Overview
Collective nouns (team, government, family, committee) can take a singular or plural verb depending on whether the group is seen as a unit (The team is winning) or as individual members (The team are arguing among themselves). British English often uses plural; American English prefers singular.
BrE vs AmE
- BrE pluralActing as individuals: The team are arguing.
- BrE singularActing as a unit: The team is the best.
- AmEAlways singular: The team is playing well.
- KeyIn BrE, meaning drives choice; in AmE, form always drives choice.
Common Collective Nouns
- team, staff, committee, government, family, jury
- police, army, public, company, crowd, audience
- police is always plural: The police are investigating.
- Maintain consistency within a sentence: The team has won its match. (not 'their')
Common Mistakes
- ❌ Mixing: The team is playing their best → ✅ its best (singular)
- ❌ The police is → ✅ The police are (always plural)
- ❌ A team of players are → ✅ A team…is (head noun = team)
When to use
Sport
The team have qualified for the final.
Government
The government is planning new legislation.
Family
The family are arguing about the inheritance.
Legal
The jury has deliberated for six hours.