Subject/Verb Agreement with Collective Nouns

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What is subject/verb agreement?

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

Front

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 'family'.

Front

When using a collective noun, how do you determine if the verb should be singular or plural?

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If the collective noun acts as a single unit, use a singular verb. If the members of the group act individually, use a plural verb.

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Example of a collective noun used with a singular verb:

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The team wins the championship.

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Example of a collective noun used with a plural verb:

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The team are arguing among themselves.

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What is the correct verb form for 'The pack of dogs __________ running off'?

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The correct verb form is 'are'.

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What is the correct verb form for 'Martin's family ______________ to vacation'?

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The correct verb form is 'plans'.

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What is the correct verb form for 'Every fall, the English class ___________ book reports'?

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The correct verb form is 'write'.

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What is the correct verb form for 'The flute ensemble ______________ tuning'?

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The correct verb form is 'are'.

Front

What is the correct verb form for 'This organization ____________ on a barbecue'?

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The correct verb form is 'puts'.