Trong câu tiếng Anh, có nhiều trường hợp rất khó xác định được đâu là chủ ngữ của câu

do chủ ngữ và động từ không đi liền với nhau

The boys in the room are playing chess

Thông thường trong các trường hợp đó, một ngữ giới từ (một giới từ mở đầu và các danh

từ theo sau – in the room) thường nằm giữa chủ ngữ và động từ Các ngữ giới từ này không ảnh hưởng đến việc chia động từ

The study of languages is very interesting

Serveral theories on this subject have been proposed

The view of these disciplines varies from time to time

The danger of forest fires is not to be taken lightly

Chú ý: 1 với các từ dưới đây, động từ sẽ chia theo chủ ngữ trước

Mary, along with her manager and some friends, is going to a party tonight

Mr Robbins, accompanied by her wife and children, is arriving tonight

2 Nếu 2 danh từ làm chủ ngữ nối với nhau bằng and thì động từ phải chia ở ngôi thứ 3

số nhiều

Mary and her manager are going to a party tonight

3 2 đồng chủ ngữ nối với nhau bằng or thì động từ phải chia theo danh từ đứng sau or

Nếu danh từ đó là số ít thì động từ phải chia số ít và ngược lại

Mary or her manager is going to answer the press interview

Chú ý: nếu chủ ngữ kết hợp bởi and nhưng ám chỉ 1 người hoặc 1 vật thì ta vẫn phải chia động từ ở số ít Và nếu chủ ngữ nối bằng and này có từ every đứng trước ta cũng dùng động từ số ít

Macaroni and cheese is my favorite food

The librarian and reading teacher is Mrs Jones

Every dog and cat has been vaccinated

2 Trường hợp 2

Với các chủ ngữ là một trong các từ dưới đây, chia động từ ở ngôi thứ 3 số ít.

* Either và neither là số ít nếu chúng không đi với or hoặc nor

Cụm từ many a cũng chia với động từ số ít

Everybody who wants to buy a ticket should be in this line

Something is in my eye

Anybody who has lost his ticket should report to the desk

Neither of his pens is able to be used.

If either of you takes a vacation now, we will not be able to finish the work

No problem is harder than this one

Nobody works harder than John does

Với chủ ngữ là những từ sau chia với động từ số nhiều

PLURAL: several, few, both, many

Ví dụ: both do a great deal of work in the office

Chú ý: một số từ có thể chia với động từ số ít hoặc nhiều ( nếu từ đó đi cùng danh từ không đếm được dùng động từ chia ở số ít và ngược lại

Ví dụ: some, any, none, all, most

Some of the sugar is in the floor.

Some of the books are in the floor

3 Cách sử dụng None và No

None và No đều dùng được với cả danh từ số ít và số nhiều

None of the + non-count noun + singular verb

None of the + plural count noun + plural verb

None of the counterfeit money has been found

None of the students have finished the exam yet

· Nếu sau No là một danh từ đếm được số ít hoặc không đếm được thì động từ phải ở ngôi thứ 3 số ít Nếu sau nó là một danh từ số nhiều thì động từ phải ở ngôi thứ 3 số nhiều

No + {singular noun / non-count noun} + singular verb

No + plural noun + plural verb

No example is relevant to this case

No examples are relevant to this case

4 Cách sử dụng cấu trúc either or (hoặc hoặc) và neither nor (không mà cũng

không)

Điều cần lưu ý nhất khi sử dụng cấu trúc này là động từ phải chia theo danh từ đi sau or hoặc nor Nếu or hoặc nor xuất hiện một mình (không có either hoặc neither) thì cũng áp

dụng quy tắc tương tự (như đã đề cập ở phần trên)

Neither John nor his friends are going to the beach today

Either John or his friends are going to the beach today

Neither the boys nor Carmen has seen this movie before

Either John or Bill is going to the beach today.

