一種語言作主語時,謂語動詞用單數(shù).但當其做人民講時,謂語動詞用復(fù)數(shù).
例如：
The Chinese is very difficult to learn.
A lot of foreigners said that the Chinese are so warm-hearted.
a number of 后一般加可數(shù)名詞,如：a number of people,a number of books 因此后面的謂語動詞要用復(fù)數(shù)形式.
例如：
There are a number of students in the room.
a number of 一些
the number of 指數(shù)量.
比較下列句子：
The number of the students is increasing.
學(xué)生的數(shù)量在增長.
A number of students are absent today.
今天一些學(xué)生缺席.
不知你是否明白了.