Three fourths of the residents are Chinese．
The bulk of his property has been sold．
The bulk of the inhabitants are Indians．
A mass of snow lies before my door．
A mass of people are gathering on the square．
A large percentage of profit has come to nothing．
A large percentage of crimes are due to alcohol．
A large proportion of his income is spent on liquor．
A large proportion of the residents are Arabs．
832 有些指示词可以作单数也可以作复数。
All the city is clean and very beautiful．但：All the cities are clean and beautiful．
Anything good is good to him．但：Any streets in this city are familiar to him．
Someone（or Somebody）has come．但：Some friends have come．
Such a person is never happy．但：Such persons are always dissatisfied．
A certain boy has broken it．但：Certain boys have done it．
Another girl loves him．但：Other girls love him．
Each wears a cap．但：They each wear caps．
Either（or Neither）（作形容词）party is right．
Either（or Neither）（作代词）of the two parties has its good leader．
Either（or Neither）（作代词）have their good leaders．（口语体）
Neither Jan，nor Helen，（nor）Belinda，nor Dorothy have come home．（口语体）
833 What，who，which可作单数也可作复数。
Who are（or is）waiting outside?
Which are（or is）yours?
What引起的从句多作单数。
What he is doing is trivial．
What made me sad was his unhappy marriage．
如果补语是一个复数名词，what引起的从句也可作复数看待。
What children like are stories．
What seem to be boats are rocks．
这主要得根据情况决定，试比较下面句子：
What（=A thing that）seems to be a rat is something else．
What（=Things that）seem to be rats are some other animals．
His family（作为整体）is large．
834 集体名词可以表示一个集体，这时可看作是单数，如果表示其成员，就可以作复数看待，特别是在英国。
His family（=The members of his family）are all well．
一个集体名词若有every，each，a，this，that修饰，常常作单数看待。
Every family in this area is equipped with guns．
This club is devoted to the study of photography．
A committee is appointed to inquire into the matter．
The committee are at dinner．
The cavalry was repulsed．
The cavalry wear scarlet trousers．
This team is well organized．
Our（而不是These）team are good players．
The company was organized by Mr．Johnson and they are mostly Americans．
The mob becomes more and more violent．
The mob were throwing up their caps and cheering．
This hotel is by the seaside．
All the hotel are startled at the alarm．
This class is a small one．
Our class are quarrelling among themselves．
The old couple（or pair）is happy．
The young couple（or pair）are quarrelling with each other．
但：This twin（one of the twins）is like the other．
These twins are like each other．
The litter of pups was born yesterday．（动物的集体）
The litter of pups were playing with each other．
Every herd of elephants in this area seems to be happy and free．
The flock of birds were flying about．
机关、团体、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，既可作单数也可作复数。在美国英语中，单数的集体名词通常看作单数。在英国英语中，人或动物的单数集体名词既可看作单数也可看作复数，但表示无生命东西集合体的单数名词，如cluster（of grapes），collection（of books），bunch（of keys），pair（of shoes，scissors，glasses），只看作是单数。
835 有些集体名词通常作复数看待，但相应表示其成员的词可有单数形式。
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 clergyman 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...
836 有些集体名词，形式上是单数，前面却可以加数词，后面跟复数动词。
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．
837 有些名词经常有-s或-es词尾，它们都跟复数动词。
The eaves are pretty．
Riches are not always dependable．
The odds are against us．（比较：What is the odds?——口语体）
Thanks are expressed．
Clothes are（Clothing is）not much needed here．
These goods are to be delivered．
这类名词还有archives，assets，belongings，earnings，grounds，rapids，nuptials，oats，premises，proceeds，quarters，remains，savings，scales，woods，winnings。
838 有些疾病的名称带有-s词尾，但都作单数看待。
The measles（or mumps，rickets，smallpox，shingles）is a disease very common in this village．
839 有些名词通常带-s或-es词尾，它们后面既可跟单数动词，也可跟复数动词。
抽象名词：
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．（比较：The news is—不能用are—bad．）
His wages are 3,000 dollars a month．The wages of sin is death（old usage）.A living wage is received only by a few workers．
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．
地方名称：
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（general）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．
物件名称：
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．
840 有些动物的名字并不带-s或-es词尾，但可以用作复数或单数名词。
Salmon（or Trout）（作为食品）is delicious．These salmon（or trout）are caught in that river．
Fish（作为食品）is their only food．Three fishes are visible in the water．A lot of fish are caught．
Poultry（作为食品）is delicious．The poultry（作为活的动物）are drinking water．
The sheep is（or are）sleeping．
A deer is playing．Some deer are running．
841 有些名词似乎不可数，却可有单、复两种形式，有不同意义。
His career has reached its climax．Their careers have been successful．（一个人有一番事业。许多人有许多番事业。）
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．is English．The languages of Britain and the U．S．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．
842 有些学科的名称虽以-s结尾，却都作单数看待。
Mathematics is an important subject in school．
Economics is a study of production and consumption．
Dramatics is his subject．And acoustics，too．
一个学科名称如果用来表示某些实际事务，则可作为复数。
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．
843 某些以-s结尾的游戏或球类名称作为单数看待。
Billiards（or Bowls，Dominos，Draughts）is my favourite game．
但：Cards are not interesting to me．
844 以-ese结尾的国民名称可作为单、复两种形式。
That Japanese（or Chinese，Portuguese，Vietnamese）is my friends．
Those Japanese（or Chinese，Portuguese，Vietnamese）are my friends．
845 有些外来术语有特别的单数及复数形式。
This axis（or medium，radius，larva，analysis，criterion，phenomenon，oasis，libretto，soprano）is...（单数形式）
Those axes（or media，radii，larvae，analyses，criteria，phenomena，oases，libretti，soprani）are...（复数形式）
The data is（or are）...
