His glasses were broken, so he can't see well. 他的眼镜碎了，因而看不清楚。
His trousers are made of cotton. 他的裤子是棉布的。
注意:若这类名词前带有pair等表示单位的名词时，则以这些名词的单、复数形式决定动词的形式。
Two pairs of trousers are missing. 两条裤子不见了。
This pair of shoes is not on sale. 这双鞋不出售。

2、意义上的一致
意义上的一致是指谓语动词与主语的一致取决于主语所表达的意义。若主语形式上为复数，而意义上是单数，动词要用单数；
若主语形式上为单数，而意义上为复数，则动词用复数。
The United States is in North America. 美国在北美洲。
The police are looking into the matter. 警察正在调查此事。
使意义上的一致的情况
（1）由and连接两个并列主语
其后的谓语动词一般用复数形式。但如果两个单数名词指同一个人、同一事物、单一概念时，谓语动词要用单数，有时两个名词共用一个冠词。
The worker and writer has written a new novel. 这位工人兼作家写了一部新小说。(两个名词共用一个冠词)
There is a journalist and writer living in America whose name is Alex Haley. 在美国有一个名叫亚利克斯?哈利的记者兼作家。
Truth and honesty is always the best policy. 真诚总是上策。
注意：用and连接起来的两个单数主语，谓语动词可以是单数，也可以是复数。
Three and five makes /make eight.三加五等于八。
Time and tide wait/waits for no man .岁月不等人。
（2）形复意单的名词作主语
①复数形式的专有名词（表示国家、城市、机构、组织以及书籍、报纸、杂志等）做主语，通常作为整体看待，谓语动词用单数。
The United States is in North America.美国在北美洲。
The Arabian Nights is read all over the world.《天方夜谭》是流传世界各地的名著。
The New York Times has a wide circulation.《纽约时报》销路很广。
注意：表示山脉、群岛、瀑布等的专有名词和以复数形式出现的表示同姓的一家人或同名、同姓的若干人，谓语也用复数。
The Alps rise over 4 countries.阿尔卑斯山脉跨越了四国。
Niagara Falls are not as high as Victoria Falls.尼亚加拉瀑布没有维多利亚瀑布高。
The Smiths were also invited.史密斯一家人也受到了邀请。
There are 3 Marys and 2 Roberts in my class.我班有三个叫玛丽、两个叫罗伯特的学生。
②以-ics结尾表示学科的名词做主语，通常表示单数意义，谓语动词用单数形式。这类名词有：
physics, politics, mathematics, economics, athletics, electronics等。
Politics is now taught in all schools.现在各学校都开设政治课。
Economics is a science of the way in which industry and trade produce and use wealth.经济学是研究工业、贸易生财和用财之道。
注意：当这些动词表示有关方面的活动、情况、见解、原理等意思时，谓语动词需用复数形式。
What are his politics?他的政见如何？
The economics of national growth are of the greatest importance to all modern governments.国家发展经济的原理对现代各国政府都重要。
③news，maths，plastics，physics，works，means(方法)，the United States等虽然以-s结尾，但意义上作为单数看待。
“News of victories keeps pouring in as our army advances,” the company commander said. 集团军司令说：”
随着我们军队的推进胜利的消息接踵而至。”
Mathematics/Physics is a required subject for us.
数学/物理是我们必修的科目。
Every possible means has been used to prevent the air pollution，but the sky is still not clear.
