years of后接不可数名词作主语时谓语用单数还是复数

问题描述

在我查到的例句中，years of 后接不可数名词作主语时，它的谓语用是用复数的，下面是我搜集到的一些例句：
Years of failure have sapped him of his confidence.
Years of anxiety have lined her brow with deep furrows.
Years of war have left their mark on these pretty islands.
Years of civil war have drained the country’s resources.
有时后面接的是动名词。如：
Years of smoking have taken their toll on his health.
请问，可以将 years of…看作是一个整体而在后面用单数谓语吗？有这样的权威例句吗？

老师答疑

陈老师：

同意曾老师的看法。years of 后接不可数名词作主语时，谓语动词通常用复数，这位网友查到的例句子都是很好的例证。但是，可以将 years of…看作是一个整体而在后面用单数谓语吗？有这样的权威例句吗？——回答是肯定的。为你找到两个来自权威词典的例句和一个高考题的例句：

Years of pollution has left [=made] the water undrinkable. 多年的污染使得这水不能饮用了。（《韦氏高阶英语词典》）

Years of international isolation has led the country to develop a siege mentality. 多年的国际封锁导致这个国家封闭排外。（《剑桥高级英语词典》第三版）

John’s success has nothing to do with good luck. It is years of hard work that has made him what he is today. 约翰的成功与好运无关。正是他多年的努力才有了他今天的成就。（2010高考英语湖南卷）

曾老师：

years of 后接不可数名词作主语时，它的谓语通常都是用复数的。以下是从【英国国家语料库】中找到的“ years of +不可数名词”作主语时，谓语动词用复数的例句：

All those days, weeks and years of hard work have paid off.

Years of experience tell us that standard beds may not be right for every human body.

The eighty years of war in the Netherlands were a turning point in European history. 

Forty years of failure are the result not only of misjudged policies from both Conservative and Labour Governments.

Fifty years of study have failed to produce one personality trait or set of qualities that can be used to distinguish between leaders and non-leaders.

▲ 但也找到少量谓语动词用单数的。如：

Ten years of living dangerously has brought civil war...

..., but 10 years of research by Professor Ivan Smith has drawn a blank about his present whereabouts.

因此，个人认为，虽说在英语国家间或有人将“ years of +不可数名词”看作是一个整体而在后面用单数的谓语，但建议慎用。