“the+形容詞”作主語時的主謂一致

一、“the+形容詞”作主語時，若指一類人，則謂語用復數。如：

The young are mostly ambitious. 年輕人多半有雄心。

The sick and the wounded were sent home. 傷病員都送回家了。

The rich get richer and the poor get poorer. 富者愈富，貧者愈貧。

The injured were carried away on stretchers. 用擔架把受傷的人抬走了。

The old are more likely to catch cold than the young. 老年人比年輕人更容易感冒。

二、若指個別或抽象概念，謂語用單數。如：

The beautiful is not always the useful. 美的并不總是有用的。

The unknown is always something to be feared. 未知的東西總是一種令人害怕的東西。

The beautiful is not always the good, and the good is not always the true. 美未必是善，善未必是真。

注：有個別的“the+形容詞”結構既表示單數意義，也表示復數意義，若用作主語，謂語動詞用單數還是復數需視情況而定。如：the good 指“好人”時表復數意義，指“善”時表單數意義；the accused 指一名被告時表單數意義，指多名被告時表復數意義。比較：

The accused was acquitted of the charge. 被告被宣告無罪。(指一人)

The accused were acquitted of the charge. 被告均被宣告無罪。(指多人)