■ couple

1) 后面的可数名词应该用 of 引入，但是美国英语仿效 dozen，常常略去 of。

• a couple dollars两三个美元
• a couple months两三个月
• ... Mr. Shaw himself still operated a couple wagons for hire... (Garrison Keillor, Lake Wobegon Days, 1985)…萧先生仍然经营几座大车…

但这是不规范的。不过，如果作为数量比较的差额，就不用 of。

• Bring a couple more chairs.多拿几张椅子来。

2) couple 指一对夫妻时，代词应该用 they, them, their 之类，不能用 it。

• The couple will spend their (非 its) honeymoon in the Bahamas.新婚夫妇将到巴哈马群岛去度蜜月。

作主语时，谓语动词通常要用复数。

• The couple remain friends and share custody of their four children. (People, May 10, 1982)他们两个人还是朋友，分享对四个孩子的抚养权。
• The couple were married on April 21. (Current Biography, March 1966)他们这一对是 4 月 1 日结的婚。

但如果一对夫妻看作一个整体，也可以用单数。

• The couple has three children.(Current Biography, February 1967)这对夫妻有三个孩子。