“金钱”作主语谓语必须用复数吗

Is / Are five million dollars enough to make a good film?

上面一句摘自高中英语译林版新教材必修二第1单元第7页。它要求圈出正确的单词（circle the correct words）。我看语法书说的是：“金钱”作主语时谓语动词通常用复数，按上面这题的意思，好像是必须要复数啊，否则就是“不正确”的。

网友的质疑是有道理的。表示“金钱”的名词作主语时，谓语动词通常用复数，不是必须用单数，比如《张道真英语语法大全》就认为若要对组成部分加以强调动词也可用复数形式。

以下接自《张道真英语语法大全》第847节：

长度、重量、时间等名称多作单数看待：

Fifty dollars (= The sum of fifty dollars) is not a large sum.

Three yards (= The length of three yards) is not enough.

Six months (= The period of six months) is too short a time to learn anything.

Five kilograms (= The weight of five kilograms) is enough.

这类带数词的名词前还可加一个指示词：

One short seven days is like seven years.

That three dollars (= That capital of three dollars) was the beginning of his career.

That second six months was happy indeed.

Every ten minutes is a trial.

A fortnight is not long enough to do the job.

This two kilograms of meat is enough for ten persons.

An estimated two thousand persons was killed in this hurricane.

A good ten miles is the distance we have climbed.

A happy three days has passed like a dream.

Such a weary six years was to me a terrible dream.

Ten apples (= Such a number of apples) is enough.

Two thousand immigrants is the quota for us this year.

如对组成部分加以强调，动词也可用复数形式：

Fifty dollars are too expensive.

Three yards cost thirty dollars.

Webster - 英语教师

擅长：英语 | 采纳率 87% | 回答于 2021-11-05 09:34

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黎反修 - 英语翻译（已退休） 2021-11-05 08:35

擅长：数词用法,存在句,英语考试

正确的说法应该是：“金钱”作主语时谓语动词通常用单数。如：

Eight hundred dollars is a large sum. 800美元是一大笔钱。