people, police, cattle, poultry (家禽), militia (民兵) 等通常都用作复数.
Cattle are grazing on the pasture.
The police are looking for him.
有些集体名词有时作单数看待, 有时作复数看待, 主要根据意思来决定.
His family isn’t very large.
His family are all music lovers.
The committee meets twice a month.
The committee are divided in opinion.
The audience was enormous.
The audience were greatly moved at the words.
有些名词单复数同形, 可根据意思决定谓语动词的数:
This new series is beginning next month.
These new series are beginning next month.
This species is now extinct.
These species are now extinct.