倒裝
系動詞單復(fù)數(shù)取決于系動詞后面跟的名詞的單復(fù)數(shù)形式,由于foreign minister是單數(shù),所以用was
主語是the foreign minister and other officials,如果是正句就是:
the foreign minister and other officials were seeing them off at the airport
但倒過來是
seeing them off at the airport was the foreign minister and other officials.
為什么這樣,跟你打個比方,就是某個大嘴播音員,不動腦子,看到什么說什么,看到就人在機場送行,就說seeing them off at the ariport,看到大領(lǐng)導,所以就was the foreign official,說著說著又忘了還有其它人,所以就補上and other officials.
注意從語法角度講,the foreign minister and other officials不是一個主語,而是雙主語,用and連接的詞作主語,要看是雙主語還是單主語,and前后是一個整體時,謂語用復(fù)數(shù),如tom and baker are twins.當不是一個整體時就是雙主語,謂語單復(fù)數(shù)取決于離系動語最近的一個主語.如the captain and his crew were fighting monsters.(the crew and the captain was fighting monsters.)