One quarter of them is girls, but three quarters are boys. 专家老师,这句话中的主谓一致关系有错误吗?是不是is girls该改为are girls?他们中的四分之一是复数概念呀。盼望老师解惑。
《牛津英语用法指南》第三版第389.3节指出:如果表示人或物的数量,即使在单数分数后面,动词也要用复数。如:
A third of the students are from abroad. 三分之一的学生来自国外。(不能说:A third of the students...)
所以,One quarter of them is girls, but three quarters are boys. 中的is应该改为are。