Subject-verb agreement is a fundamental grammar rule that ensures the clarity and coherence of your writing. One common rule that writers struggle with is the rule of agreement in collective nouns. Collective nouns are nouns that represent a group of people, animals, or things, such as team, family, class, herd, or committee. In this article, we`ll discuss subject-verb agreement rule 13, which is related to collective nouns.
Subject-verb agreement rule 13 states that when a collective noun is used as the subject of a sentence, the verb should agree with the meaning of the noun either as a singular or a plural entity. In other words, if the group is seen as a single unit, the verb should be singular, and if the group is seen as a collection of individuals, the verb should be plural.
Let`s see some examples to understand this rule better:
Example 1: The team is playing well.
In this sentence, the collective noun ”team” is considered a single unit, so the verb ”is” is singular.
Example 2: The team are arguing among themselves.
In this sentence, the collective noun ”team” is seen as a collection of individuals, so the verb ”are” is plural.
Example 3: The family is planning a vacation.
In this sentence, the collective noun ”family” is considered a single unit, so the verb ”is” is singular.
Example 4: The family are discussing their individual plans.
In this sentence, the collective noun ”family” is seen as a collection of individuals, so the verb ”are” is plural.
Example 5: The jury is deliberating the verdict.
In this sentence, the collective noun ”jury” is considered a single unit, so the verb ”is” is singular.
Example 6: The jury are divided in their opinions.
In this sentence, the collective noun ”jury” is seen as a collection of individuals, so the verb ”are” is plural.
As you can see from the above examples, subject-verb agreement rule 13 is crucial to use the correct verb form and avoid confusion or ambiguity in your writing. However, there are some exceptions to this rule when the collective noun is used with the definite article ”the.” In such cases, the verb can be singular or plural depending on the intended meaning of the sentence.
For example:
The team is the best in the league. (Singular)
The team are the players who won the championship last year. (Plural)
The family is the backbone of society. (Singular)
The family are the people who live in the same house. (Plural)
The committee is meeting today. (Singular)
The committee were divided in their opinions. (Plural)
In conclusion, subject-verb agreement rule 13 is a vital aspect of grammar that determines whether the verb should be singular or plural when used with a collective noun. By following this rule, you can ensure that your writing is clear, precise, and grammatically correct. So, the next time you use collective nouns in your writing, remember to keep this rule in mind and choose the right verb form accordingly.