Collective nouns are words that appear singular, but represent a group, such as flock, staff, class, committee, and jury.
If the group acts as a single unit, or if the idea of oneness is key, use a singular verb:
- The jury has reached a verdict.
- A couple of birds has built a nest in the eaves of my house.
- My staff is preparing the report to the board.
If members of the group act separately or if the word refers to individuals within the group, use the plural verb:
- A group of researchers from Europe are coming to the conference.
- A couple of latecomers are not seated.
- My staff are consistently late for work.
What about these?
- Human rights is a sensitive issue.
- Human rights are often ignored.
Nouns that end in “-ics” take a singular verb if they refer to a body of knowledge; a plural verb, if they refer to particular activities:
- Statistics is a boring subject for many students.
- Statistics are often interpreted for the benefit of the speaker.
