the number of后面接复数，但是谓语动词用单数，结构是：the number of+可数名词复数+三单谓语。

the number of后面接复数还是单数

the number of 表示“...的数量”

后面加可数名词复数，但是因为中心词是“数量”，也就是说我们的主语是“the number”,所以后面的谓语动词要用三人称单数形式。

即：the number of+可数名词复数+三单谓语

e.g.我们班的人数是40人。

The number of students is 40 in our class.

the number of例句

1、The number of business failures has risen.

企业倒闭的数量增加了。

2、The number of independent firms decreased from 198 to 96.

独立公司的数量从198个减少到了96个。

3、The drug increases the number of red cells in the blood, enhancing oxygen uptake by 10 percent.

这种药增加了血液里的红细胞数量，从而将摄氧量提高了10%。

4、The number of unemployed people in Poland has grown by more than a quarter in the last month.

上个月，波兰的失业人数增长超过了1/4。

5、After eleven days of growth the number of sprouts was counted.

经过11天的生长后，对新芽的数量进行了计数。