Neither the director nor the secretary wants to leave yet

5 V-ing làm chủ ngữ

Khi V-ing dùng làm chủ ngữ thì động từ cũng phải chia ở ngôi thứ 3 số ít

Knowing her has made him what he is

Not studying has caused him many problems

Washing with special cream is recommended for scalp infection

Being cordial is one of his greatest assets

Writing many letters makes her happy

Chú ý: Động từ nguyên thể cũng có thể dùng làm chủ ngữ và động từ sau nó sẽ chia ở ngôi thứ 3 số ít Nhưng người ta thường dùng chủ ngữ giả it để mở đầu câu.

To find the book is necessary for him = It is necessary for him to find the book

6 Các danh từ tập thể

Đó là các danh từ ở bảng sau dùng để chỉ 1 nhóm người hoặc 1 tổ chức nhưng trên thực

tế chúng là những danh từ số ít, do vậy các đại từ và động từ theo sau chúng cũng ở ngôi thứ 3 số ít

Congress

family

group

committee

class

Organization team

army club crowd

Government jury

majority*

minority public

The committee has met, and it has rejected the proposal

The family was elated by the news

The crowd was wild with excitement

Congress has initiated a new plan to combat inflation

The organization has lot many members this year

Our team is going to win the game

Tuy nhiên nếu các thành viên trong nhóm đang hoạt động riêng rẽ, động từ sẽ chia ở ngôi thứ 3 số nhiều:

Congress votes for the bill (Quốc hội bỏ phiếu cho dự luật, gồm tất cả mọi người)

Congress are discussing about the bill (Quốc hội đang tranh luận về dự luật, tức là một

số tán thành, một số phản đối

* Danh từ majority được dùng tuỳ theo thành phần sau nó để chia động từ

The majority + singular verb

The majority of the + plural noun + plural verb

The majority believes that we are in no danger

The majority of the students believe him to be innocent

· The police/the sheep/the fish + plural verb.

The sheep are breaking away

The police come only to see the dead bodies and a ruin in the bank

· A couple + singular verb

A couple is walking on the path

· The couple + plural verb

The couple are racing their horses through the meadow

· Các cụm từ ở nhóm sau chỉ một nhóm động vật hoặc gia súc Cho dù sau giới từ of là danh từ số nhiều thì động từ vẫn chia theo ngôi chủ ngữ chính – ngôi thứ 3 số ít: flock of birds/ sheep, school of fish, herd of cattle, pride of lions, pack of dogs

The flock of birds is circling overhead

The herd of casttle is breaking away

A school of fish is being attacked by sharks

· Tất cả các danh từ tập thể chỉ thời gian, tiền bạc, số đo, khi được đề cập đến như một thể thống nhất thì đều được xem là một danh từ số ít Do đó các động từ và đại từ theo sau chúng phải ở ngôi thứ 3 số ít

Twenty-five dollars is too much for the meal

Fifty minutes isn’t enough time to finish this test

Twenty dollars is all I can afford to pay for that radio

Two miles is too much to run in one day

He has contributed $50, and now he wants to contribute another fifty

7 Cách sử dụng a number of, the number of:

A number of = “Một số những ”, đi với danh từ số nhiều, động từ chia ở số nhiều

A number of + plural noun + plural verb

A number of students are going to the class picnic (Một số sinh viên sẽ đi )

A number of applicants have already been interviewed

The number of = “Số lượng những ”, đi với danh từ số nhiều, động từ vẫn ở ngôi thứ 3

số ít

The number of + plural noun + singular verb

The number of days in a week is seven (Số lượng ngày trong tuần là 7)

The number of residents who have been questioned on this matter is quite small

8 Các danh từ luôn ở số nhiều

Bảng sau là những danh từ bao giờ cũng ở hình thái số nhiều vì chúng bao gồm 2 thực thể nên các đại từ và động từ đi cùng với chúng cũng phải ở số nhiều

scissors

shorts

pants

jeans tongs trousers

eyeglasses pliers tweezers

Nếu muốn chúng thành ngôi số ít phải dùng a pair of

The pants are in the drawer

A pair of pants is in the drawer

These scissors are dull (Cái kéo này cùn Chú ý chỉ có 1 cái kéo nhưng cũng dùng với these)