所有可能的直至污染的方法都用了，但天空还是不晴朗的。
④成对的名词做主语时用单数形式。
Bread and butter is a daily food in the West .面包抹黄油是西方人每天的食品。
His gratitude and devotion to the Party is endless.他无限感觉，无限忠于党。
⑤“one and a half +复数名词”做主语，谓语动词用单数。
One and a half pears is left on the table .一只半梨剩在桌子上。
One and a half days is all I can spare.一天半是我所能挤出的全部时间。
注意：“one or two+复数名词”做主语，谓语动词用复数。
One or two days are enough to see the city.参观该市一两天就足够了。
There are one or two things I want to talk over with you .我有一两件事想跟你商量。
（3）有生命的集体名词作主语
有生命的集体名词 (如people，police，cattle，militia)作主语，谓语动词用复数形式。
Cattle are also kept. 还养了一些牛。
There are many people there. 那里有很多人。
The police are looking for the thief. 公安人员在搜寻那个小偷。
All the people of the world want peace.全世界人民都渴望和平。
注意：family，team，class，government，audience，crew，committee等集体名词，如果作整体看待，谓语动词用单数形式；
如果作个别成员看待，谓语动词用复数形式。people作“民族”解时，作单数用。
Zhang’s family is rather big, with twelve people in all.张家很大，一共12口人。
The family are sitting at the breakfast table. 这家人正坐在早餐桌旁。
My family is a large one. 我家是个大家庭。
The class are doing experiment in the lab. 全班同学正在实验室里做实验。
The class has won the honour. 这个班获得了荣誉。
The Chinese people is a great people.中华民族是一个伟大的民族。
（4） 名词化的形容词作主语
名词化的形容词作主语，按照意义一致的原则决定谓语动词的单、复数形式。
如果指一类人，谓语动词用复数形式，如果指一个人或抽象概念，谓语动词用单数形式。
这类形容词有：old, young, rich, poor, blind, deaf, dead, sick等。
The rich are not always happy. 富人也有不开心的时候。
The wounded is a policeman. 受伤者是一名警察。
The beautiful is not always the same as the good. 漂亮的不一定就等于好。
（5） 表示时间、距离、金钱、重量等的复数名词作主语
表示时间、距离、金钱、重量、度量、容量、温度等的复数名词做主语，通常看作一个整体，谓语动词用单数形式。
Twenty years has passed since we left school. 我们离开学校已经20年了。
Ten thousand dollars is a lot of money. 一万美元是一大笔钱。
Two months is quite a long time. 两个月时间是很长的。
Two hours is enough for us to do this experiment.我们做这个实验两个小时就够了。
Thirty kilometres is a good distance.30公里是一个相当远的距离。
注意：如果说话人侧重一个个的个体，谓语动词用复数形式。
Twenty years have passed since we parted.自从我们分手以后20年己经过去了。
（6）“a number of十复数可数名词”与“the number of十复数可数名词”作主语
“a number of十复数可数名词”表示 “一些、许多”的意思，谓语动词用复数；
“the number of十复数可数名词”表示 “……的数目、数量”，谓语动词用单数。
The number of people invited was fifty, but a number of them were absent for different reasons.
邀请来的人数是50，但很多人因不同的原因没来。
A number of books are missing from the library.
图书馆丢了许多书。
The number of workers in this factory is increasing.
这家工厂的工人数目正在增加。
（7）none of和neither of后跟复数名词或复数代词作主语
none of和neither of后跟复数名词或复数代词时，有时作单数看待，有时作复数看待，主要根据说话人的意思决定。
None of them has arrived yet at the settlement. 他们没有一个到达新住宅区。
None of them have arrived yet. 他们都还没到。
（8）“分数/百分数+of短语”作主语
“分数/百分数+of短语”作主语，这时要以of短语中的名词是否为复数而定。
Two fifths of the land in that district is covered with trees and grass．该地区五分之二的土地为树木和草所覆盖。
89% of smokers are male. 89%的吸烟者是男性。
In the USA, 75% of the grain is used to feed animals. 在美国，75%的谷物用来喂养动物。
Two-thirds of the earth's surface is sea. 地球表面的2/3是海洋。
Two-thirds of the people were against the plan. 2/3的人都反对核计划。
（9）表示部分概念或不定数量的名词或代词作主语
表示部分概念或不定数量的名词或代词作主语，谓语动词用单数还是复数，应根据后接名词的单、复数形式而定。
这些名间或代词有all，any，enough，half，more，most，the rest，part，some等。
The rest of the buildings are easy to get to. 其余的建筑物并不难上。
The rest of his life was happy. 他的晚年生活很幸福。
Most of my time was spent in reading. 我大部分时间用来读书。
Most of the people are aware of it. 大部分人都知道它。
Some of the sugar was spilled on the floor. 一些糖散落在地上。
Some of the apples were spilled on the floor. 一些苹果散落在地上。
（10）两个主语，一个肯定，一个否定，谓语动词与肯定主语相一致。
The parents, and not the son, were missing.失踪者不是儿子，而是他的双亲。

3、邻近原则
邻近原则是指谓语动词要与它最邻近的名词或代词保持人称与数的一致。
Neither he nor I am a student. 他和我都不是学生。