主謂一致的原則是指,主語和謂語從語法形式上取得一致：主語是單數(shù)形式,謂語也采取單數(shù)形式；主語是復(fù)數(shù)形式,謂語亦采取復(fù)數(shù)形式
例如：A grammar book helps you learn something about the rules of a language.（主語是單數(shù)形式,謂語也采取單數(shù)形式） 語法書幫助你學(xué)習(xí)語言的某些規(guī)則.
Grammar books help you learn something about the rules of a language.（主語是復(fù)數(shù)形式,謂語也采取復(fù)數(shù)形式）
主語和謂語從語法形式上取得一致的問題遠(yuǎn)不只上述的那么簡(jiǎn)單,有許多方面的情況需要去具體地對(duì)待：
不定式、動(dòng)名詞、以及從句作主語時(shí)應(yīng)看作單數(shù),謂語動(dòng)詞用單數(shù).例如：
Reading often means learning .讀書常意味是學(xué)習(xí).
To read English aloud every morning does you a lot of good.每天早晨朗讀英語有許多好處.
What he said has been recorded .他說的話已被錄音了.
不定代詞one,every,each,everybody,everyone,one of,no one,nothing,nobody,someone,somebody,either,neither,many a 等作主語或是修飾主語時(shí)應(yīng)看作單數(shù),謂語動(dòng)詞用單數(shù).例如：
Neither of my sisters likes sports .我的妹妹中沒人喜歡運(yùn)動(dòng).
Many a student takes a walk on campus after dinner.許多學(xué)生晚飯后常在校園里散步.
Every boy and girl shows great interest in extra-curriculum activities .每個(gè)男孩和女孩對(duì)課外活動(dòng)都表現(xiàn)出很大的興趣.
表示國家、機(jī)構(gòu)、事件、作品等名稱的專有名詞作主語時(shí)應(yīng)看作單數(shù),謂語動(dòng)詞用單數(shù).例如：
One Thousand And One Nights tells people lots of mysterious bits of folklore .《一千零一夜》給人們講了許多神秘的民間傳說.
The United States is leading the world in science and technology .
美國常在世界科技方面領(lǐng)先.
The United Nations play an important role in the international affairs .聯(lián)合國在國際事務(wù)中起著重要作用.
a portion,a series of,a kind of,the number of等與名詞構(gòu)成名詞短語作主語時(shí)應(yīng)看作單數(shù),謂語動(dòng)詞用單數(shù).例如：
A series of high technology products has been laid out in the exhibition.一系列高科技產(chǎn)品已在展覽上展出.
The number of printing mistakes in some recent books often surprises people even to death.
近來一些書籍里印刷錯(cuò)誤的數(shù)量讓人吃驚得要命.
A substantial portion of the reports is missing .這些報(bào)告都沒有提及實(shí)質(zhì)問題.
A kind of rose in the garden smells very pleasant.這座花園里有一種玫瑰香氣怡人.
由some,several,both,few,many,a number of 等詞修飾主語、或是由它們自身作主語時(shí)應(yīng)看作復(fù)數(shù),謂語動(dòng)詞用復(fù)數(shù).另外,由and連接兩個(gè)主語時(shí),謂語一般用復(fù)數(shù).例如：
On the seashore,some people are playing volleyball and some are lying in the sun.海邊,有些人在打排球,有些人躺著曬太陽.
Both of us are fond of watching football games .我們倆都喜歡看足球賽.
A number of will-be graduates are voluntarily going to work in the West of China.許多即將畢業(yè)的學(xué)生打算自愿去中國西部工作.
有些短語,如：a lot of,most of,any of,half of ,three fifths of,eighty percent of,some of,none of,the rest of ,all of等后接不可數(shù)名詞、或是單數(shù)形式的名詞作主語時(shí)應(yīng)看作單數(shù),謂語動(dòng)詞用單數(shù)；但如果后接可數(shù)名詞的復(fù)數(shù)形式作主語時(shí)應(yīng)看作復(fù)數(shù),謂語動(dòng)詞用復(fù)數(shù).例如：
A lot of money in the shop was stolen yesterday when the electricity was suddenly cut off.昨天突然斷電時(shí),那家商店丟失了許多錢.
A lot of books about Investment Fund have been published recently.
最近出版了許多關(guān)于投資基金的書籍.