Grammar problems

The first thing I noticed when we were in the bush were the flies.

生字解釋
first (adj) - 第一
notice (v) - 注意
bush (n) - 樹叢
fly (n) - 蒼蠅

句子意思
當我們在樹叢中的時候，我第一樣注意到的就是那些蒼蠅。

詞語選擇
由於 flies 是複數 (plural)，因此要選擇 were，不用 was。

2014-01-13 17:05:33 補充：
首先，我要向 Joshua 和 Godfrey 說一聲不好意思，我再細想過，也看過 Godfrey 的參考資料，我認為我自己是答錯了的。 Godfrey 應該是正確的。

應該用 was 。
The first thing I noticed when we were in the bush WAS the flies.
即，The first thing WAS the flies.

如果用 were，則句子應寫成
The flies WERE the first thing I noticed when we were in the bush.

2014-01-13 17:07:54 補充：
至於原因方面，其實 Godfrey 已經說得得很仔細。

用 was 或 were 要根據主項 subject 來決定，不是 subject complement。

People were sad.
The pig was fat.
這些主項在前。

There was a dog.
There were flies.
這些主項在後。

2014-01-13 17:11:04 補充：
以上的都容易分析。

但有時候， subject 和 complement 於單複數上有矛盾之處，那時候就要小心，正如 Joshua 的問題。

The first thing I noticed 是subject，是單數，所以用 was.
The first thing I noticed WAS the flies.

如果 The flies 是subject，是複數，才用 were.
The flies WERE the first thing I noticed.

2014-01-13 17:15:12 補充：
其實要感謝 Godfrey 的指正和分享，因為我當初都是很快地看見 flies 而作出用 were 的決定，沒有再細看整句的文法，不好意思。

至於 Joshua，你說我是正確的，會否是老師或課本也犯了和我相同的錯誤？

Godfrey，不好意思，我覺得 Joshua 不應該這麼決絕地說你是錯的。其實我也認同你是對的，更何況你提供了充份的理據去解釋當中的文法。

大家也來討論一下。

2014-01-13 19:27:54 補充：
Thanks!
These sentences are definitely better.

I guess what Joshua faced is a question asking him to make a choice of either was or were in the sentence.

2014-01-14 11:17:08 補充：
Thanks Godfrey again for providing more references to all of us.

You are truly responsible and helpful.

Hope that Joshua and other readers here can learn what we have discussed.

Thanks!

2014-01-23 15:25:00 補充：
Dear Joshua,

Godfrey told me that you have made contact after clearing the details.

I am very happy to see everyone is so responsible.

Sorry to confuse you at the beginning by committing a common mistake.

2014-01-23 15:25:16 補充：
And I am very delightful to know that you eventually know the correct answer.

Keep up the good work and good attitude.

Wish you every success in your further learning.

Cheers!

:):):)thx !!!:):)

To avoid ambiguity, can we write like these?
The first thing I noticed when we were in the bush was one of the flies.
The first things I noticed when we were in the bush were the flies.

這家不錯*****買幾次啦真的一樣
佀俅

I beg to differ.

The most commonly made mistake in constructing a sentence or clause is the failure to create agreement between subject and verb. A plural subject requires a plural verb. A singular subject requires a singular verb.

The first thing I noticed when we were in the bush was the flies.

The first thing – subject (singular)
was – main verb. It functions as a linking verb in this sentence.
the flies – subject complement.
“The first thing” and “the flies” refer to the same thing.

The first thing that I noticed was the flies.

A linking verb agrees with its subject, not with its complement.

His problem is frequent headaches.
Frequent headaches are his problem.

Be careful with “what ….” when used as a subject:

What I saw were the flies.
What I do is to change the way the system works.

Sometimes a noun clause or noun phrase can be a singular or plural subject. For example, “What ……..”
In such a case, the verb does agree with subject complement.

“Joe's favorite dessert is blueberry muffins.
Blueberry muffins are Joe's favorite dessert.” ~ from "writing.wisc.edu"
http://writing.wisc.edu/Handbook/SubjectVerb.html#linking


2014-01-14 10:00:39 補充：
To 發問者 Joshua 和其他網友:

取自書籍 (不是網上) 5th edition "Practical English Handbook" - by Watkins
"7i. A verb agrees with its subject, not with a subjective complement.
His horse and his dog ARE his main source of pleasure.
His main source of pleasure IS his horse and his dog."

2014-01-14 10:03:08 補充：
請參考網上
http://college.cengage.com/english/raimes/digitalkeys/keyshtml/subject4.htm

http://owlet.letu.edu/grammarlinks/verbs/verb1s3.html

http://www.slideshare.net/annaflorence/subject-verb-agreement-rev2-4964979
Example 26

http://writingcenter.unlv.edu/writing/svagree.html

2014-01-14 10:07:03 補充：
我想 Joshua 認為 linking verb agrees with subjective compliment.
I think otherwise.
意I思A有建設性的提議, 避免混淆.subject 盡可能 agrees with compliment in number.
初時我想法和批卷貓一樣, 給 flies 分心, 突然想起 subject-verb agreement.
再確定 thing 是 countable noun, 是 singular

謝謝批卷貓和意I思A的意見和分享