语法：个体名词和集体名词

个体名词和集体名词都可以用数目来计算，属于可数名词（Countable Nouns）。即能与“a/an, two…, few, many, several, these, those”等表示可数性限定词连用的名词就称为可数名词。

一、个体名词：（Individual Nouns）：表示某类人或东西中的个体，如：gun, book, pen 等。

1.有单数形式：例如：

1).bag---bags    2).bench---benches    3).piano---pianos    4).country---countries   5).thief---thieves

2.与冠词连用或用复数本身表种类：例如：马是有用的动物。

1). A horse is a useful animal.    2). The horse is a useful animal.   3). horses useful animals.

二、集体名词（Collective Nouns）：表示若干个个体组成的集合体。

1．当“family(家庭), class(班级), group(团体), team(队伍), army(军队), government(政府), enemy(敌人), club(俱乐部), population(人口), audience(观众), public(民众), nation(政党), crew(船员),  committee(委员会)”等集体名词作主语表整体时，谓语是单数；表成员时，谓语是复数：

1). Our football team was founded last term. 我们的足球队是上学期成立的。

2). Our football team are having a rest under a tree now. 我们的足球队员正在树下休息。

3). The committee includes members from five countries. 委员会包括来自五个国家的成员。

4). The committee are divided in their opinions. 委员会意见不合。

5). Our government is one for the people. 我们的政府是为民政府。

6). The government are very honest and hard-working. 政府人员都很诚实勤奋。

7). The audience was deeply moved. 观众深受感动。

8). The audience were dressed in a variety of ways, some in suits and some in jeans.

观众衣着各不相同，有的穿套装，有的穿牛仔服。

9). The family, who live upstairs, are fond of music.

0). His family, which was a large one, was broken up in the war.

注：集体名词作先行词表成员时用“who”引导定语从句；表整体时用“which”引导定语从句

2.“mankind(人类), public(公众), crowd(群众), majority(多数), enemy(敌人)”集体名词作主语时，谓语动词可用单数形式，也可用复数形式：

1). Mankind are intelligent animals. 人类是智力动物。

2). Mankind has been making progress. 人类已经并且正在进步。

3). The public wants to know : why hasn’t anything been done to end the strike?

公众想知道，为什么还没有采取措施来结束罢工。

4). The public are the best judge. 公众是最好的法官。

5). There is (are) a crowd of people in the park. 公园里有一群人。

6). The majority was (were) against it. 大多数人反对它。

3．“people(人们), police(警察), cattle(牛), folk(人们), youth(青年人), personal(全体人员)”集体名词等本身就代表复数概念，作主语时，谓语动词要用复数形式：

1). People are talking about the news. 人们在谈论这条新闻。

2). The police are after a robber. 警察们在追赶一个强盗。

3). The cattle are eating grass on the side of the hill. 牛群正在山腰吃草。

4). Our youth are all loyal to their motherland. 我们年轻人都忠于祖国。

注：(people, police和 cattle前不能同“a或one”连用)

1). 一个人：不能说成 a people (但可说成 a person)；两个人：two persons / two people

2). 一个警察：不能说成 a police (但可说成 a policeman)；两个警察：two policemen/ two police

3). 一头牛：不能说成 a cattle (但可说成 a head of cattle)；两头牛：two head of cattle

4．“clothing (衣服), equipment (设备), furniture (家具), jewelry (珠宝), luggage (行李) ”等集体名词本身就只有单数形式：(作主语时，谓语动词要用单数形式) (表多个时用“pieces of”)

1). Clothing is as necessary to us as food. 衣和食对我们一样必不可少。

2). Much of her jewelry was missing. 她的很多珠宝都遗失了。

3). Some articles of furniture were lost when we moved. 我们搬家时有几件家具丢失了。

4). I’ve just been informed that my four pieces of luggage have already been arrived.

我刚接到通知说我的四件行李已经运到了。