A method for scheduling a terminal device comprises performing blind detection on N subframes by using at least one codebook and a pilot corresponding to the codebook, and determining, according to a blind detection result, a first pilot set corresponding to each codebook in each subframe, where correct terminal data cannot be obtained by performing blind detection by using a pilot in the first pilot set and a corresponding codebook. The method comprises determining, according to the first pilot set corresponding to each codebook, a second pilot set corresponding to each codebook, where a pilot in the second pilot set is a pilot that is in the first pilot set and that has already been sent by the terminal device, and determining a to-be-used transmission mode according to the second pilot set corresponding to each codebook in each subframe, where different transmission modes correspond to different spectrum multiplex rates.