機關、團體、地方，例如 Bank of Japan，Labour Party，Hong Kong Sport Club，Ministry of Finance，the press，the city，the village，the neighbourhood等既可作單數也可作復數。在美國英語中，單數的集體名詞通常看作單數。在英國英語中，人或動物的單數集體名詞卻既可看作單數，也可看作復數，但無生命東西的集合體的單數名詞，如 cluster（of grapes），collec－tion（of books），bunch（of keys），pair（of shoes，scissors，glasses）只看作是單數。
有些集體名詞通常作復數看待，但相應表示其成員的詞，卻可有單數形式：
The nobility have become poor．
This nobleman has become poor．
The peasantry（or tenantry，yeomanry）were underfed．
The peasant（or tenant）was underfed．
The gentry are rich．
This gentleman is rich．
The police are well－trained．
That policeman is well－trained．
Mankind are destroying their own civilization．
Man is destroying his own civilization．
Humanity is destroying its own civilization．
The human beings are destroying their own civilization．
The laity are not able to understand this term．
A layman is not able to understand this term．
The clergy are opposed to it．
A clergywman is among us．
The cavalry have fought bravely．
This cavalryman has done something great．
The infantry were defeated．
Every infantryman was healthy and strong．
The militia are to defend their town．
No militiaman knows about the infiltration of the enemy．
The youth are the future of a nation．
A youth is waiting at the bus stop for his girlfriend．
The British（or English，Irish，Scotch，Spanish，Dutch，French）are....
A Briton（or Englishman，Irishman，Scotsman，Spaniard，Dutchman，Frenchman）is....
有些集體名詞，形式上是單數，前面卻可以加數詞，后面跟復數動詞：
A hundred clergy are meeting．
Twenty police（＝Twenty policemen）are coming．
Twenty thousand infantry are setting out．
Many gentry are opposed to the measure．
Those folk（s）（or people）are hard－headed．
His sixteen offspring are all working with him．
All his kindred are living in London．
Three million population of this city are well－fed．
Four thousand cattle are to be exported．
有些名詞經常有-s或-es詞尾，它們都跟復數動詞：
The eaves are pretty．
Riches are not always dependable．
The odds are against us．（比較：What is the odds？——口語體）
Thanks are expressed．
Clothes are（Clothing is）not much needed here．
These goods are to be delivered．
另一些這類名詞是：archives，assets，belongings，earnings，grounds，rapids，nuptials，oats，premises，procceeds，quarters，remains，savings，scales，woods，winnings
有些疾病的名稱帶有-s詞尾，但都作單數看待：
The measles（or mumps，rickets，smallpox，shingles）is a disease very common in this village．
有些名詞通常帶-s或-es詞尾，它們后面既可跟單數動詞，也可跟復數動詞：
抽象名詞：
Every means（＝ method） has been used．All means（=methods） have been used．
An alms（or Much alms）was given to the poor．
These alms were given to the poor．
Great（or Much，Little）pains have（or has）been taken．
The tidings is（or are）bad．（比較：The news is—不能用are—bad．）
His wages are 3000 dollars a month．The wages of sin is death （old usage）．A living wage is received only by a few work－ers．
An amends is necessary．These amends are satisfactory．
This species is rare．These species are valuable．
A series of battles was（or were）being fought．
Many series of battles have been fought．
地方名稱：
The headquarters of the trade is in London．The headquarters of these various trades are in London．
A barracks is standing on the hill．Some barracks are the largest in this country．
A（general）stores is located at the corner．Several new（gen－eral）stores are being set up．
A glass－works is being built．These two glass－works are the best in this area．
A golf-links（= golf－course）is in the eastern part of the city．
Some golf－links are very far from here．
A crossroads is usually dangerous，but some crossroads are safe．
A gallows is being set up．Some gallows are left idle．
A shambles has replaced the prosperous city．Many shambles present themselves to our eyes．
Kensington Gardens is a nice place．There are not many botanical gardens in this country．
A lodgings is easy to find．Many lodgings are for rent．
“Is there a public baths here？”“There are many public baths．”
A kennels is where dogs are bred．Some kennels sell precious dogs．
His whereabouts is（or are） unknown．
物件名稱：
The bellows（or scissors，pincers，tongs，forceps，shoes，pants，shorts，glasses，etc．）are lying in the corners．
A pair of bellows（or scissors，pincers，tongs，etc．） is lying idle．
有些動物的名字并不帶-s或-es詞尾，但可以用作復數或單數名詞：
Salmon（or Trout）（作為食品）is delicious．
These salmon（or trout） are caught in that river．
Fish（作為食品） is their only food．Three fishes are visible in the water．A lot of fish are caught．
Poultry（作為食品）is delicious．The poultry（作為活的動物）are drinking water．
