I've run across another sentence I'm not sure on with collective nouns. The sentence is.. After winning, the team (receive, receives) individual trophies for different skills. Thanks..
Same as before. Since the team are getting trophies, team must be considered plural. Team receives . . .
If it is plural wouldn't it be receive? Like they receive trophies?
Ooops! I goofed! Thanks for catching my mistake. Yes -- they receive . . .
In order to determine whether to use "receive" or "receives" in the given sentence, we need to understand the subject-verb agreement in relation to collective nouns.
A collective noun is a noun that represents a group or collection of people, animals, or things. Examples of collective nouns include team, family, herd, flock, and committee.
When a collective noun is used, we need to consider whether we are referring to the group as a single unit or as separate individuals. This will help us determine whether to use a singular or plural verb.
In the sentence you provided, we are referring to the team as separate individuals who each receive individual trophies. Therefore, we should use the plural form of the verb "receive."
Correct sentence: After winning, the team receives individual trophies for different skills.
To determine subject-verb agreement in similar cases, remember to ask yourself, "Is the collective noun being treated as a single unit or as separate individuals?" This will guide you in selecting the appropriate verb form.