邏輯意義一致就是謂語動詞的數必須與主語的意義一致(因有時主語的形式是單數,但意義卻為復數;有時主語形式為復數,而意義卻為單數)。具體請看下文。
1. what, who, which, any, more, all等代詞可以是單數,也可是復數,主要靠意思來決定。如:Which is your bag? / Which are your bags? / All is going well. / All have gone to Beijing.
2. 表示“時間、重量、長度、價值”等的名詞的復數作主語時,謂語動詞通常用單數形式,這是由于作主語的名詞在概念上是一個整體,如:Thirty minutes is enough for the work.
3. 若英語是書名、片名、格言、劇名、報名、國名等的復數形式,其謂語動詞通常用單數形式。如:“The Arabian Nights” is an interesting story-book.
4. 表數量的短語“one and a half”后接復數名詞作主語時,其謂語動詞可用單數形式(也可用復數。如:One and a half apples is (are) left on the table.
5. 算式中表示數目(字)的主語通常作單數看待,其謂語動詞采用單數形式。如:Twelve plus eight is twenty. / Fifty-six divided by eight is seven.
6. 一些學科名詞是以 –ics 結尾,如:mathematics, politics, physics 以及news, works等,都屬于形式上是復數的名詞,實際意義為單數名詞,它們作主語時,其謂語動詞要用單數形式。如:The paper works was built in 1990. / I think physics isn‘t easy to study.
7. trousers, glasses, clothes, shoes, 等詞作主語時,謂語用復數,但如果這些名詞前有a (the) pair of等量詞修飾時,謂語動詞用單數。如:My glasses are broken. / The pair of shoes under the bed is his.
8. “定冠詞the + 形容詞或分詞”,表示某一類人時,動詞用復數。