中式英语口语错误之鉴
139.四分之三
[误] Three-fourths of the apples was ruined.
[正] Three-fourths of the apples were ruined.
翻译：苹果坏了四分之三。
讲解：英语以分数为主语时，由其后接的名词决定动词的单复数，例句中的 apples 为复数，故动词应改为复数的 were。但 Three-fourths of the crop was ruined.（四分之三的收成都毁了。）
更多口语例句：
More than three-fourths of senior citizens are having sex, contrary to what they probably expected would be the case when they were younger.
超过四分之三的老年人存在性生活，这应该是设想中的更年轻时的数据，但事实的确如此。