Collective Nouns
5. Collective nouns such as herd, jury, crowd, band, flock, and committee usually need a
singular verb because the entire group will be performing one action. However, if the
members of the group are arguing, disagreeing, or acting as separate individuals, the
collective noun subject takes a plural verb. (Hint: If you find a clue that several actions
are taking place within the group, choose the plural verb.)
Examples: The club (is, are) practicing its skit.
Only one action is taking place in the group.
The club (is, are) flying to the convention on three different planes.
The members of the group are doing three different things.
Relative Pronouns
6. The relative pronouns who, which, what, and that may be singular or plural; their number
is determined by their antecedent (the word to which the pronoun refers). When a
relative pronoun is the subject, find the word that is equal to the who, which, what, or that
and match the verb to this word.
The tricky part is that there are two clauses in this kind of sentence: an independent
clause and a dependent clause. The relative pronoun is the subject of the dependent
clause.
Another problem is that these relative pronouns can be either singular or plural, so
you have to get a clue from the words in front of the relative pronoun.
Examples: Tom is the only one of the boys who always (wins, win).
In this sentence, who is referring to only one. Only one is singular;
therefore, the word who is also singular and needs a singular verb.
(Hint: If the words only one are mentioned before who, which,
what, or that, the verb will be singular.)
Tom is one of the boys who always (wins, win).
In this sentence, who equals boys. Tom is no longer the only one;
he is part of the group of boys. Therefore, who is plural and needs
a plural verb. It does not matter that boys is the object of a
preposition. Boys is the word that tells how many who are.
(Hint: If the words only one are NOT mentioned before who,
which, what,or that, the verb will match the word directly before
the who, which, what, or that.)