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Module 5: Simple Sentences |
5.1 Subject-verb Agreement
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Overview Day 1: The Rule of Agreement & Exceptions Day 2: Subjects that take a singular verb Day 3: Subjects that take a plural verb Day 4: Singular or Plural verb? Day 5: A Summary |
Day
1
The Rule of Agreement 文法一致的規則
The rule of agreement applies in the present tense, it says:
- If the noun is singular, the verb must be singular.
- If the noun is plural, the verb must be plural.
文法一致的適用於現在式 :
- 當名詞是單數時，動詞都必須為單數
- 當名詞是複數時，動詞都必須為複數
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Singular Subject |
Singular verb |
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This flower |
looks beautiful. |
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She |
does the cooking. |
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One apple |
has been eaten. |
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Plural Subject |
Plural verb |
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These flower |
look beautiful. |
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They |
do the cooking. |
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Two apples |
have been eaten. |
All verbs in English, except to be, have singular and plural forms only in the PRESENT TENSE. In the PAST TENSE there is no agreement problem, as the verb does not change. 所有在英語中的動詞，除了to be，都只會在現在式有單數和複數的形式。在過去式，則沒有文法一致不一致的問題，因為過去式動詞只有一款。
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e.g. |
Singular |
Plural |
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Present |
Looks, Goes |
Look, Go |
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Past |
Looked, Went |
Looked, Went |
Exception #1: Verb to be (例外一: 動詞to be)
The verb to be has singular and plural forms in both the PRESENT TENSE and the PAST TENSE. It must follow the rule of agreement in the PAST TENSE as well. 動詞 to be不論是在現在式或是過去式，均有單數和複數的形式。它必須遵守文法一致的規則。
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Verb TO BE |
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PRESENT Tense |
PAST Tense |
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Person |
Singular |
Plural |
Singular |
Plural |
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1st |
I am |
We are |
I was |
We were |
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2nd |
You are |
You are |
You were |
You were |
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3rd |
He/she/it is |
They are |
He/she/it was |
They were |
Exception #2: Modal Auxiliaries(例外二:
情態助動詞)
Modal auxiliaries like CAN, WILL and WOULD do not have singular and plural forms. They are the same for both singular and plural subjects. 情態助動詞如 CAN, WILL 和 WOULD，都沒有單數或複數之分，它們既可用在單數主語，亦可用在複數主語。
üI can swim.
üShe can swim.
üThey can swim.
ûShe cans swim.
ûShe can swims.
Let’s do some exercises now to test your understanding of the rule of agreement!