Booher's Rules of Business Grammar - Dianna Booher 2009

Acting alone or with accomplices?
Verbosity about verbs: The big blunders

VERBS AFTER COLLECTIVE NOUNS

Collective nouns name people, things, or ideas as a group: committee, management, team, audience, equipment, organization. In most situations, collective nouns act as a single unit, so they need a singular verb.

Incorrect:

The jury have decided to give her probation rather than jail time.

Our club are donating its facilities as a homeless shelter during the emergency.

Correct:

Management is disappointed in the sales volume for the year.

Our team has met its deadline each quarter.

The equipment needs servicing daily.

On occasion, however, these collective nouns can refer to the members of a group individually. When that’s the case, make the verb plural.

The team argued among itself about how to present the results.

The committee have spoken against one another to various reporters.

However, sentences like the last two generally sound better if reworded:

The team members argued among themselves about how to present the results.

The committee members have spoken against one another to various reporters.

Memory tip

A collection agency becomes one big bulldog going after all unpaid debts. Likewise, a collective noun acts as one single agent requiring one singular verb.