Collective Nouns and Subject-Verb Agreement

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What is a collective noun?

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A collective noun is a word that represents a group of people, animals, or things, such as 'team', 'flock', or 'class'.

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How does a collective noun affect verb agreement?

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A collective noun can take a singular or plural verb depending on whether the group is acting as a single unit or as individuals.

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Example of a collective noun used with a singular verb?

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The class is going on a field trip.

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Example of a collective noun used with a plural verb?

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The team are wearing their new uniforms.

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What is subject-verb agreement?

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Subject-verb agreement means that the subject and verb in a sentence must match in number (singular or plural).

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When do we use 'is' with collective nouns?

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We use 'is' when the collective noun acts as a single unit, e.g., 'The jury is making a decision.'

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When do we use 'are' with collective nouns?

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We use 'are' when the members of the group are acting individually, e.g., 'The team are arguing among themselves.'

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What is the subject in the sentence: 'The family is going on vacation'?

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The subject is 'The family', which is a collective noun.

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What is the subject in the sentence: 'The staff are working late'?

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The subject is 'The staff', which is a collective noun acting as individuals.

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How do you determine if a collective noun takes a singular or plural verb?

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Consider whether the group is acting as one unit (singular) or as individuals (plural).