一、名词的单复数
在雅思写作中,考生常常分不清可数名词和不可数名词,从而导致一系列的语法错误:
The number of fruit in summer is larger than in winter.
‘fruit’是一个不可数名词,往往考生们受母语的影响,误认为其为可数名词。
与汉语不同,英语中名词要区分可数与不可数。
笼统地讲,物质名词,如:water(水), iron(铁), wood(木头)等和抽象名词,如:democracy(民主), freedom(自由), happiness(幸福)等为不可数。
以下名词为不可数名词:
news(消息) information(信息)
furniture(家具) equipment(设备)
advice(劝告) weather(天气)
work(工作) clothing(衣服)
baggage(行李)
work作"工作"解释时为不可数名词,"找工作"不能说to find a work, 应为to find a job; work作"著作"、"作品"解时是可数名词,如:Deng Xiaopin's works(邓小平著作)/a work about Deng Xiaopin(一件关于邓小平的作品);作"工厂"解释时,单复数同形:a steel works(一个钢铁厂)/two chemical works(两家化工厂)
以下名词单复数同形:
means(手段) headquarters(司令部)
works(工厂) species(物种)
aircraft(飞机) Chinese(中国人)
sheep(羊) fish(鱼)
中国的计量单位:li(里), yuan(元), mu(亩)等
实例:Every means has been tried out, but without satisfactory results.(每个方法都试过了,但结果不令人满意。)
形式上是复数的学科名称,如physics, statistics, dynamics作单数看待;时间、距离、钞票、重量等复数,可以看作一个整体作单数处理,如:Two days is not enough for me to finish the task.(要我完成此项任务两天是不够的。)
二、主谓一致
雅思专家分析发现,主谓一致也是雅思考生经常犯的语法错误之一,在许多同学的作文中,主谓一致的错误比比皆是,大量的主谓一致错误一定会导致比较低的语法分数,所以想要取得高分的同学一定不能忽略这个问题。
主谓一致指“人称”和“数方面的一致关系,如:He is going abroad. They are playing football.可分为:语法一致,内容一致,就近一致。
语法一致原则:即主语为单数,谓语用单数,主语为复数,谓语也用复数。以下为注意事项:
1. 单数主语即使后面带有with, along with, together with, like(像),but(除了),except, besides, as well as, no less than, rather than(而不是),including, in addition to引导的短语,谓语动词仍用单数。
如:Air as well as water is matter. 空气和水都是物质。
No one except two servants was late for the dinner. 除了两个仆人外,没有一个人迟来用餐。
2. 用and连接的并列主语,如果主语是同一个人、同一事、同一概念,谓语动词用单数,否则用复数。如:
The poet and writer has come. 那位诗人兼作家来了。(一个人)
A hammer and a saw are useful tools. 锤子和锯都是有用的工具。(两件物品)
3. 用and连接的成对名词习惯上被看成是一个整体,如:bread and butter(黄油抹面包),knife and fork(刀叉)等作主语时,谓语动词用单数。
4. 不定式(短语),动名词(短语),或从句作主语时,谓语动词用单数。如:
Serving the people is my great happiness.
为人民服务是我的幸福。
When we‘ll go out for an outing has been decided.
我们什么时候出去郊游已决定了。
5. 当连接的并列主语被each, every或no修饰时,谓语动词用单数。
Every boy and every girl likes to go swimming. 每个男孩和每个女孩都喜欢去游泳。
No teacher and no student was absent from the meeting. 没有老师也没有学生开会缺席。
Each man and (each) woman is asked to help. 每个男人和每个女人都被请去帮忙。
each of + 复数代词,谓语动词用单数。复数代词+each, 谓语动词用单数,如:
Each of us has something to say. 我们每个人都有话要说。
6. 若主语中有more than one或many a/an, 尽管从意义上看是复数,但它的谓语动词仍用单数。但more+复数名词+than one做主语时,谓语动词仍用复数,如:
Many a boy likes playing basketball. 许多男生都喜欢打篮球。
More than one student was late. 不只一个学生迟到了。
More persons than one come to help us. 不止一个人来帮助我们。
语言是一门艺术,写作是创造艺术并享受艺术的过程。恰当准确地表述,语言流畅清新,遣词造句恰当准确,语法鲜少错误,是广大中国雅思考生急需掌握的绝妙武功,也才是雅思写作中的“凌波微步”!