Many a boy is in the playground now. = Many boys are in the playground now.
More than one person is in the hall.
News (politics/ economics/ mathematics/ linguistics) doesn’t interest me at all.
複數的主詞:下列句子中的主詞視同複數
The police have arrested the suspect.
Poultry are raised everywhere in the countryside.
Thecrew are working hard to row the boat.
People nowadays spend a lot of money on electric appliances.
用單數動詞表達整體,用複數動詞表達全部個體的集合的字: class / family / audience / committee
例句: His family is a big family. His family are all teachers. A large audience was in the auditorium last night. All the audience were moved.
The + Adj. (表達抽象意義) 視為單數主詞 The + Adj. (表達全部屬性的人) 視為複數主詞
例句: The good is an important part of human nature. 善良是人性中重要的一部分。 The rich are not always happy. 富有的人不會永遠快樂。
下列表達由B決定動詞為單數或複數動詞,因為最靠近動詞。
A or B + 動詞…
Either A or B + 動詞…
Neither A nor B + 動詞…
Not only A but (also) B + 動詞…
例句: Her older sister or parentshave a successful business. Either May’s parents or hersisterhas a successful business. Neither the twin brothers nor theirfatherwasseen at the park yesterday.
下列表達由A決定動詞為單數或複數動詞,因為介系詞片語在句中位置可改變。
A with B + 動詞…
A as well as B + 動詞…
A no less than B + 動詞…
例句: Thefatherdog with its four baby dogs comes into the village for food every day. (說明:主詞the father dog是第三人稱單數,因此動詞come加上s。)