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B2. Difficulty 3. Low interference.

Collective Nouns

Team, government, and family, with singular or plural agreement.

Why you specifically

Tiếng Việt không chia động từ theo số nhiều/số ít như tiếng Anh, nên lỗi thường là bỏ qua sự hòa hợp giữa danh từ tập hợp và động từ.

The rule

Collective nouns name a group of people or things as one unit: team, family, government, committee, staff, audience, choir, panel. In singular agreement, the group is treated as one whole, so the verb is singular: The team is winning. In plural agreement, especially in British English, the focus is on the members as individuals: The team are arguing among themselves. The choice depends on meaning, style, and variety of English, so be consistent within one text.

collective noun + singular verb when the group acts as one unit
collective noun + plural verb when the focus is on individual members, especially in British English
the same collective noun may take different agreement depending on meaning and context

The trap

My family are very close, so we eat dinner together every Sunday.
My family is very close, so we eat dinner together every Sunday.
When family means one group, it usually takes a singular verb.
The team have won three matches this season.
The team has won three matches this season.
When team means one unit, it usually takes a singular verb in American English.
The team is arguing among themselves after the match.
The team are arguing among themselves after the match.
In British English, a collective noun can take a plural verb when the people in the group are acting as individuals.
The government have announced a new policy.
The government has announced a new policy.
When government means the institution as a whole, it usually takes a singular verb.

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