例 In the letter ____ these words,“I love you”.
A.was B.were C.saw D.found
此题应选B。选项A,C,D 都有可能被误选。
对于此题,考生首先要弄清它是一个倒装句,其正常词序为:
These words“I love you”were in the letter.
为了结构紧凑和平衡,才使用此倒装句式。又如:
轮船上有2000 余人。
正:On the ship were more than 2000 people.
正:More than 2000 people were on the ship.
值得注意的是,以上这类倒装句,还涉及主谓一致问题:
墙后是一些高树。
正:Behind the wall are some tall trees.
误:Behind the wall is some tall trees.
老师四周围着一些年轻的学生。
正:Around the teacher were some young students.
误:Around the teacher was some young students.
这两座山之间有一个小村庄。
正:Between the two hills was a small village.
误:Between the two hills were a small village.
这类句子,有的考生之所出错,是因为他们把句首的介词短语看作主语,从而把谓语与介词短语中的名词保持一致。关于这个问题,有个比较简单的方法可以判定:即在英语中介词短语通常不能作主语,假若一个句子的主语位置是一个介词短语,考生应考虑是否是一个倒装句。