如果一个句子是由there 或here引导, 而主语又不止一个, 谓语通常也和最邻近的那个主语一致。
There was carved in the board a dragon and a phoenix.
Here is a pen, a few envelopes and some paper for you.
people, police, cattle, poultry (家禽), militia (民兵) 等通常都用作复数.
Cattle are grazing on the pasture.
The police are looking for him.
有些集体名词有时作单数看待, 有时作复数看待, 主要根据意思来决定.
His family isn’t very large.
His family are all music lovers.
The committee meets twice a month.
The committee are divided in opinion.
The audience was enormous.
The audience were greatly moved at the words.
有些名词单复数同形, 可根据意思决定谓语动词的数:
This new series is beginning next month.
These new series are beginning next month.
This species is now extinct.
These species are now extinct.
表示时间, 重量, 长度, 价值等的名词, 尽管仍是复数形式, 如果作整体看待, 动词也可用单数形式(当然用复数动词也是可以的):
Three weeks was allowed for making the necessary preparations.
One hundred li was covered in a single night.