有人问： 下面词句中的staff与数字连用的用法现已通行否？

(1)“We guarantee a successful application,”boasts one of the staff of the company.

(2)The three young staff of the office busily go about making a living.

(3)consulting one of the staff about his chances

上述词句中集体名词staff与数词连用的用法已不罕见，并已收入词典中（尤其是英国英语词典）。除上述例证外，再如：

(4)She's in charge of about 20 staff .

(5)The salon covers more than 80 square kilometres and employs seven staff .

(6)There were then about 12,000 students and 2,600 faculty and staff .

类似staff以及faculty这种用法的还有crew, personnel, equipment等集体名词，实例如：

(7)four crew 4个机组人员

(8)3,000 military personnel

(9)one of 12 equipment imported from the United States

(10)800 cattle

(11)a staff of six clergy 共有6个牧师的班子

(12)two or three police