學校教英文時，大多時候會告訴我們they是複數，指「他們」，這是對的！但是在不知道性別的情況下，they也可用作第三人稱單數使用。事實上從十四世紀開始，英語母語人士便將they當作性別中立的單數人稱代名詞了。在此提供例句：After a student completes their coursework, they take an exam. 還有：Who is on the phone? What do they want?
由於來電者性別不明，美國人便會很自然地用they當作單數人稱代名詞，在口語上特別常見。換作正式文件，可把整個句子改為複數：Students take exams after completing their coursework. 或更正式一點說：Who is on the phone? What does the caller want?
還想了解更多資訊嗎？請閱讀這篇文章：http://ow.ly/c9Zu50ymWAj
In school, most English learners that the pronoun "they" refers to more than one person (in the plural), and that's correct! But, "they" can also be used to refer to a third person in the singular if the gender of the person is unknown. In fact, English speakers have used "they" as a gender-neutral singular pronoun since the 14th century.
Here's an example: "After a student completes their coursework, they take an exam." Or, as another example, "Who is on the phone? What do they want?" The gender of this student or caller is unknown, so an American English speaker will naturally use the singular pronoun "they," especially when speaking. If writing a formal document, they might get around this by editing the sentence to the plural, as in "Students take exams after completing their coursework," or by changing to a more formal register, as in "Who is on the phone? What does the caller want?"
Need to know more? Read this article: http://ow.ly/c9Zu50ymWAj
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most 單數 在 [課業] 英文觀念釐清- 看板Examination - 批踢踢實業坊 的推薦與評價
題目：Is caffeine addictive? The most common problem for coffee drinkers
_____ insomnia.
(a) is (b) are (c) has (d) have
答案：(a) is
小弟的翻譯：是咖啡因上癮?導致喝咖啡者(們)大部分常見的問題(是)失眠
小弟的疑問是：The most common problem for coffee drinkers
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介詞片語，其後動詞的選擇要找主詞，
主詞是coffee drinkers 咖啡飲用者們 (複數名詞)，
為什麼動詞答案為is呢？不太懂！
小弟的想法，這句關鍵是否出在most，
most 是much 與 many 的最高級，
應該可以接可數名詞與不可數名詞？怪怪的?
coffee drinkers 咖啡飲用者(們)，為什麼不是用are呢？
麻煩版上前輩們不吝嗇指導，謝謝！
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◆ From: 125.230.100.177
※ 編輯: pigheadthree 來自: 125.230.100.177 (09/20 13:24)
The most common problem 會不會是集合名詞，在大部分常見的問題中，
感覺上，還是要觀看主詞 coffee drinkers ???
假設照您的意思觀看problem，若是代表集合名詞，其後還是用is嗎？
麻煩不吝嗇指導，謝謝！
※ 編輯: pigheadthree 來自: 125.230.100.177 (09/20 13:39)
若照大家的意思，主要是看problem，
那就是problem代表一個集合名詞，其後用is囉？
※ 編輯: pigheadthree 來自: 125.230.100.177 (09/20 13:47)
不好意思，小弟插個小問題，集合名詞其後是用單數動詞還是複數動詞呢？
※ 編輯: pigheadthree 來自: 125.230.100.177 (09/20 13:55)
OK！小弟大致上瞭解了，謝謝前輩們的指導，謝謝！
※ 編輯: pigheadthree 來自: 125.230.100.177 (09/20 14:06)
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