题目

求解·英语谓语单复数问题
The number and diversity of British newspaper is considerable.
The sum and substance of this argument is war and peace.
Weeping and wailing does nothing wowards solving the problem.
Where's that five pounds I lent you?为什么不是where are that five pounds i lent you?
我知道是按整体来看··但要怎么区分整体或是个体呢?
The beautiful(is,are)not always the same as the good.哪一个? 某一类人不是要选复数吗,为什么标准答案是单数?或是标准答案错了?

提问时间：2020-07-27

答案

你要始终记得,英语中,一个完整的句子中只有一个主语、一个谓语、一个宾语,其他的都是从句!至于单复数问题,我建议你多看看英语中单复数的用法!如下面：有些名词只有单数形式,如：
five cattle,two hundred sheep,a lot of trout (鳟鱼),three Swiss,six Japanese,lots of Chinese
有些名词只有复数形式,如：
Eery means has been tried.
Mathematics is her strong point.
The remains of the deer were eaten up.
----“The couple are both lazybones.”
----“No,only the husband is (a lazybones).”
2.有些名词在习惯用语中用单数,如：
She went home on foot.(步行,不是只有一只脚.)
I turned a deaf ear to him.（不理睬,不是一只耳朵聋了.）
They lost heart.(丧失信心)
以上三例为习语,下面三例则为全称单数(generic singular),即以单数代全称：
Man is mortal.(人皆有死.)
The student should always be attentive.
The pen is mightier than the sword.
有些名词的用法则习惯上用复数,如：
armed to the teeth (武装到牙齿)
shake hands with (握手)
make friends with
by leaps and bounds (突飞猛进)
以上四例与逻辑有关：很难想象只有一个牙齿,而握手和交朋友都是双方的事,蹦跳起来也不可能只有一步.下面几例则与婚丧喜庆有关：
My hearty congratulations!（衷心祝贺）
My best regards to her!(问好,致意)
Many happy returns of the day!(祝贺生日用语)
To express one’s condolences to (吊唁)
3．值得我们注意的是,一个词用单数或用复数往往表示意义的不同.原因可能是纯属习惯,或者含有特殊的意义,或者是专门说法,或者出于修辞考虑,如：
The border between China and the Sovoiet Union.(中苏边境分界线)
The borders of China and the Soviet Union (中苏边境)
The cups of water –China waters (中国沿海)
Iron is useful than gold.--- The prisoner was in irons.(带上镣铐)
Copper is a very important metal..----She found some copper over there.(铜币)
----Look at the copper over there.(俚语：警察,因制服上铜扣得名,复数为coppers,简称cop(s)
Her bad tooth caused her much pain.(很痛) ----She took great pains in studying Greek.(下苦功)
She has white hair.(一头白发)----She has white hairs.(几丝白发)
The Chinese and American peoples.(中美两国人民)----The Chinese and American people.（中美人民.尼克松于1972年在周总理举行的国宴上的祝酒词就用our two people,the Chinese and American people,甚至all people in the world,以表示亲切友好.）
4．我们尤其要注意的是,形式上是单数而意义上是复数,或形式上是复数而意义上是单数的情况,如：
The class elect him monitor.(侧重班上的每一个人,故比用elects 好) ----Our class is represented by him.(侧重整体)
Another ten years was wasted.(“十年“是一个计算单位)
All my family are early rises.（指家人）
There is a book and two pens on the desk.----There are two pens and a book on the desk.(习惯上,如最靠近动词的名词是复数,则动词用复数；如名词是单数,则动词也相应用单数)
His brothers or he is to come.----He or his brothers are to come