1. 表示“听众”、“观众”，是集合名词，用作主语时，其谓语可用单数(视为整体时)或复数(视为个体时)。如：The audience is [are]listening attentively. 听众都在聚精会神地听着。The audience was [were] enjoying every minute of the performance. 观众对演出非常欣赏。有时由于语义的需要，分别用单数或复数更合适。如：The audience was enormous. 观众人很多。The audience are requested to be in their seats by 8:00. 观众要在八点前都入座。
2. 形容听(观)众人数之多或少，通常用 large, small, crow等形容词(但是不能用 many)修饰audience。如：There was a large audience of young people at the pop concert. 流行音乐演奏会上有大量青年听众。Her lecture had a crowded audience. 她的演讲挤满了听众。The speaker had a small (thin) but attentive audience. 这位演讲者的听众不多(很少)，但很专心。要在那么多观众面前唱歌她感到很紧张。正：She felt nervous at having to sing before so large an audience [such a large audience]. 误：She felt nervous at having to sing before so many audience.3. audience 虽为集合名词，但有时可用复数形式。如：The audiences were enormous. 听众特别多。He addressed audiences all over the country. 他向全国各地的听众作地演讲。 mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-as4. audience 有时可表示“读者”。如：That book has a large audience. 那本书有广大的读者。