Practice
Collective nouns: singular and plural agreement
Sign in to saveA team can be one unit, but it is also made up of players. That is why you may see The team is ready and The team are putting on their coats. The meaning tells you which agreement fits.
Choose singular or plural agreement with a collective noun by deciding whether the group acts as one unit or as individual people.
Read and practice
Read the examples and try the written questions in this guide. Listening recordings are not available for this lesson yet.
Try the written questions
The team are putting on their coats. /ðə tiːm ɑː ˈpʊtɪŋ ɒn ðeə kəʊts/
The short answer
Use singular agreement when the group acts as one unit. Use plural agreement when you focus on the members as separate people.
The committee is meeting at noon.
Why it works: The committee has one shared action, so the singular verb is fits.
5 more examples
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The team is ready for the match.
The team is presented as one unit with one shared state.
Not this:The
team areputting on their coats. What changes: The sentence focuses on the players as separate people doing the action. -
The committee has agreed on a date.
The committee reaches one decision together.
Not this:The
committee arewriting their own comments. What changes: Each member writes separate comments, so plural agreement fits that meaning. -
Our family has planned a visit.
The sentence treats the family plan as one shared plan.
Not this:Our
family arepacking their bags in different rooms. What changes: The family members are carrying out separate actions. -
The class is studying a new topic today.
The class is treated as one learning group.
Not this:The
class areworking on their own projects. What changes: The learners have separate projects, so the members are in focus. -
The staff is responsible for the event.
The staff is one group with one responsibility.
Not this:The
staff aretalking to their guests. What changes: The sentence describes staff members speaking to different guests.
Read the full guide
First, ask what the group is doing. If the group has one shared action, choose a singular verb and singular pronouns. If the sentence describes members doing separate things, plural agreement can show that meaning. Keep the verb and pronouns consistent with your choice.
See the group before you choose the verb
A collective noun is one word for a group. Team, family, committee, class, and staff each name several people, but the noun itself is singular in form. Read the whole sentence before you decide on agreement.
The committee is meeting after lunch.
The sentence describes one planned meeting for the whole group.
Use singular agreement for one shared action
Choose a singular verb when the group acts as one unit. This is common when the sentence gives one decision, plan, result, or responsibility. Use a singular pronoun such as its with the same meaning.
The team is proud of its result.
The team has one result, so is and its treat the group as a single unit.
Choose the form for one group decision: The family has agreed or The family have agreed?
The family has agreed is a clear choice when the family makes one decision together.
Use plural agreement for separate members
Plural agreement can show that the people in the group are acting individually. This pattern is especially common in British English. It works well when the members have different actions, opinions, or possessions.
The family are choosing their own meals.
Each person chooses a separate meal, so are and their focus on individual family members.
Which form matches separate opinions: The committee is divided or The committee are divided?
The committee are divided makes the members and their different opinions the focus.
Match the pronoun to your agreement choice
Agreement continues after the verb. When you use a singular verb for one group, use its for the group. When you use plural agreement for its members, use their. Do not switch between the two views in the same sentence without a reason.
The class is preparing its presentation.
The class has one presentation, so the sentence keeps singular agreement.
The class are preparing their presentations.
The learners have separate presentations, so plural agreement stays consistent.
Choose a style and keep the meaning clear
American English usually prefers singular agreement with collective nouns. British English often uses plural agreement when the members are important to the meaning. Both readers need a clear sentence, so choose the form that shows your meaning and use it consistently in the surrounding text.
The staff is responsible for the event.
This singular sentence presents the staff as one group with one responsibility.
The staff are greeting their guests.
This plural sentence shows staff members greeting different people.
Before you go
Remember this
A collective noun can take singular or plural agreement. Use singular forms for one group acting together. Use plural forms when the members act or think separately. Let the meaning guide the verb and pronoun.
Practice with the written examples
You can practice with the written questions in the Learn tab. Each answer includes an explanation.
Try the written questionsListening test not available yet
This lesson does not have the recordings needed for a listening test. Use the written questions in the guide to check your understanding.
Try the written questionsQuestions about "Collective nouns: singular and plural agreement"
What is a collective noun?
A collective noun is a noun for a group, such as team, family, class, committee, or staff. It can refer to the whole group as one unit or to the people inside the group.
The team is ready for the match.
When does a collective noun take a singular verb?
Use a singular verb when the group acts as one unit. For example, The committee has made a decision treats the decision as one action by the whole committee.
The team are putting on their coats.
When can I use a plural verb with a collective noun?
Use a plural verb when you want to focus on the members as separate people. The committee are discussing their different ideas shows individual members with different ideas. This pattern is common in British English.
The committee has agreed on a date.
Should I use its or their after a collective noun?
Match the pronoun to the agreement you choose. Use its when you treat the group as one unit, and use their when you focus on the members. For example, The club has changed its schedule, but The club are collecting their tickets.
The committee are writing their own comments.
Are collective nouns different in British and American English?
American English usually uses singular agreement with collective nouns. British English also uses singular agreement, but plural agreement is common when a sentence emphasizes the individual members. Choose the form that makes your meaning clear and keep it consistent.
Our family has planned a visit.