Deleted a mistake that was here since the very beginning of the article and then was copied to another article. The justification can be found here: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Comparison_of_American_and_British_English&diff=prev&oldid=1385549240← Previous revisionRevision as of 22:46, 13 November 2026 Line 9: Line 9: {{Main|Agreement in the English language}} {{Main|Agreement in the English language}} In British English (BrE), [[English collective nouns|collective nouns]] can take either singular (''[[formal agreement]]'') or plural (''[[notional agreement]]'') verb forms, according to whether the emphasis is on the body as a whole or on the individual members, respectively; compare ''a committee was appointed'' with ''the committee were unable to agree''.{{cite book |last1=Peters |first1=Pam |title=The Cambridge guide to English usage |date=2004 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |location=Cambridge |isbn=9780511487040 |ref=peters2004}}{{rp|23}}{{cite book|author=Houghton Mifflin Company|title=The American Heritage Guide to Contemporary Usage and Style|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xb6ie6PqYhwC&pg=PA94|access-date=29 June 2014|year=2006|publisher=Houghton Mifflin Harcourt|isbn=0-618-60499-5|pages=94–}} The term ''the Government'' always takes a plural verb in British civil service convention, perhaps to emphasize the principle of [[cabinet collective responsibility]].''Instructions to Secretaries of Committees'', Cabinet Office, nd Compare also the following lines of [[Elvis Costello]]'s song "[[Oliver's Army]]": ''Oliver's Army is here to stay / Oliver's Army are on their way''. Some of these nouns, for example ''staff'',{{r|peters2004|p=24}} actually combine with plural verbs most of the time. In British English (BrE), [[English collective nouns|collective nouns]] can take either singular (''[[formal agreement]]'') or plural (''[[notional agreement]]'') verb forms, according to whether the emphasis is on the body as a whole or on the individual members, respectively; compare ''a committee was appointed'' with ''the committee were unable to agree''.{{cite book |last1=Peters |first1=Pam |title=The Cambridge guide to English usage |date=2004 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |location=Cambridge |isbn=9780511487040 |ref=peters2004}}{{rp|23}}{{cite book|author=Houghton Mifflin Company|title=The American Heritage Guide to Contemporary Usage and Style|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xb6ie6PqYhwC&pg=PA94|access-date=29 June 2014|year=2006|publisher=Houghton Mifflin Harcourt|isbn=0-618-60499-5|pages=94–}} Compare also the following lines of [[Elvis Costello]]'s song "[[Oliver's Army]]": ''Oliver's Army is here to stay / Oliver's Army are on their way''. Some of these nouns, for example ''staff'',{{r|peters2004|p=24}} actually combine with plural verbs most of the time. In American English (AmE), collective nouns are almost always singular in construction: ''the committee was unable to agree''. However, when a speaker wishes to emphasize that the individuals are acting separately, a plural pronoun may be employed with a singular or plural verb: ''the team takes their seats'', rather than ''the team takes its seats''. Such a sentence would most likely be recast as ''the team members take their seats''.Chapman, James A. ''Grammar and Composition IV''. 3d ed. Pensacola: A Beka Book, 2002. With exceptions such as usage in ''The New York Times'', the names of sports teams are usually treated as plurals even if the form of the name is singular."The names of sports teams, on the other hand, are often treated as plural regardless of the form of that name."[http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/plurals.htm#sports] In American English (AmE), collective nouns are almost always singular in construction: ''the committee was unable to agree''. However, when a speaker wishes to emphasize that the individuals are acting separately, a plural pronoun may be employed with a singular or plural verb: ''the team takes their seats'', rather than ''the team takes its seats''. Such a sentence would most likely be recast as ''the team members take their seats''.Chapman, James A. ''Grammar and Composition IV''. 3d ed. Pensacola: A Beka Book, 2002. With exceptions such as usage in ''The New York Times'', the names of sports teams are usually treated as plurals even if the form of the name is singular."The names of sports teams, on the other hand, are often treated as plural regardless of the form of that name."[http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/plurals.htm#sports]