集体名词（Collective Noun），如government，committee，team等，在意义上是复数，而在语法形式上是单数。以这类名词作主语的主谓一致问题往往在于对于“语法一致”和“意义一致”两种原则的选择。这种选择通常遵循以下规则：

1. 通常作复数的集体名词

有些集体名词，如police，people，cattle，poultry等，通常作复数，随后的动词用复数，如：

Domestic cattle provide us with milk, beef and hides.

Such vermin as bugs and rates are hard to get rid of.

2. 通常作不可数名词的集体名词

有些集体名词，如foliage，machinery，equipment，furniture，merchandise，通常作不可数名词，随后的动词用单数。如：

The merchandise has arrived undamaged.

All the machinery in the factory is made in China.

3. 既可作单数也可作复数的集体名词

一些集体名词，如audience，committee，class，crew，family，government，public等，既可作单数，也可作复数用。如果将这些名词所表示的集体视为一个整体，则动词用单数，如：

The anti-crime committee is to make its report tomorrow.

The city council is meeting to set its agenda.

如将侧重点放在组成集体的成员上，动词用复数。

The herd of cows and calves are moving toward the sheds by twos and threes.

4. a committee of等+复数名词

如主语是由“a committee of/a panel of/a (the) board of + 复数名词”构成，随后的动词通常用单数，如：

A committee of five men and three women is to consider the matter.