SAT语法详细知识点:动词和时态(上)
SAT语法详细知识点:动词和时态(上)
简述:
动词是表述一个动作的词汇,特殊的动词还有情态动词、助动词,动词往往作为谓语是一个句子不可或缺的部分。与汉语不同的是英语中的动词对于单复数和时态非常重视,单复数需要和相对应的主语(也就是动作的施力者)的单复数保持一致,时态上需要考虑的内容比较多:动作发生的时间,动作对于现在的影响,是否为普遍规律。
知识点1
谓语必须存在。每个句子都会有谓语,但是在长度较长结构较复杂的句子中,尤其是如果包含现在分词或者过去分词的时候,会比较难判断一个句子到底有没有谓语,或者到底哪个才是真正的谓语。在关注谓语问题的同时不能忽视主语是否存在。
比如:The electron named in 1894.
这是一个彻底错误的句子,句子有主语the electron,但是没有合适的谓语动词,确实这里的named可以是谓语动词,但是named做谓语动词那就是及物动词,但是该句中named后面没有宾语。因此错误。
改正的方法可以是改变谓语动词或者改变主语。
Stoney named the electron in 1894.
The electron was named in 1894.
一个句子可以是另外一个句子的一部分,但是这个句子需要以一个连词或者一个从句的引导词开始。
例题1
He convinced twenty-two of his colleagues to move from New York to Virginia to participate in this experiment in bartering.
A. NO CHANGE
B. Virginia. In order to
C. Virginia. To
D. Virginia; to
解析1
A正确in order to相当于后接一个目的状语从句。句子主语He,谓语convinced
B不正确,因为后面的句子是In order to participate in this experiment in bartering.没有主语没有谓语
C理由同B
D分号后面应该也是个句子
因此A
例题2
Since the Pategonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve in southwestern Arizona has a diversity of vegetation- valley, desert, and mountain-and provides habitat for a wide range of wildlife that includes: mountain lions, coyotes, tortoises, rare fish, and some 300 species of birds.
A. NO CHANGE
B. Although the
C. While the
D. The
解析2
A、B、C都谈到了一个从句和主句之间的关系,但是我们先不需要着急去找到从句和主句是什么关系,而是需要先看清楚句子的结构是什么。
破折号里面是插入语,因此可以去除,谓语就是has a diversity of vegetation and provides habitat for a wide range of wildlife. 此外没有所谓的主句。因此没有所谓的主句和从句之分,整个句子只有一个主句,主语应该就是the Pategonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve in southwestern Arizona,没有连词。
如果A、B、C正确的话,整个句子还需要一个主句,现在的句子只能做从句。
因此D
知识点2
主谓一致是SAT的重要考点,每个句子都会有一个主语和一个谓语动词,这就意味着主谓一致几乎随处可见。比如
The dog with the grey ears runs out of the house.
主语是the dog, with the grey ears是修饰主语的短语,因此谓语动词要遵循主语,采用单数形式。谓语动词不是一个modifier因此不需要考虑就近原则。
主谓一致有两个要点:make sense, agree in number
Make sense的意思是主谓必须是可以搭配的,主语可以成为谓语的施力者。比如
The development of a hydrogen car based on expected performance parameters will be able to travel hundreds of miles without refueling.
一眼看上去,句子好像是说有个车怎么怎么厉害能跑出一个很厉害的里程出来。
但是我们仔细看的话,真正的主语是the development, 但是谓语是will be able to travel,真正能travel的是人或者是交通工具,而不可以是一个交通工具的发展进程作为主语。因此可以这样修改:
Once developed, a hydrogen CAR based on expected performance parameters will be able to travel hundreds of miles without refueling.
Agree in number的意思是在单复数上一致。比如
The dog runs out of the house.
The dogs run out of the house.
由于一般情况下考生都已经掌握这个知识点不会犯低级错误,因此如果需要考出难度的话,试题可能会隐藏主语或者将几个有点似是而非的主语放在一起让读者不知道什么是真正的主语。尽管SAT考试难度不大,一般主语都比较明显,不过这不妨碍我们了解一些怎样去隐藏主语或者让主语confuse readers。比如The discovery of new medicines vital to the company’s growth这个时候主语还是明显的,但是如果development 和new medicines都有很多定语修饰,句子长度太长以后,就可以很好地起到迷惑读者的作用
方法:怎样去解决一个长难句中出现的主谓一致的考点?
首先是心态上的准备,很多考生非常讨厌长难句,这样读到长难句就很紧张,自然很难正确回答问题。长难句出现的好处有不少,比如长难句提供的信息相对比较多,无论是句中的单词还是上下文的单词的意思如果不明确的话,可以通过上下文的推断推理出来,比如长难句一般会包含多个划线部分,读懂一句话可以回答两个问题,非常划算。等等。
其次是方法的准备,在已经理解主谓一致的make sense 和agree in number的基础上,我们最需要掌握的方法就是eliminate the middlemen and skip the warmup
Middlemen就是在句子中主语和谓语中间干扰判断的部分,warmup就是在句子主语前预热,但并不是主语的部分。最主要的几个类型是:
介词短语,如:
Of mice
For milk
By 1800
In Zambia
With her
At that level
To the store
On their orders
From the office
比如Near Galway, the houses on the road to Spiddle is/are gorgeous.