Chú ý: một số danh từ có dạng thức số nhiều nhưng chia với động từ số ít ( như measles,

politics, mathematics, ………

9 Cách dùng there is, there are

ngữ thật của câu là là danh từ đi sau động từ Nếu nó là danh từ số ít thì động từ to be

chia ở ngôi thứ 3 số ít và ngược lại

There has been an increase in the importation of foreign cars

Threre is a storm approaching

There was an accident last night

There was water on the floor

There have been a number of telephone calls today

There were too many people at the party

Lưu ý:

• Các cấu trúc: there is certain/ sure/ likely/ bound to be = chắc chắn là sẽ có

There is sure to be trouble when she gets his letter (Chắc chắn là sẽ có rắc rối khi

cô ấy nhận được thư anh ta)

Do you think there is likely to be snow (Anh cho rằng chắc chắn sẽ có tuyết chứ)

• Trong dạng tiếng Anh quy chuẩn hoặc văn chương một số các động từ khác ngoài

to be cũng được sử dụng với there:

Động từ trạng thái: stand/ lie/ remain/ exist/ live

Động từ chỉ sự đến: enter/ go/ come/ follow/ develop

In a small town in Germany there once lived a poor shoemaker (Tại một thị trấn nhỏ ở Đức có một ông thợ giày nghèo sống ở đó)

There remains nothing more to be done (Chả còn có gì nữa mà làm)

Suddenly there entered a strange figure dressed all in black (Bỗng có một hình bóng kì

lạ mặc toàn đồ đen đi vào)

There followed an uncomfortable silence (Sau đó là một sự im lặng đến khó chịu)

There + subject pronoun + go/ come/ be: kìa/ thế là/ rồi thì

There he comes (Anh ta đã đến rồi kia kìa)

There you are, I have been waiting for you for over an hour (Anh đây rồi, tôi đang chờ anh đến hơn một tiếng rồi đấy)

EXERCISE I : Choose the correct form of the verbs in parentheses in the following sentences.

A

1 John along with twenty friends, (is / are) planning a party

2 The picture of the soldiers (bring / brings) back many memories

3 The quality of these recordings (is / are) not very good

4 If the duties of these officers (isn’t / aren’t) reduced, there will not be enough

time to finish the project

5 Neither Bill nor Mary (is / are) going to the play tonight

6 Anything (is / are) better than going to another movie tonight

7 A number of reporters (was / were) at the conference yesterday

8 There (was / were) some people at the meeting last night

9 Each student (has / have) answered the first three questions

10 Either John or his wife (make / makes) breakfast each morning

11 The army (has / have) eliminated this section of the training test

12 The number of students who have withdrawn from class this quarter (is / are)

appalling

13 Every elementary school teacher (has / have) to take this examination

14 The police (come / comes) to the site of the accident

15 These pictures, as well as photograph (brighten / brightens) the room

16 What he told you (seem / seems) to be of on importance

17 Tow years (is / are) a long time to wait

18 Bread and butter (is / are) what she asks for

19 Measles (is / are) cured without much difficulty nowadays

20 After a long day’s work (is / are) not the right time to dancing

B

1 Either the physicians in this hospital or the chief administrator (is/are) going to have

to make a decision

2 (is/are) my boss or my sisters in the union going to win this grievance?

3 Some of the votes (seem/seems) to have been miscounted

4 The tornadoes that tear through this county every spring (is/are) more than just a nuisance

5 Everyone selected to serve on this jury (have/has) to be willing to give up a lot of time

6 Kara Wolters, together with her teammates, (present/presents) a formidable opponent

on the basketball court

7 He seems to forget that there (is/are) things to be done before he can graduate

8 There (have/has) _ to be some people left in that town after yesterday's flood

9 Some of the grain (appear/appears) to be contaminated

10 Three-quarters of the students (is/are) against the tuition hike

11 Three-quarters of the student body (is/are) against the tuition hike

12 A high percentage of the population (is/are) _ voting for the new school

13 A high percentage of the people (was/were) _ voting for the new school

C

1 Dr Ferndon is one of those professors who (seem/seems) _ distracted most of the time

2 (have/has) _ either Luis or his parents written to Angela?

