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Singular or plural? Subject verb agreement question?
In the following examples, which usage of the verb is correct? EXAMPLE 1: A) The couple is going to the party. B) The couple are going to the party. EXAMPLE 2: A) The group of four people is going to the party. B) The group of four people are going to the party. Please give your take on each example. I am 99% positive that option A is correct for both examples, but my writing class disagreed with me for both.
3 Answers
- ?Lv 41 decade agoFavorite Answer
Both A's are correct. The subject in the first case is "couple" which is a singular despite the fact that it indicates two people. The subject in the second case is "group", which is also singular. You would say "A group is going to the party" in conversation not "A group are going to the party".
- Flavio DLv 61 decade ago
It dependes on where you are. In the US, the word "couple" and "group" are considered singular, even though they refer to more than one person, so "is" is correct. In the UK, these "collective" nouns are often considered plural, and "are" would be often used.