把介词短语去掉以后,成为the houses is/are gorgeous. 显然应该选are.
从句,如:who which,注意这些句子不可以独立成句,从句和主句没有关系,因此整个从句可以去掉。
比如When the auditors left, the executive who had been interviewed was/were good.
去掉从句以后,就是the executive was/were good.因此was
现在分词或者过去分词做状语
比如Limping, the horse once considered one of the favorites was/were taken away.
去掉以后,就是the horse was/were taken away.
例题3
These may include the playwright, director, vocal and movement coaches, technical crew, and costume, set, and lighting designers. Some productions has involvement of the input of a dramaturge.
A. NO CHANGE
B. involve
C. involves
D. have involve
解析3
A、C肯定是错误的,因为主谓不一致,D的时态和前面的句子不一致错误。因此B
例题4
The hours the average American spend working have increased dramatically since the 1970s, making it hard for many workers to get a good night’s sleep.
A. NO CHANGE
B. have spent
C. spends
D. are spent
解析4
现在分词making it hard for many workers to get a good night’s sleep是修饰这个主句,不对这个句子的主要成分产生作用,因此删去。主句的谓语动词是have increased,主语是hours,因此划线部分是修饰主语的,只需要关注这个修饰部分的主谓一致就可以了。修饰部分的主语是average American是单数名词,因此A、B、D都错。因此C
知识点3
其实例题4还反映了一点,那就是不管是在主句还是在每一个修饰语中都要维持主谓一致,在整个句子的结构中都要保持主谓一致。
比如The tidal forces to which an object falling into a black hole is/are subjected is/are sufficient to tear the object apart.
首先我们看主句,主语是the tidal forces, to which的部分是修饰这个主语的,谓语动词是is/are sufficient to tear the object apart根据主谓一致,这里的谓语应该用复数名词。修饰部分修饰的是tidal forces,修饰是to which an object falling into a black hole is/are subjected修饰句中的主语是object, 因此谓语是单数。因此is。
句子最后是The tidal forces to which an object falling into a black hole is subjected are sufficient to tear the object apart.
知识点4
表达“和”的概念有很多方式,但是主语不一定都是复数,因为用and连接两个并列的名词作为主语仅仅是一种方式,还有一些其他的方式。
首先我们看这两个句子
Joe and his friends are going to the beach.
Joe with his friends is going to the beach.
可以看到第二个句子虽然没有用and连词,但是仍然表达了复数的含义,但是谓语动词却因为主语是单数名词而使用单数形式,像with这样用单数形式表达复数含义的词语有很多,称作additive phrases, 这类词还有
Along with Polly
In addition to surgery
As well as the mayor
Accompanied by me
Together with a tie
Including salt and pepper
The merge of ink and water
表达或的概念有很多词语或者短语,最常用的是or, either or, neither nor对于这三个短语来说,谓语动词和最靠近的名词单复数保持一致。比如
Neither the coach nor the players are going to the beach.
Neither the players nor the coach is going to the beach.
Either和neither有时可以没有or单独出现在句中,此时句子的主语是单数,谓语动词采用单数形式。
集合名词作为句子的主语时,用单数的形式表达复数的含义。常见的集合名词如下:
人:agency, army, audience, class, committee, crowd, orchestra, team
物:baggage, citrus, equipment, fleet, fruit, furniture
在极少数的情况下,这些词可以被认为是复数名词(当强调个体而非整体时)但是在考试中无一例外他们都是当做单数名词,相应的谓语动词应该用单数形式。如:
The crowd in the stands is cheering loudly as the home team takes the field.
Our army of a hundred soldiers is attacking the enemy.
不定代词就是指代的内容并非具体。常见的不定代词有anyone, nobody, each, something, everybody, whatever, whoever, neither,通常他们被视为单数名词,相应的谓语动词采取单数形式,但是也有特例,如some, any, none, all, more/most做主语的时候,谓语动词有可能是单数也有可能是复数,需要考虑句子的含义来判断。很多时候他们和of连用,就可以通过of后面的名词的单复数来辅助判断。比如
Some of the money was stolen from my wallet.
Some of the documents were stolen from the bank.
当然这不是说of后面的名词的单复数形式完全决定了谓语动词的单复数的形式。还是句意最重要,比如。
Any of these women is a suitable candidate for marriage to my son.
Any在这里作任何讲,强调的是任一个,因此谓语动词还是单数形式。
Each的情况要看each在句子中的成分,因为each可以充当的部分比较复杂,如果在句子中是作为一个主语出现那么谓语动词就是单数。如
Each dog has paws.
Each dog and cat has paws.
如果是作为一个副词出现,修饰这个主语,那么谓语动词还是按照主语的单复数来。比如:They each are great tennis players.
数量词方面,the number of对应单数谓语动词,a number of对应复数谓语动词。如:
The number of hardworking students is quite large.
A number of students in this class are hard workers.
一些数量词像half, majority, minority, plurality到底是对应单数还是复数的谓语动词,有一点像some,需要看他们修饰的内容来判断单复数。如:
Half of the pie is blueberry, and half of the slices are already gone.
The majority of the students in this class are hard workers.
In the Senate, the majority has coalesced into a unified voting bloc.
当主语是一个从句时,无论如何谓语动词都是单数形式。如:
Having good friends is a wonderful thing.
Whether they want to do is fine with me.
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