1) 在代詞what, which, who, none, some, any, more, most, all等詞的單復(fù)數(shù)由其指代的詞的單復(fù)數(shù)決定。
All is right. (一切順利。)
All are present. (所有人都到齊了。)
2) 集體名詞作主語(yǔ)時(shí),謂語(yǔ)的數(shù)要根據(jù)主語(yǔ)的意思來(lái)決定。如family, audience, crew, crowd, class, company, committee等詞后用復(fù)數(shù)形式時(shí),意為這個(gè)集體中的各個(gè)成員,用單數(shù)時(shí)表示該個(gè)集體。
His family isn't very large. 他家不是一個(gè)大家庭。
His family are music lovers. 他的家人都是音樂(lè)愛(ài)好者。
但集合名詞people, police, cattle, poultry等在任何情況下都用復(fù)數(shù)形式。
Are there any police around?
3)有些名詞,如variety, number, population, proportion, majority 等有時(shí)看作單數(shù),有時(shí)看作復(fù)數(shù)。
A number of +名詞復(fù)數(shù)+復(fù)數(shù)動(dòng)詞。
The number of +名詞復(fù)數(shù)+單數(shù)動(dòng)詞。
A number of books have lent out.
The majority of the students like English.