Collective Nouns: Singular or Plural?

This video tutorial by Fresno State's Graduate Writing Studio, presented by Greta Bell, covers the use of collective nouns and their impact on subject-verb agreement. It explains how to determine whether a collective noun should be treated as singular or plural, using examples like 'class' and 'herd'. The video provides tips for rewriting sentences to ensure correct usage and highlights the importance of choosing the right vocabulary to achieve subject-verb agreement.

What is the primary function of collective nouns?

• To describe individual actions

• To refer to a collection or group as a whole

• To indicate past tense

• To modify adjectives

Which of the following is NOT an example of a collective noun?

• Herd

• Book

• Team

• Family

In the sentence 'The class takes its midterm Friday,' how is the word 'class' functioning?

• As an adjective

• As a singular noun

• As a plural noun

• As a verb

When the collective noun 'herd' is used to describe individual actions, which verb form should be used?

• Future tense verb

• Plural verb

• Past tense verb

• Singular verb

In the sentence 'The herd was inoculated to prevent it from getting sick,' what is the function of the word 'herd'?

• Adjective

• Singular noun

• Verb

• Plural noun

Which pronoun should be used with a singular collective noun?

• They

• Their

• It

• Them

What is a useful tip for determining if a collective noun is singular or plural?

• Adding the word 'members' after the collective noun

• Using a dictionary

• Checking the tense of the verb

• Counting the number of words in the sentence

How can you rewrite a sentence to ensure the use of plural verbs and pronouns?

• By adding a word like 'members' after the collective noun

• By changing the verb to past tense

• By using a different collective noun

• By adding an adjective before the collective noun

In the sentence 'The team members sit on the designated bench,' what is the function of the word 'team'?

• Verb

• Singular noun

• Plural noun

• Adjective

What is a better vocabulary choice than 'team members' to achieve subject-verb agreement?

• Players

• People

• Individuals

• Group