grammar

　　 Grammar 2 Subject and verb agreement

　　 Step1 Read the sentences and answer the questions..

　　 My family lives in Cardiff.

　　 Our soccer team is fantastic.

　　 The whole class is here.

　　 What have the words family, team, and class got in common?

　　 (a ) They are all singular nouns.

　　 (b) They are followed by a singular verb.

　　 ( c) They refer to only one person.

　　 ( d) They refer to a number of people.

　　 The key: ( b ) ( c)

　　 对于这些集体名词:family, class, team, committee, audience, public, government 等,如果强调这个集体是一个整体就被看作单数,如果强调组成这个整体的每个成员就当作复数用, 如:

　　 The class is a good one.

　　 The class are all there.

　　 My family is in Beijing.

　　 My family are all soccer fans.

　　 The team is loved by all the people in the city.

　　 The team has now known the whole story.

　　 The audience was large. The audience are now enjoying the play so much.

　　 Step2 Complete each sentence using a verb from the box.

　　 live play have

　　 1. The Valencia soccer team ____________ in a large stadium.

　　 2. Carlos's class _________ a meeting.

　　 3. Amy __________ in London but her family __________ in Cardiff.

　　 The key:

　　 1) plays 2) has 3) lives/live(lives)

　　 Finish the following sentences.

　　 1) The class _______(be) big.

　　 2) The class __________(be) taking notes at the moment.

　　 3) His family _______( be) small in the past, but now it _________(be) big.

　　 4) His family _________(be) all soccer fans.

　　 5) The team ___________(have) made progress.

　　 6) The team __________( have) all forgot the meeting.

　　 The keys:

　　 1) is 2) are 3) was, is 4) are 5) has 6) have

　　 Step 3 Read the example and answer the questions.

　　 a. Neither Amy nor Helen is English.

　　 b. Neither of them is English.

　　 c. None of them has arrived.

　　 d. Each country in the United kingdoms has a capital.

　　 e. Each of them has a capital.

　　 neither指"两者都不",在一般情况下用单数(特别是正式文本和英国英语中);在neither...nor...连接主语的情况下, 动词谓语和nor后面的成分保持数的一致; none 表示"否定", 既能指人又能指物, 可用单数,也可用作复数;each指"两个或两个以上的人或物中的一个",强调个体的意义,如:

　　 Neither the teacher nor the students are in the classroom.

　　 Neither you nor anyone else is to blame.

　　 None of the stories is believable.

　　 None of the emails have been answered.

　　 Each of the two girls has glasses on.

　　 Each of the students in the class has made progress in English.

　　 Step 4 Rewrite the sentences using neither, none, or each

　　 1. Amy and Helen can't speak Chinese.

　　 2. All the countries in Europe have a good soccer team.

　　 3. France and Germany aren't going to sign the agreement.

　　 4. The whole class doesn't want to study Japanese.

　　 The key:

　　 1) Neither Amy nor Helen can speak Chinese.

　　 2) Each country in Europe has a good soccer team.

　　 3) Neither France nor Germany is going to sign the agreement.

　　 4) None of the class wants to study Japanese.

　　 sign

　　 n. 符号,正负号,手势,迹象,招牌

　　 v. 签,做手势,做标记

　　 Dark clouds are a sign of rain or snow.

　　 乌云是雨或雪将至的预兆。

　　 She signed her name to the document.

　　 她在文件上签了名。

　　 Step 5 Finish some exercises

　　 1) None __________( be) willing to miss her lecture.

　　 2) None of them _________( have) a camera.

　　 3) Each of the boys _________( have)a room to himself.

　　 4) Neither of the example __________ (explain) it well.

　　 5) Neither the students nor their teacher__________(be) here.

　　 6) Neither the students nor their teacher___________(be) here.

　　 7) Is there any call for me today? Sorry, there __________ (be) none.

　　 8) So many students are doing it. None __________(think) it impossible.

　　 9) Neither they nor he _____________( be) to blame.

　　 10) Two students are from America. Each ________(speak ) American English.

　　 The key:

　　 1) is 2) has 3) has 4) explain 5) is 6) is 7) is 8) thinks 9) is 10) speaks.

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