推 Adlay:大推認真查既有的研究~~ 01/22 10:11
推 noobie:推推~ 這篇文章解了我的惑~ 01/23 18:48
※ 編輯: Chengheong 來自: 118.169.234.215 (01/23 21:35)
From Webster's Dictionary of English Usage:
- ... there were perplexity and agitation. ---Jane Austin, Mansfield Park,
1914
- ... where there were a white beach and an amusement park. ---John Cheever,
The Wapshot Chronicle, 1957
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There is no easy rule to answer this question, but the LONGMAN GRAMMAR of
SPOKEN and WRITTEN ENGLISH states (pg. 181): There is a tendency towards
SINGLE CONCORD with existential there. In general, we may say that singular
concord is used unless there are clear reasons for using the plural (a plural
subject directly following the verb).
Basically, there is a “proximity” rule that states that the verb will agree
with the subject closest to it.
There are 5 banks in my neighborhood.
There are 6 pens, a wallet and some paperclips in my bag.
There are a lot of apples in that bag.
There is some money in my wallet.
There is a man and a woman sitting on the bus. (There is a man and there
is a woman…)
There is a lot of junk on my desk.
There is a book, three pens and a telephone on my desk.
There is some rice in that bowl.
In spoken English, even this rule is often ignored in favor of the singular
concord! Although we don't recommend you teach your students this, it is good
to know that many native speakers favor the singular when speaking, even if
they write the plural form. Therefore, what your students hear in the movies,
in English songs may differ from what you teach in class.
Example in spoken English:
*There's many police forces that don't have computers yet. (Written
English: There are many police forces that don't have computers yet.)
*There's some apples on the table. (Written English: There are some
apples on the table).
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