846 “the＋形容词”代表一类人时，作为复数。
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．
有个别这类形容词代表单个的人，这时它后面要跟单数动词（这些多为法律用语）。
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．
有些形容词加the后表示抽象概念或具体东西，但作单数看待。
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．
847 长度、重量、时间等名称多作单数看待。
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．
这类带数词的名词前还可加一个指示词。
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 hurricane．
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．
如对组成部分加以强调，动词也可用复数形式。
Fifty dollars are too expensive．
Three yards cost thirty dollars．
848 书名、电影名等即使里面包含复数名词，也作单数看待。
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．
849 复数的专有名词后跟复数动词。
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 Dardanelles 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 every four years．
其他复数专有名词还有the Canaries，the Solomon Islands；the Alps，the Rockies，the Urals，the Pyrenees，the Andes；the Graces，the Fates；the Netherlands。
少数例外情况：
The USA is a wealthy and strong country．
The United Nations is an international organization working for the peace of the world．
B．虚拟语气
850 虚拟语气的意义和陈述语气的意义是很不相同的，尽管它们的形式和名称有相近之处。不少学英语的人觉得虚拟语气使人迷惑。他们有时理解不当或使用错误，因为他们把陈述语气中学到的东西直接搬到虚拟语气中。
英语有三种语气：陈述语气表现事实，祈使语气表示愿望，虚拟语气表示假想。在陈述语气中（The Indicative Mood），我们说He comes here every day．这在说明一个事实。Let him come here．这句话表示让某人做某事，表示的是一种意愿，这就是祈使语气（The Imperative Mood）。虚拟语气（The Subjunctive Mood）表示一种假想的情况，例如：If he came here，I would ask him．这句话表示万一他来，我将问他，但估计他不一定会来。因此这是一种假想的情况。在这种情况下，谓语动词都用一套特殊的形式，这就是虚拟语气。这种语气主要用在条件从句、让步从句及名词从句中。
1．状语从句中的虚拟语气
a．在条件从句中的用法
6个虚拟动词形式（参阅684节）。
851（a）虚拟现在时表示一个不一定会发生的情况，可以指现在的情况或将来情况或没有时间性的情况。
If he know（not knows）it，he will tell me．（But I DOUBT whether he knows it．）
If Mary have the money，she will buy it．（But I DOUBT whether Mary has the money．）
If everything be ready，we should start soon．
If his advice be good，it would be accepted．
这时条件从句中的谓语动词用其原形（不加词尾），主句中谓语用shall，will，should，would构成。但是在现代英语中这种用法已不多见。
852（b）虚拟过去时表示一个与现在、将来事实相反的假想情况。
If he knew it，he would tell me．（But I know he DOES NOT know it．）（事实是他不知道，因此他不会告诉我。）
If Mary had the money，she would buy it．（But I know Mary HAS NOT the money．）（事实是玛丽没有钱，因此她不会买。）
在这种情况下，条件从句中的谓语动词都用与陈述句过去时相同的形式，主句中多用would（间或在第一人称后可用should）这种形式。但动词be一般用were这个形式，不管主语是第几人称。
If everything were ready，we should start．（But I know that not everything is ready．）
If his advice were good，it would be accepted．
853（c）另外，表示未来情况还可用“were＋不定式”这种形式。
If he were to come，I should be absent from home．（But I know he WILL NOT come．）
If I were to marry Lilian，I should not be able to maintain the family．（But I know I SHALL NOT marry her．）
If he were to study music，he would have a hard time．
854（d）虚拟将来时中将来的假想情况还可用should引起的短语表示，表示实现可能性不大的情况，可译为“万一……”，这时主句中的谓语动词用will或would引起都可以。
If he should know it，he will（or would）tell me．（But I DOUBT whether he knows it．）
If Mary should have the money，she will（or would）buy it．（But I DOUBT）
If everything should be ready，we shall（or should）start soon．
If his advice should be good，it will（or would）be accepted．
855（e）如果表示有某种愿望，也可用would引起的短语作从句的谓语，这时表示说话人不相信主语有此愿望。
If he would（=were willing to）pay me，we would be friends again．（But I know he WILL NOT BE WILLING to pay．）
If you would do something for me. I should be very much obliged．（But I know you WILL NOT BE WILLING to．）
If she would be a nun，I would be a monk．
If I would，I could．
856（f）虚拟过去完成时表示一个与过去事实相反的假想情况，这时主句谓语用“would＋have＋过去分词”这种结构。
If he had known it，he would have told me．（But I know he DID NOT know it．）
If Mary had had the money，she would have bought it．（But I know she HAD NOT the money．）
If everything had been ready，we should have started．
If his advice had been good，it would have been accepted．
