a quantity of / quantities of的用法（主谓一致）
与意义保持一致:
这种观点认为，不应该看 a quantity of / quantities of 本身，而应该看这个词组后面所接的是什么名词，如果后面的名词是单数(或不可数)，则谓语用单数；如果名词是复数，那么谓语用复数。这一点与a lot of 相同，即遵循意义一致原则。例如：
There is only a small quantity of wine left.
Great quantities of sand was washed down the hillside by the rain last night.
A large quantity of air conditions have been sold since the summer came.
Huge quantities of oil were shipped to Japan last year.
请问老师，以上说法正确吗？
最佳答案 2018-01-16 17:28
以上说法不正确，导致 Great quantities of sand was washed down the hillside by the rain last night.有误。应改为：Great quantities of sand were washed down the hillside by the rain last night.
以下两种观点都可以接受：
一、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.
二、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 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.
【评价】第二种观点虽然不错，而且英美语料库中也有大量的例句，但有两个不同的划分标准：quantity 单数时谓语看名词，复数时谓语看 quantities。结果是引入了例外，加大了记忆量。不如第一种实惠！
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其它 3 个回答
解答如下：
以上句子应该改为
Great quantities of sand were washed down the hillside by the rain last night.
其他3个英语句子都是正确的。
(1)a quantity of +不可数名词（单数），作主语，谓语用单数
A large quantity of beer was sold.
售出了大量的啤酒.
A large quantity of water is stored in the reservoir.
水库存了大量的水.
(2)a quantity of +可数名词（复数），作主语，谓语用复数
There are only a small quantity of flowers left in the garden.
花园里只剩下少量的花了.
(3)quantities of +名词，作主语，谓语用复数
Small quantities of poison were detected in the dead man's stomach.
在死者胃中找到了少量的毒药。
备注：
(1)a quantity of +名词。作主语，由介词“of" 后面试可数名词还是不可数名词确定谓语的单复数。
(2)quantities of +名词，作主语，因量词已经为复数形式，则后面名词无论是为可数还是不可数，其谓语动词都为复数形式。
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a quantity of 后接不可数名词，作主语时，谓语动词应当用单数形式；a quantity of 后接可数名词复数，作主语时，谓语动词应当用复数形式；quantities of 后接不可数名词或可数名词复数作主语时，谓语动词都用复数形式。例如：Huge quantities of oil were spilling into the sea.大量石油泄漏进大海。（摘自《朗文高级英语应试词典》）
所以，Great quantities of sand was washed down the hillside by the rain last night.是错误的，应该改为： Great quantities of sand were washed down the hillside by the rain last night.
以下的句子是正确的：There is only a small quantity of wine left. /
A large quantity of air conditions have been sold since the summer came. /
Huge quantities of oil were shipped to Japan last year.
在表示“大量的”意义时，a quantity of 和 quantities of 均可修饰不可数名词和可数名词复数。
a quantity of 后接不可数名词，作主语时，谓语动词应当用单数形式；
a quantity of 后接可数名词复数，作主语时，谓语动词应当用复数形式；
quantities of 修饰不可数名词或可数名词复数时，作主语时，谓语动词都用复数形式。
所以，应该说 Great quantities of sand were washed down the hillside by the rain last night.
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