3 Neither Luis nor his parents (is/are) _ the least bit interested in keeping in touch with her

4 Everybody on this team (try/tries) really hard to please the new coach

5 Because there (is/are) _ so many students in that class, I can sometimes sleep in the back row

6 Neither traffic light neither the one on Asylum Avenue nor the one on Farmington Avenue-(was/were)- _ working after the storm

7 Mr Bradley, along with his two sisters, have/has _ lived in this town for thirty years

8 There (is/are) _ no reasons for this horrible development that I can see

9 Some of the water (have/has) _ already gone bad

10 One of these students(have/has) _ obviously cheated on the exam

11 Either the UConn Women's Team or the UConn Men's Team (is/are) _ going to be national champion this year

12 Carlos and his brother Raoul (is/are) _ traveling across the country next summer

13 Several of the students (have/has) _ decided to withdraw from the course

D

1 There _(is/are) _ several reasons why you should reconsider your decision

2 Howard and Vincent, who ( run/runs) a copy center in town, have decided to expand their business

3 Both of the statues on the shelf (is/are) broken

4 The fishing boat that has been tied up at the pier for three days

_(was/were) _ finally on its way this morning

Remember that a subject and its verb are not always together

5 The chairman, along with his two assistants,(plans/plan) to attend the annual convention

6 The issues of inflation and tax reform (continue/continues) to be on everyone's mind

7 Juan or Julian (prepare/prepares) the conference room each week

8 Not one of the performers (was/were) at the party after the concert

9 The results of the election (was/were) not available for two days

10 When there _(is/are) _ thunderstorms approaching, we are always

reminded of the threat of tornadoes

1 Neither of us (was/were) able to predict the outcome of today's game

2 Macaroni and cheese_(is/are) my favorite dish

3 At the foot of the mountain (was/were) two enormous vineyards, both owned

by the same woman

4 A small percentage of the grain (was/were) _ ruined by the prolonged rain

5 Most parents mistakenly think that mumps (have/has) _ been eliminated as a childhood disease

6 Our college should change (its/their) _ policy about withdrawals

7 Coaches Espinoza and Calhoun coach different sports Neither Espinoza nor Calhoun scheduled (her/their) team for the gym this afternoon

8 No one has offered to let us use (her/their/his or her) _ home for the department meeting

9 If I ever find my glasses, I think I'll have (it/them) replaced

10 General Motors will probably recall most of (its/their) _ four-wheel-drive vehicles

E

1 Neither of us (was/were) able to predict the outcome of today's game

2 Macaroni and cheese (is/are) my favorite dish

3 At the foot of the mountain (was/were) two enormous vineyards, both owned

by the same woman

4 A small percentage of the grain (was/were) _ ruined by the prolonged rain

5 Most parents mistakenly think that mumps (has/have) _ been eliminated as a childhood disease

6 Our college should change(its/their) _ policy about withdrawals

7 Coaches Espinoza and Calhoun coach different sports Neither Espinoza nor Calhoun scheduled (her/their) team for the gym this afternoon

8 No one has offered to let us use (her/their/his or her) _ home for the department meeting

9 If I ever find my glasses, I think I'll have (it/them) replaced

10 General Motors will probably recall most of (its/their) _ four-wheel-drive vehicles

EXERCISE II : Either or Neither nor

Insert “is, am, are, was, were, has, have, do or does”

1 That clown shows that either snow or rain about to fall

2 Neither the cock nor the hens in the ward

3 By what time either you or your father decided to go ?

4 Either one or tow apples been picked up ripe

5 Neither the moon nor stars visible in this dark night

6 To what place either the man or his son wish to go ?

7 Neither the master nor his pupils idle

8 Neither he nor you heard of this before

9 No girl or boy allowed to play in the school

10 Neither the man nor his wife much work

EXERCISE III : As well as.

