Rule Number 8 in Subject-Verb Agreement: Collective Nouns
When it comes to subject-verb agreement, one of the trickiest situations is when you are dealing with collective nouns. Collective nouns refer to groups of people, animals, or things that are treated as a single unit, such as team, family, herd, or flock.
The general rule for collective nouns is that they can be treated as either singular or plural, depending on the context and meaning of the sentence. For example:
– The team is playing well this season. (singular)
– The team are discussing their strategy for the next game. (plural)
In the first sentence, the team is treated as a single unit, so a singular verb (is) is used. In the second sentence, the team is treated as a group of individuals, so a plural verb (are) is used.
However, there are some collective nouns that are always treated as plural, such as police, people, and cattle. Here are some examples:
– The police are investigating the robbery. (plural)
– People are always looking for ways to improve their lives. (plural)
– Cattle graze in the fields during the day. (plural)
It is important to note that collective nouns can sometimes be misleading, as they may appear to be singular but actually refer to multiple individuals. For example:
– The jury has reached a verdict. (singular)
– The jury deliberated for hours before reaching their verdict. (plural)
In the first sentence, the jury is treated as a single unit, so a singular verb (has) is used. In the second sentence, the jury is treated as a group of individuals, so a plural verb (reaching) is used.
In conclusion, when dealing with collective nouns, it is important to consider the context and meaning of the sentence to determine whether to use a singular or plural verb. Remember that some collective nouns are always plural, so be sure to check the rules for specific words. By following Rule Number 8 in subject-verb agreement, you can ensure that your writing is clear, grammatically correct, and optimized for SEO.