Question

a large quantity of 和large quantities of的用法区别?

Answer 1

答：该问题主要涉及的知识点为：quantity
与后面谓语动词单、复数搭配(即主谓一致)。但是关于quantity
与谓语单复数搭配，现在说法不统一。主要有两种观点：
1、与词形保持一致
a
quantity
of
/quantities
of
不管后面接复数还是单数(包括不可数)名词，只看quantity
本身。即：a
quantity
of
中的quantity
是单数，谓语动词就用单数；quantities
of
中quantities
是复数，谓语动词则与复数保持一致。例如：
Quantities
of
nuts
were
on
the
table.
A
quantity
of
nuts
was
on
the
table.
2、与意义保持一致
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.
结论：目前，比较倾向于与quantity
的词形保持一致，即
a
quantity
of
是单数，quantities
of
是复数，而不管后面接单数或复数的名词。例如，某省一道高考题如下：
With
many
forests
being
destroyed,
huge
quantities
of
good
earth
______
each
year.
A.
is
washing
away
B.
is
being
washed
away
它所给的答案是D.
此题中，earth
是不可数名词，但quantities
是复数，所以谓语采用了复数形式D.

Answer 2

quantities
of无论修饰可数还是不可数名词、谓语动词都用复数。
例如:
quantities
of
food
(nuts)
were
on
the
table.
桌子上有许多食品(坚果)。
a
quantity
of+可数名词复数、谓语动词用复数;+不可数名词、谓语动词用单数。即修饰可数或不可数名词均可,作主语时采取就近一致的原则,其谓语动词通常与短语中of后面的名词的数保持一致。
例如:
a
large
quantity
of
beer
was
sold
out.
大量的啤酒被售出。
a
large
quantity
of
blouses
were
on
sale.
大量罩衫有售。