这一原则是指,从意义着眼来解决主谓一致问题。有时主语形式上为单数,但意义上却是复数,那么谓语依意义也用复数形式；而有时主语形式上为复数,但意义上却是单数,那么谓语依意义亦用单数形式。
1) 当主语后面接由as well as, as much as, accompanied by, including, in addition to, more than,no less than, rather than, together with等引导的词组时,其谓语动词的形式要依主语的单复数而定.在这样的句子里,这些词所引导的词组不影响主语自身的单,复数形式,它们在句子里其实是状语.也就是说,我们完全可以将这些词组搬到句首或是放到句末去。从表面上我们也可以看出,它们与主语之间有","隔开。例如:
Petroleum, along with fuel gas, has recently risen in price.
最近石油和燃料煤气的价格上涨了。
The teacher, with all his students, is going to have a picnic this weekend.老师打算这个周末与学生们一起去野炊。
The students, together with their teacher , are going to have a picnic this weekend.学生们打算这个周末与他们的老师一起去野炊。
The warehouse, with all its stockings, was burned last night.
昨晚,那个仓库连同其所有的货物一起被烧毁了。
我们完全可以将上面句子中的那些词组都分别搬到句首或是放到句末去,因为它们在句子里是状语:
Petroleum has recently risen in price, along with fuel gas.
Along with fuel gas, petroleum has recently risen in price.
The students are going to have a picnic this weekend together with their teacher.
As well as the suitcase, the missing things have been found and returned to the owner.
The missing things have been found and returned to the owner, as well as the suitcase.
2) 表示时间,金钱,距离,体积,重量,面积,数字等词语作主语时,其意义若是指总量应看作单数,谓语动词用单数;但如果其意义是指"有多少数量"则应该看作是复数,那么谓语动词也应该用复数。例如:
Four weeks are often approximately regarded as one month.
人们常大约地将四个星期看成一个月。
Twenty years stands for a long period in one's life.
二十年在人的一生里意味着一个很长的时期。
Eighty dollars are enough for a student to spend on food for one week.八十块钱给一个学生吃一个月的伙食是足够的了。