（1）有些集合名词如crowd, family, team, orchestra（管弦乐队）, group, government, committee, class, school, union, firm, staff, public等，它们作主语时，谓语动词的数要根据语言内容而定。如果它们作为一个集体单位时，动词用单数形式，如就其中的各个成员来说，则谓语用复数形 式。例如：

　　1）His family is going to move.

　　2）His family are very well.

　　3）The public is / are requested not to leave litter in the park.

　　注：如这类词后跟有定语从句时，定语从句的谓语动词也遵循概念一致的原则，强调具体成员时，谓语动词用复数，关系代词用who; 强调整体时，谓语动词用单数，关系代词用which。例如：

　　1）The government who were responsible for this event attempted to find a solution.

　　2）The government which was responsible for this event attempted to find a solution.

　　(2)有些表示总称意义的名词，形式上是单数，而意义上却是复数，谓语动词要用复数形式，如people, police, militia, cattle, poultry（家禽）等。例如：

　　1）Cattle were allowed to graze on the village common.

　　2）The police are searching for a tall dark man with a beard.

　　(3)有些名词形式上是复数，而意义上却是单数。如news, means, works.还有许多以ics结尾的学科名称，如economics, physics, mechanics, politics等，它们作主语时，谓语动词要用单数形式。例如：

　　1）Politics is a complicated business.

　　2）Here is the news.

　　(4)用and连接的单数主语，前面有each, every, many a, no等修饰时，谓语动词要用单数形式。复数主语与each连用时，应不受each的影响，谓语动词仍用复数形式。例如：

　　1) Each pen and each paper is found in its place.

　　2) Every boy and girl is treated in the same way.

　　3) Many a boy and many a girl has seen it.

　　4) The old workers and the young each have their own tools.

　　(5)表示重量、度量、衡量、价值的复数名词作主语，谓语动词常用单数形式。例如：

　　1) Twenty miles is a long way to walk.

　　2) Three pints isn’t enough to get me drunk.

　　(6)国家、单位和书报的名称，作为一个单一的概念，其谓语动词要用单数形式。例如：

　　1）War and Peace is the longest book I’ve read.

　　2）General Motors has recently closed down a plant. (通用汽车公司最近关闭了一家工厂。)

　　（8）the +形容词作主语时，如主语指的是一类人，谓语动词用复数形式；如果指的是单个人或抽象概念，谓语动词用单数形式。例如：

　　1) The blind are taught trades in special schools.

　　2) The departed was a good friend of his.

　　3.毗邻一致（就近原则）

　　(1)由连词or, neither…or, either…or, not only … also, nor等连接的并列主语，谓语动词的单复数形式按毗邻一致的原则，与贴近它的主语一致。例如：

　　1) He or you have taken my pen.

　　2) Either you or he is no telling the truth.

　　3) Not only the switches but also the old wiring has been changed.

　　(2)在there be 的结构中，谓语动词的单复数形式一般也采取就近原则。例如：

　　1)There is a desk and four benches in the office.

　　2)There are two chairs and a desk in the office.