Quantity 的“数量”之惑【问题】：“a (large) quantity of +名词”和“(large) quantities of +名词”，做主语时，谓语动词用单数还是复数？ 关于这个问题，目前语法界众说纷纭。对此，我觉得有必要谈谈自己的看法。这个问题实际是主谓一致的问题。首先，a (large) quantity of 和 (large) quantities of，都可以接可数名词（复数形式），也可以接不可数名词（单数形式）。关于主谓一致，目前主要有 3 种观点：1. 与词义保持一致（名词的单复数决定谓语动词的单复数）： 这种观点认为，不看 a quantity of 或 quantities of 本身，而应看词组后面接的是什么名词，如果后面的名词是单数，则谓语动词用单数；如果后面的名词是复数，则谓语动词用复数。这一点与 a lot of 或 lots of 的用法相同，即遵循“意义一致”的原则。例如： A large quantity of washing machines have been sold. A great quantity of money was spent on the project.Large quantities of books were sent to the village schools.Large quantities of sand was washed down the hill by the rain. 2. 与词形保持一致（quantity 的单复数决定谓语动词的单复数）： 这种观点认为，不看 a quantity of 或 quantities of 后 面 接 单 数 名 词 还 是 复 数 名 词 ， 只 看 quantity 本 身 。 即 ：quantity 是单数，谓语动词就用单数；quantities 是复数，谓语动词就用复数。即遵循“语法一致”的原则。例如：A large quantity of washing machines has been sold. A great quantity of money was spent on the project.Large quantities of books were sent to the village schools.Large quantities of sand were washed down the hill by the rain. 3. 介于这两者之间。还有一种比较流行的观点（即张道真、薄冰、赵振才等教授的观点）就是： a (large) quantity of 或 (large) quantities of，其后均可跟不可数名词或复数名词。在句中作主语时，a quantity of 接不可数名词时，谓语动词用单数形式；接可数名词复数时，谓语动词用复数形式quantities of 后接不可数名词或可数名词复数时，谓语动词都用复数形式。A large quantity of washing machines have been sold. A great quantity of...
