Subject-verb agreement is a fundamental grammatical rule that requires the verb to agree with the subject in terms of number and person. When it comes to collective subjects, understanding the subject-verb agreement rule can be a bit tricky. In this article, we will explain the subject-verb agreement rule that applies to a collective subject functioning.

Collective nouns are singular nouns that represent a group of people, animals, or things. Examples of collective nouns include committee, team, flock, herd, group, and family, among others. The verb that follows a collective noun should agree with the noun in terms of number and person.

For instance, if the collective noun is singular, the verb should be singular as well. Similarly, if the collective noun is plural, the verb should be plural. Consider the following examples:

– The team is playing well this season.

– The committee is meeting tomorrow to discuss the budget.

– The flock of birds flies south for the winter.

– The herd of cows grazes on the field.

In each of these sentences, the collective noun is singular, and the verb that follows is in the singular form. This is because the collective noun represents a single entity, even though it comprises several members.

On the other hand, when the collective noun is plural, the verb should also be in the plural form. For example:

– Our family have decided to go on vacation this summer.

– The group of students are preparing for their exams.

– The committee members are divided on the issue.

– The staff have been working hard to meet their targets.

In each of these sentences, the collective noun is plural, and the verb that follows is also in the plural form. This is because the collective noun represents multiple entities, and the verb should, therefore, be in agreement with the subject.

In conclusion, the subject-verb agreement rule that applies to a collective subject functioning is straightforward. The verb should agree with the collective noun in terms of number and person. If the collective noun is singular, the verb should be singular as well. If the collective noun is plural, the verb should also be plural. As a professional, it is essential to be familiar with this rule to ensure that your writing is grammatically correct and optimized for search engines.