在大學英語四級測試的“詞匯與結構”一題中，考查主語和謂語一致關系的試題居多。所以主謂一致是各類一致關系中應該重點掌握的內容。現代英語主謂一致大致要遵循以下三條原則：1)語法一致原則。主語是單數，謂語動詞用單數形式；主語是復數，謂語動詞用復數形式。

【例如】

My friend has no intention of going shopping with me.

My friends have no intention of going shopping with me.

2)意義一致原則。主語和謂語的一致不是由主語的語法形式來決定，而是由主語所表達的意義決定。

【例如】

The class are busying writing English passages.

The United States is a developed country which has advanced science and technology.

帶有復數詞尾的學科名稱、國家等在意義是表示單數概念，用單數動詞。

3)就近原則。謂語動詞的單、復數取決于最靠近它的主語。由either....or, neither....nor, not only....but also連接或由here, there等引導的句子，謂語動詞遵循這一原則。

【例如】Neither my friends nor I was able to persuade him to accept our advice.

Either he or she has broken the window, for there is no one else there.

There is a teacher and fifty students in the classroom.