1.49 singular or plural verb

When you use a collective noun, you can use either a singular verb or a plural verb after it.

You choose a singular verb if you think of the group as a single unit, and a plural verb if you think of the group as a number of individuals.

• Our little group is complete again.
• A second group are those parents who feel that they were too harsh.
• Our family isn't poor any more.
• My family are perfectly normal.
• I like to know what the enemy is thinking.
• The enemy were visibly cracking.
• His arguments were confined to books which the public was unlikely to read.
• The public were deceived by the newspapers.

The names of many organizations are collective nouns, and can be used with a singular or a plural verb.

• The BBC is sending him to Tuscany for the summer.
• The BBC are planning to use the new satellite next month.
• England are seeking alternatives for their B team.
• England was leading 18-0 at half-time.

If you want to refer back to a collective noun, you choose a singular pronoun or determiner if the previous verb is singular, and a plural pronoun if the previous verb is plural.

• The government has said it would wish to do this only if there was no alternative.
• The government have made up their minds that they're going to win.