Question

a large quantity of!

后面的谓语到底用单数还是复数啊`?>!!!
有些说看of后面的名词
有些又说根据quantity决定(因为quantity是单数,所以谓语单词一律用单数,不论可数不可数)
问了两个老师,两个老师的答案都不一样?!!!
who can help me?

Answer 1

楼主请仔细阅读我找到的资料。我引用了众多专家的观点，最终结论在中间，最后还有资料上的例句

专家观点：
1. 徐广联在《大学英语语法讲座与测试》（华东理工大学出版社）中表示， a quantity of 只能修饰不可数名词，谓语动词用单数。 A quantity of 间或也可以修饰可数名词，例如， A quantity of baskets were on sale.

2. 张怀信在《英语高考活用图解辞典》（延边大学出版社）中讲到， a large/small quantity of 大量的 / 少量的（可以修饰可数名词或不可数名词），例如， I need a large quantity of oil (apples). quantities of 大批的，大量的，例如， Large quantities of polluted water are flowing into the sea. 该书所附〈语法祥解篇 --- 主谓一致〉还明确指出“在以上（ a lot of, lots of, plenty of, a large quantity of + 名词）的词组后面的名词是中心词，谓语动词根据后面的名词的数而定”。

3 ．顾南华在《中高级英语考试指南》（华中工学院出版社）中说， a quantity of, quantities of 可跟可数名词与不可数名词 , 并举有三例： There is a large quantity of milk. Great quantities of fish are caught on the high sea. Large quantities of water are needed for cooling purposes. 在 452 页讲到“ a quantity of + 不可数名词”，谓语只用单数，“ quantities of + 可数与不可数名词”，谓语要用复数。

4 ．章振邦在《新编英语语法》（上海译文出版社） 212 页中讲到， a quantity of 既可用于复数可数名词，也可用于不可数名词。例如 , A large quantity of flowers were heaped on the martyr’s tomb. A large quantity of beer was consumed. Quantities of food were on the table.

5. 刘锐诚在《学生使用英语高考必备》（中国青年出版社）中认为， a quantity of + 名词 [C,U][+ 单或复数动词 ] ， quantities of + 名词 [C,U] [+ 复数动词 ] 。

6. 张鑫友在《英语语法难题新探（句法篇）》（中国地质大学出版社） 529 页中说，在 …a large quantity of… 等短语后既可接复数可数名词，亦可接不可数名词。在它们分别和其后的名词构成短语作主语时，其谓语动词通常跟 of 后名词的具体情况而采用单数或复数形式。

综上所述，结论就是：
1 ． a quantity of 后既可接复数可数名词，亦可接不可数名词。在它们分别和其后的名词构成短语作主语时，其谓语动词通常看 of 后名词的具体情况而采用单数或复数形式。如果是接不可数名词，则谓语用单数形式，如果是接复数可数名词，则谓语通常要采用复数形式（※偶而接单数式谓语，属非规范用法，宜慎用。）

2 ． quantities of 后既可接复数可数名词，亦可接不可数名词 , 后面的谓语都用复数形式。

举例证明：
1． On January 18, a large quantity of coloured photopaper, dried seafood, canned abalone, audio equipment and antibiotics worth HH$16million were found in four 40-foot containers, bound for… ( In brief--- China Daily, HK Edition, 20050122, P2)

2． Besides, a large quantity of mail bags were found. ( US nationals arrested for DVD piracy---China Daily, 20040731, P1)

3． An undetermined quantity of weapons and ammunition were also seized, the spokesman said. (Raid in karbala and shots fired in Baghdad ---China Daily, 2003102, P1)

4． …and a small quantity of dangerous drugs were seized. (Travel scheme causes concern in HK---China Daily, 20030822, P2)A

5． A quantity of fake certificates and official stamps were also seized. (Police seize 59 in major gang smash, 20030403) ※

6 . “ …and a large quantity of drugs is reading different segments of society.” Wang said. (Zzzicit drug dealers executed----China Daily, 20030627, P2)

Answer 2

根据quantity决定(因为quantity是单数,所以谓语单词一律用单数,不论可数不可数)，因为这个时候的主语是
quantity。

Answer 3

后面的谓语是根据of后面的词的单复数决定。

Answer 4

可数名词复数

后面不能跟不可数名词，如果不可数，quantity换成amount

Answer 5

a large quantity/amount of <n> 不管<n>单复数，统一视为单数。
large quantities/amounts of <n> 不管<n>单复数，统一视为复述。
a variety/number of <n> 根据<n>的单复数来确定后面动词。