Insert “is, am, are, was, were, has, have, do or does”

1 This house as well as that for sale, which will you have ?

2 The horse as well as the rider hurt by the fall

3 James as well as Mary won a prize this term

4 Beauty as well as health fallen to her lot in life

5 I myself as well as James gone to the party

6 The cock as well as the hens calling for food

7 A garden as well as stables attached to the house

8 A garden as well as a stable attached to the house

9 The hens as well as the cock calling for food

10 Stables as well as a garden attached to the house

1 A black cat (bring, brings) bad luck, according to an old superstition

2 Young children often (protest, protests) when bedtime (roll, rolls) around

3 My thoughts often (become, becomes) confused when I sit down to write an essay

4 When it is hot and humid, my clothes (stick, sticks) to me

5 A person (need, needs) to set goals if he or she wants to succeed

6 The damages (were, was) not serious, but the cost of repairs was over a thousand dollars

7 My head (feel, feels) as if it is about to burst

8 Joseph (have, has) two sisters, one brother, and several pets

9 When a tree (fall, falls) in a forest and no one is present, does it make a sound?

10 The food containers (is, are) stacked in the lower cabinet

11 Mothers (like, likes) to see their children grow into independent adults

12 My brother (work, works) at the Baptist Hospital as a physical therapist.

13 The little girl (have, has) a beautiful smile, even though her two front teeth (are, is) missing

14 A kitten (open, opens) its eyes when it is about ten days old

15 Some boys (pitch, pitches) with one hand and (bat, bats) with another

1 Marvin’s excuses for not having completed his research paper (bore, bores) me

2 Speeding in restricted zones, especially those near schools, (endanger, endangers) lives

3 One computer for two or three students (seem, seems) inadequate

4 The popularity of violent movies (reflect, reflects) the values of our society

5 Honeydews, one of the favorite melons of consumers, (taste, tastes) clean and sweet

6 Coaches who are disciplined and who demand discipline from their players usually (have, has) winning teams

7 The annual sales of video games in the United States probably (exceed, exceeds) a billion dollars

8 Small amounts of tar and nicotine (damage, damages) the health of smokers

9 Fiberglass, often used as an insulating material in homes, (cause, causes) allergic

reactions in some people

10 The women riding in the back seat of the car (was, were) not injured in the accident

11 Animals which sleep in the day and are active at night (have, has) good night vision

12 The students waiting in line for tickets to the concert (expect, expects) to get good seats

13 A teenager who tries to conform to the expectations of adults (is, are) often ridiculed

by his or her peers

14 The bark of some trees (have, has) been used for years by herbalists to treat certain diseases

1 Ben and Pete (want, wants) to buy a new computer

2 The color and style (is, are) important to most teenagers

3 The price or warranty (is, are) not as important as other factors

4 Neither a new television nor stereo (interest, interests) Ben and Pete

5 A large monitor and quality sound (impress, impresses) them

6 The manager and sales clerk (try, tries) to convince them to buy an expensive model

7 Neither Ben nor Pete (want, wants) to make a rush decision about the computer

8 Video editing and computer graphics (provide, provides) new possibilities for the user

9 Most people know when a computer system or program (work, works) properly, and they can

usually do minor repairs themselves

10 A computer course and a reference guide (is, are) necessary for serious users

11 A new keyboard or mouse (attract, attracts) those interested in upgrading their

systems

12 The sales clerk or the parents (select, selects) age-appropriate computer games for children

13 Neither the directions on the package nor the brochure (explain, explains) how to play the

game

14 Both the hard drive and the software installed on our old computer (is, are) damaged

1 (Does, Do) every boy and girl in kindergarten visit the museum?

2 Clowns and fools, as well as heroes, (appear, appears) in many of

Shakespeare's plays

3 Either the plaintiff or the defendant (has, have) changed his mind about the suit

4 Neither the President nor his family members (was, were) safe

5 Fish and chips (is, are) a specialty of local restaurants

6 Every dog and cat (is, are) required to wear a tag certifying that it has been vaccinated

7 The cook and housekeeper (is, are) paid a larger salary than the gardener because of the

extra requirements of her job