Yesterday we looked at selecting proper pronouns for
collective nouns. Verb use presents a similar judgment call in that when a
collective noun is behaving as an aggregate, the singular form of the verb is
appropriate. However, when the collective noun is behaving as a group of
individuals, the plural form is used. Sometimes it’s a sky full of bees, and
sometimes the hive is the organism.
Let’s look at it terms of English rock bands. You might say, “Oasis
rocks.” That is a singular usage. It means the band is tight and they rock
together as a unit. You might also say “Oasis arrive at the show in separate
airplanes.” That is a plural usage, and it is believable because Liam
Gallagher is a little baby. It is grammatical and fine to use, but my ear still doesn’t love it.
Were I expressing what a fussy, whiny baby Liam Gallagher
is, I might write, “The members of Oasis arrive in separate planes because Liam
Gallagher is a a sniveling crybaby with a binky in his face.” So, your favorite band can be a they or an it, depending on whether or not their singer is a big, douchey baby or not, and the verbs will
be modified accordingly.
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