Dos & Don’ts — 想想看，這句話英語該怎麼說？
1. 能做的事都做了。
ˇ All that could be done has been done.
Photo: AdobeStock l 圖片:AdobeStock
χ All that could be done have been done.
註︰all 指事情或抽象概念時當作單數。例如：
All is well that ends well.
Photo: AdobeStock l 圖片:AdobeStock
（結果好就是好。）
All is over with him.
（他已經沒希望了。）
That’s all for today.
（今天到此為止。）
all 指人時應當作複數。例如：
All of us are interested in his proposal.
All of us are doing our best.
2. 我們這麼做有益於我們的健康。
ˇ What we are doing is good for our health.
χ What we are doing are good for our health.
註︰以關係代名詞 what 引導的作為主詞的子句，動詞用單數。如：
What he said is true.
3. 大家都沿著步道跑。
ˇ Everybody runs along the trail.
χ Everybody run along the trail.
註︰everyone 是指一大群人，但在文法上一般用單數。
4. 桌上有一本筆記本和兩支筆。
ˇ There were two pencils and a notebook on the table.
ˇ There was a notebook and two pencils on the table.
χ There was two pencils and a notebook on the table.
註︰帶有引導詞 there 的句子，單複數的形式決定於動詞後面的名詞，它才是句中真正的主詞。如果名詞是複數，動詞應該用 are 或 were。當兩個或兩個以上的單數主詞用 and 連接時，或第一個主詞是單數時，通常用 there is。
5. 七減四是三，五加三是八。
ˇ Seven minus four is three. Five plus three is eight.
χ Seven minus four are three. Five plus three are eight.
註︰minus 與 plus 是介詞，所以即使數字出現 7、4、5、3，後面的動詞一般用單數。同樣三的兩倍是多少？What is twice three?，動詞也用單數。
Exercises
A. 他們現在所做的是荒謬可笑的。
What they are doing __________ ridiculous.
1. is 2. are 3. was 4. were
B. 十二加十四是二十六。
Twelve plus fourteen __________ twenty-six.
1. has 2. have 3. is 4. are
Answers:
A. 1 B. 3
文章由書林出版公司提供：
www.bookman.com.tw
蘇正隆 — 台灣翻譯學學會前理事長、師大翻譯研究所兼任副教授; 編著《走讀自然.花言樹語》，《英語的對與錯》，《世紀病毒：必讀防疫英文知識與詞彙》...等。國家教育研究院中英雙語詞彙審議委員；研究領域為翻譯、術語及詞典編譯，從事植物與人文導覽數十年，亦曾應邀遠赴國外大學做植物人文導覽。
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