collective nouns subject-verb agreement pronoun agreement
TRANSCRIPT
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