集體名詞,以單數(shù)形式出現(xiàn),但實(shí)為復(fù)數(shù).例如：
people police cattle 等本身就是復(fù)數(shù),不能說 a people,a police,a cattle,但可以說a person,a policeman,a head of cattle,the English,the British,the French,the Chinese,the Japanese,the Swiss 等名詞,表示國民總稱時(shí),作復(fù)數(shù)用,如The Chinese are industries and brave.中國人民是勤勞勇敢的.
回到“people”這個(gè)詞,當(dāng)它作為人；人們; 親戚；家族; 某地方的人或人民；公民；平民解釋時(shí),為集體名詞,是不可數(shù)的,如
The streets were crowded with people.大街上擠滿了人.
The men who govern the country are chosen by the people.治理國家的人是由人民選擇的.
當(dāng)people作為民族解釋時(shí),是可數(shù)名詞,如
The Chinese people are a brave and hard-working people.
中華民族是一個(gè)勇敢勤勞的民族.
注意：這里的people是民族之意,是可數(shù)名詞.
比較：Chinese people are smart.中國人很聰明.
這里的people就是集合名詞.