??集合名词，也叫集体名词，是英语中表示某一群人或某一类物的集合体。集合名词的难点，主要在于其作主语时的主谓一致问题。
??汉语谓语动词因为没有单复数之分，所以我国学生在学习英语的集合名词时，常常为谓语动词的单复数问题大伤脑筋。笔者结合自己的教学经验，查阅了大量资料，总结出几条规律，以飨读者。
??一、某些有生命的集合名词（表示人或者动物），本身有单／复数之分。其为单数时，若作主语，则谓语可用单数／复数。主要依据说话者强调的重点而定，若强调许多个体，谓语用复数；若强调一个整体，则用单数。其为复数时，不言而喻，谓语必须用复数。注意：此类名词单复数的意义并不完全相同，汉译时一定要当心。如army（一国之军队），armies（多国部队）；couple（一对夫妇），couples（多对夫妇）；等。常见的此类集合名词有：army，association，audience，band，board，cast，clan，class，clique，club，college，committee，company，community，congregation（教民，会众），council（市议会，理事会），couple，crew，crowd，enemy，family，firm，fleet，flock，folk，gang，government，group，jury，kingdom ，mob（暴民，暴徒），navy，opposition，orchestra，pack，pair，party，personnel，profession，population，staff，school，team，tribe（部落，部民）， union，university等。
??1．The staff is／are hardworking．
??2．The audience were moved to tears．
??3．The lecturer draws large audiences．
??4．The whole school was punished．
??5．The class consists of 40 students．
??6．This class are diligent．
??7．The whole profession fight tooth andnail against it．
??8．One tenth of the population of Egypt is／are Christian．
??二、某些有生命的集合名词，本身无复数形式，作主语时，谓语通常用复数。常见的此类集合名词有：cattle，clergy，faculty（教职工）， herd，mankind，military，militia（民团、民兵）， people，police，poultry（家禽），swine（猪），vermin，womankind等。
??9．There are three people waving at us．
??10．The police haven't arrived yet．
??11．There are verm in here．
??12．Some people are never satisfied．
??13．The police／military have surrounded the building．
?
??【注】people作民族讲时有复数形式。如： There are 56 peoples in China．
??三、某些有生命的集合名词，本身无复数形式，其后可跟单／复数谓语动词。常见的此类集合名词有：aristocracy，bourgeoisie（资产阶级），church，elite（精英），gentry，intelligentsia（知识分子），laity（外行），livestock，majority，minority，proletariat（无产阶级），offspring，public，swarm，youth等。
??14．The youth today is ／are better off than we used to be．
??15．Her offspring is ／are like her in every respect．
??16．The intelligentsia are hailing Ranson as their spokesman．
??【注】youth除了作集合名词以外，还可以作可数和不可数名词。如：
??Youth is the tim e for action；age is the tim e for repose．
??Som e youths don't like jazz．
??四、某些表示国家、公司、机构、运动队等名称的专有名词也可当作集合名词使用，其后通常跟单／复数谓语动词。常见的此类集合名词有：Arsenal，BBC，Congress，Krem lin， Liverpool，Macm illan，Netherlands，Parliament，Pentagon，Vatican（梵蒂冈），White House等。
??17．Arsenal is ／are playing well in this season．
??18．Macmillan have ／has made a good profit this year．
??19．The Seventy-First Congress was predominantly Republican．
??20．The Netherlands has ／have a monarchy．
??21．The BBC is showing the program on Saturday．
??22．Liverpool is leading 1—0．
??23．Liverpool are attacking again．
??五、某些无生命的集合名词（表示物）作主语时，通常被看成不可数名词，谓语用单数。常见的此类集合名词有：aircraft，baggage， clothing，crockery，cutlery（刀剪，餐具），equipment，foliage（树叶），footwear，furniture，glassware，hardware，hosiery，jewellery，luggage，machinery，merchandize，poetry，pottery，silverware，stationery，underclothing，underwear，vegetation，weaponry等。
??24．All the furniture in my room is new．
??25．The merchandize has arrived undamaged．
??26．There is not much vegetation in deserts．
??27．The equipment for the factory hasbeen shipped．
??28．Warm clothing is necessary in cold climates．
??29．The machinery is driven by electrici-ty．
??【过关演练】用括号内动词的适当形式填空。
??1．The staff __________（have）gone for their lunch．
??2．The crews of several ships __________（be）in port．
??3．The present government，which hasn't been in power long，__________（be）trying to control inflation．It isn't having much success．
??4．The government，who __________（be） looking for a quick victory，are calling for a general election soon．
??5．The jury __________（be）divided in opinion．
??6．The committee __________（have）held its first m eeting．
??7．Almost every family in this village __________（have）a man in the army．
??8．The whole family __________（be）in tears．
??9．The poultry __________（be）being fed．
??10．The Kremlin __________（have）refused to accept the plan proposed by America．
? 答案：
??1．have 2．were 3．is 4．are 5．were 6．has 7．has 8．are 9．are ／were 10．has ／have