Why for a Collective Nouns, Context Is Everything - Part 2


in British English, collective nouns may take a singular or a plural verb, depending on the rest of the sentence. If the collective noun represents a group acting as one unit, it takes a singular verb. If the collective noun stands for several individuals or things acting independently, it takes a plural verb.

For example:
The visiting team is losing. (The team is one unit that’s on the losing side of the game.)
My family are all coming to the wedding. (“Family” stands for several different people who’ll arrive at the wedding, not necessarily together.)

Whether you treat a collective noun as a singular or a plural, make sure that it stays that way.
Incorrect: The team is on a winning streak. They beat every other team so far.
Correct: The team is on a winning streak. It beat every other team so far.

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