5.有些名词形式上是复数，意义上是单数，根据意义一致原则动词用单数

The chaos was stopped by the police

The news is a great encouragement to us

A series of debates between the lectures was scheduled for the next weekend.

6.用and 连接的成份表示一个单一概念时候，动词谓语用单数形式

Bread and butter is our daily food

Time and tide waits for no man

二。 谓语用复数情况

1. 由and， both …and， 连接的并列主语，和both ，a few， many ，several 等修饰语后面谓语动词通常用复数形式。

Few people know he and I were classmates when we were at college.

2.集体名词police， public， militia， cattle ，class ，youth后常用复数形式的动词

The Chinese people are brave and hardworking

The cattle are grazing in the sunshine

3.当表示民族的词与冠词合用当主语，谓语动词用复数形式

The Japanese were once very aggressive

4.某些形容词前面加定冠词表示一类人，做主语时候，谓语动词用复数

The rich are not always selfish

5.不可数名词作主语，其前有表示数量的复数名词修饰时，谓语动词用复数

Three million tons of coal were exported that year

三。谓语动词可用单数，也可以用复数的情况

1. 就近一致原则

这种情况下，谓语动词使用单数还是复数取决于最靠近该动词的主语的单复数，存在这种情况的主要由以下几种可能：

1) 由连词 either…or…; neither…nor…; whether… or…;not only…but (also) ;or 等连接的并列主语

Neither money nor fame has influence on me

Not only you but also he is wrong

2) 在倒装结构中，谓语动词与后面的第一个主语一致

Blocking the open-sided porch， framed by the enveloping fog， stands a tall grave-faced policeman.

Just outside the ruins is a magnificent building surrounded by tall trees.

Although a great number of houses in that area are still in need of repair， there has been improvement in the facili

2. 主语带有(together/along)with， such as， accompanied by， as well as， no less than， except， besides， with， combined with， in addition to ， including， together with 等等附加成分，谓语的数不受附加成分的影响仍然与主语保持一致

Professor Taylor ， with six of his students ，is attending a conference in Boston organized to compare current practice in the United States with those of other nations.

The president of the college， together with the deans， is planning a conference for the purpose of laying down certain regulations. (1981年考研题)

3.关系代词做主语的定语从句中，谓语的数要与先行词一致。如：

Despite much research， there are still certain elements in the life cycle of the insect that are not fully understood.

(1996年考研题)

There are many valuable services which the public are willing to pay for， but which do not bring a return in money to the community.