The sheep is（or are）sleeping．
A deer is playing．Some deer are running．
有些名詞似乎不可數，卻可有單復兩種形式，有不同意義：
His career has reached its climax．Their careers have been suc－cessful．（一個人有一番事業。許多人有許多番事業。）
His beard is impressive．Their beards are long．
The mane of this horse is thin．The manes of those horses are thick．
His offspring is healthy．Their offsprings are all soldiers．
The population of this city is thin．The populations of these two cities are similar．
The language of the U．S．A．is English．The languages of Britain and the U．S．A．are almost the same．
The alphabet of English is twenty－six letters．
The alphabets of English and French are a little different from each other．
有些學科的名稱，雖以-s結尾，卻都作單數看待：
Mathematics is an important subject in schoo1．
Economics is a study of production and consumption．
Dramatics is his subject．And accoustics，too．
如果一個學科名稱用來表示某些實際事務，則可作為復數：
My mathematics are poor．
The economics of this country are stable．
Such politics are foolish．Such tactics are ridiculous．
Gymnastics are popular today．
The ethics of some politicians are doubtful．
Statistics on this subject are incorrect．
某些以-s結尾的游戲或球類名稱作為單數看待：
Billiards（or Bowls，Dominos，Draughts）is my favourite game．
但：Cards are not interesting to me．
以-ese結尾的國民名稱可作為單、復兩種形式：
That Japanese（or Chinese，Portuguese，Vietnamese）is my friends．
Those Japanese（or Chinese，Portuguese，Vietnamese） are my friends．
有些外來術語，有特別的單數及復數形式：
This axis（or medium，radius，larva，analysis，criterion，Phenomenon，oasis，libretto，soprano）is…（單數形式）
Those axes（or media，radii，larvae，analyses，criteria，phenomena，oases，libretti，soprani）are...（復數形式）
The data is（or are）...
由一個形容詞加the來代表一類人時，都作為復數：
The honest（= The honest people）are always trustworthy．
The poor are to be relieved．
The blind are unfortunate．
The strong，the rich，the wicked are respected as the wise．
The oppressed are to rise one day．
有個別這類形容詞代表單個的人，后面要跟單數動詞（這些多為法律用語）：
The dead（or deceased，departed）was fifty years of age．
The bereaved is（or are）still young．
The condemned（or accused）is absent．
His intended（or betrothed）is young．
有些形容詞加the后表示抽象概念或具體東西，但都作單數看待：
The beautiful（= Beauty）is the ideal of life．
The true looks less attractive than the false．
The familiar is always more desirable than the unknown．
The inside of the palace is more beautiful than the outside．（the inside＝the inside part）
The white of an egg is full of protein．
長度、重量、時間等名稱多作單數看待：
Fifty dollars（= The sum of fifty dollars）is not a large sum．
Three yards（= The length of three yards）is not enough．
Six months（= The period of six months）is too short a time to learn anything．
Five kilograms（= The weight of five kilograms）is enough．這類帶數詞的名詞前還可加一個指示詞：
One short seven days is like seven years．
That three dollars（＝ That capital of three dollars）was the beginning of his career．
That second six months was happy indeed．
Every ten minutes is a trial．
A fortnight is not long enough to do the job．
This two kilograms of meat is enough for ten persons．
An estimated two thousand persons was killed in this hurri－cane．
A good ten miles is the distance we have climbed．
A happy three days has passed like a dream．
Such a weary six years was to me a terrible dream．
Ten apples（= Such a number of apples）is enough．
Two thousand immigrants is the quota for us this year．
如對組成部分加以強調，動詞也可用復數形式：
Fifty dollars are too expensive．
Three yards cost thirty dollars．
書名、電影名等，即使里面包含有復數名詞，也作單數看待：
Gulliver's Travels is my favourite book．
City lights is a famous movie．
Giants of the Earth is an opera．
The Canterbury Tales is（or are）very interesting．
復數的專有名詞都在后跟復數動詞：
The Philippines have seven thousand islands in the Pacific．The Himalayas are the roof of the world．
The Niagara Falls are the falls on the Niagara River．
The Great Lakes are a series of five lakes between the USA and Canada．
The Dardonelles are a strait 40 miles long and 1—4 miles wide．
The Pleiades are a cluster of stars in the constellation Taurus．
The Olympics are an international athletic competition held ev－ery four years．
其他復數專有名詞還有：the Canaries，the Solomon Islands；the Alps，the Rockies，the Urals，the Pyrenees，the Andes；the Graces，the Fates；the Netherlands
少數例外情況：
The USA is a wealthy and strong country．
The United Nations is an international organization working for the peace of the world．
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