quantity

以下兩用法均可：

一、與詞形保持一致（quantity 的單複數，決定謂語動詞的單複數）：這種觀點認為，不看aquantityof 或quantitiesof 後面接單數名詞還是複數名詞，只看quantity本身。即：quantity是單數，謂語動詞就用單數；quantities是複數，謂語動詞就用複數。即遵循“語法一致”的原則。例如：

Alargequantityofwashingmachineshasbeensold.

A great quantityofmoney was spent on the project.

Largequantitiesofbooks were sent to the village schools.

Largequantitiesofsandwerewasheddownthehillbytherain.

二、還有一種比較流行的觀點，就是：a (large) quantity of或 (large) quantities of，其後均可跟不可數名詞或複數名詞。在句中作主語時，a quantity of接不可數名詞時，謂語動詞用單數形式；接可數名詞複數時，謂語動詞用複數形式。quantities of後接不可數名詞或可數名詞複數時，謂語動詞都用複數形式。

Alargequantityofwashingmachineshavebeensold.

A great quantityofmoney was spent on the project.

Largequantitiesofbooks were sent to the village schools.

Largequantitiesofsandwerewasheddownthehillbytherain.