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Usenet Posted 16 years ago
Usage
Can anyone tell me which is correct, thanks?
his family were paid compensation
his family was paid compensation
his family was paid compensation
Top answer
[nq:1]his family were paid compensation his family was paid compensation[/nq] Both. The Aussies tend to get rather hung-up on this one - "Australia *is* 2 for 6", etc. Then they lose the plot - "Australia played badly this morning, 'they are' (somehow never 'it is') having a bad day".
- [nq:1]his family were paid compensation his family was paid compensation[/nq] Both.
- The Aussies tend to get rather hung-up on this one - "Australia *is* 2 for 6", etc.
- Then they lose the plot - "Australia played badly this morning, 'they are' (somehow never 'it is') having a bad day".
- It can take a single or plural verb, the only important thing is to be consistent.
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6 Answers
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[nq:1]his family were paid compensation his family was paid compensation[/nq]
Both.
The Aussies tend to get rather hung-up on this one - "Australia *is* 2 for 6", etc. Then they lose the plot - "Australia played badly this morning, 'they are' (somehow never 'it is') having a bad day".
It can take a single or plural verb, the only important thing is to be consistent.
Both.
The Aussies tend to get rather hung-up on this one - "Australia *is* 2 for 6", etc. Then they lose the plot - "Australia played badly this morning, 'they are' (somehow never 'it is') having a bad day".
It can take a single or plural verb, the only important thing is to be consistent.
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[nq:1]his family were paid compensation his family was paid compensation[/nq]
"Family" is a collective (I think that's the word) noun. Collective nouns can be taken as either singular or plural depending upon whether you are talking about the group as a whole or about the individuals within the group.
"The committee meets on Wednesday nights."
"The committee are arguing about the by-la
"Family" is a collective (I think that's the word) noun. Collective nouns can be taken as either singular or plural depending upon whether you are talking about the group as a whole or about the individuals within the group.
"The committee meets on Wednesday nights."
"The committee are arguing about the by-la
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[nq:1]his family were paid compensation his family was paid compensation[/nq]
As "family" is a collective noun and therefore singular, the correct verb would be "was."
As "family" is a collective noun and therefore singular, the correct verb would be "was."
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[nq:2]his family were paid compensation his family was paid compensation[/nq]
[nq:1]As "family" is a collective noun and therefore singular, the correct verb would be "was."[/nq]
Not true. Collective nouns can be either singular or plural - it depends whether they are to be considered as a whole or as combined units.
[nq:1]As "family" is a collective noun and therefore singular, the correct verb would be "was."[/nq]
Not true. Collective nouns can be either singular or plural - it depends whether they are to be considered as a whole or as combined units.
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[nq:2]As "family" is a collective noun and therefore singular, the correct verb would be "was."[/nq]
[nq:1]Not true. Collective nouns can be either singular or plural - it =depends=20 whether they are to be considered as a whole or as combined units.[/nq]
And in this case the difference would be a lump-sum payment made to the whole family ("was") and individual payments made to individual
[nq:1]Not true. Collective nouns can be either singular or plural - it =depends=20 whether they are to be considered as a whole or as combined units.[/nq]
And in this case the difference would be a lump-sum payment made to the whole family ("was") and individual payments made to individual
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[nq:2]his family were paid compensation his family was paid compensation[/nq]
[nq:1]"Family" is a collective (I think that's the word) noun. Collective nouns can be taken as either singular or plural ... about the individuals within the group. "The committee meets on Wednesday nights." "The committee are arguing about the by-law change."[/nq]
They would say "meet" and "are arguing" in Engl
[nq:1]"Family" is a collective (I think that's the word) noun. Collective nouns can be taken as either singular or plural ... about the individuals within the group. "The committee meets on Wednesday nights." "The committee are arguing about the by-law change."[/nq]
They would say "meet" and "are arguing" in Engl
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