【初中英语小知识】couple做主语,谓语动词单数还是复数

1）把couple当作一个整体看待时，谓语动词用单数，尤其是couple被each、every、only one等修饰时。

One day, an old couple walks into bank.

一天，一对老夫妻走进了银行。

Each couple is allowed to have two children now.

现在每对夫妻允许生两个孩子。

2）强调“夫妻二人”时，谓语动词用复数。例如：

The young couple are quarrelling with each other.这对年轻夫妻在吵架.

The couple were standing just in front of me. 这对夫妇就站在我的前面。

3）有时语境上不明确强调个体还是整体，则用单数或复数均可。

The young couple seems/seem

to be happy. 这对年轻人看起来很快乐。

4）固定短语“a couple of +可数名词复数”表示“两个”“一些”“几个” ，谓语动词用复数。例如：

A couple of girls are waiting for you outside.

有几个女孩在外面等你。

注意：there be句型中，习惯上遵循就近一致原则，所以一般用单数的动词形式。

There is a couple of

girls waiting for you outside.

外面有两个女孩在等你。