collective nouns subject-verb agreement pronoun agreement

Collective Nouns

Subject-verb agreement

Pronoun agreement

Collective nouns refer to groups of people.

What’s tricky about them is that they have a plural meaning but a singular form. In American usage, they require singular verbs and pronouns (in most cases).

Some examples:

Team Committee

Family Panel

Staff Jury

Faculty Congress

Usage

The team run/runs wind sprints at the end of practice.

Usage

The team run/runs wind sprints at the end of practice.

The team runs wind sprints at the end of practice.

Usage

The team left their equipment on the bus.

Usage

The team left its equipment on the bus.

Usage

The faculty agree that more courses should be offered.

Usage

The faculty agrees that more courses should be offered.

Usage

The faculty agrees that more courses should be offered.

The faculty agrees that they should examine the policy.

Usage

The faculty agrees that more courses should be offered.

The faculty agrees that they should examine the policy.

The faculty agrees that it should examine the policy.

Usage

The committee want/wants to find a compromise.

Usage

The committee wants to find a compromise.

Usage

The committee wants their staff to work harder.

Usage

The committee wants its staff to work harder.

Exception

The committee wants its staff to work harder.

BUT-- Sometimes the emphasis is on individuals. Then you may use the plural.

The committee have different opinions about lunch.

The committee plan to leave at different times.

Some examples

Purdue’s Online Writing Lab (OWL)

Number Agreement