Is vs. Are – Which is Correct?
When a collective noun names a group acting as one unit, use the singular verb “is”: “The committee is meeting.” Use “are” when the subject is plural, such as “committee members are meeting,” or when emphasizing individuals (more common in British English). In American English, singular agreement is usually safest for collective nouns.
Collective Nouns: Is or Are—Which Is Correct?
Both is and are can be correct with collective nouns, depending on whether the group acts as a single unit or as separate individuals. In American English, collective nouns such as team, family, committee, and company usually take is when the group performs one shared action.
Use are when the grammatical subject is plural, as in The team members are practicing. British English more often uses plural verbs with collective nouns when the speaker wants to emphasize the individuals: The team are arguing among themselves. In American English, however, The team is arguing is generally preferred.
The Best Trick to Remember the Difference
Use the one-unit test: ask whether the group is acting together as one thing. If the answer is yes, choose is. If you are talking about separate people or objects, use a plural subject with are.
Compare The jury is reaching a verdict, where the jury acts as one decision-making body, with The jurors are discussing the evidence, where individual members are acting separately. Remember: one group action means is; separate members usually require a plural noun and are.
| Word | Part of Speech | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| is | Third-person singular form of be | Shows that a collective noun acts as one unit | The committee is meeting today. |
| are | Plural and second-person form of be | Agrees with plural subjects or emphasizes separate members | The committee members are meeting today. |
How to Use Is
Is is the singular present-tense form of the verb be. Use it after a singular collective noun when the group is being considered a single organization, team, body, or unit. This is the standard choice in most American English writing, including business, academic, and journalistic contexts.
Use is when the group shares one purpose, reaches one decision, possesses something collectively, or performs one coordinated action. The noun may refer to people, animals, institutions, or objects.
Example 1: The orchestra is performing at the city theater.
Example 2: The board is reviewing the proposal.
Example 3: The family is planning a reunion.
What Are the Different Forms of Is?
Is is one present-tense form of the irregular verb be. Its related forms are am, are, was, were, being, and been. Use is with singular subjects in the present tense: The class is ready. The past-tense equivalent is usually was: The class was ready.
Etymology of the Word Is
Is comes from Old English is, the third-person singular present form of be. The verb has ancient Germanic roots and is related to forms in languages such as German, Dutch, and Old Norse. Because be developed from several historical roots, its modern forms are unusually irregular.
How to Use Are
Are is the present-tense form of be used with plural subjects and with the pronouns you and we. When discussing collective nouns, do not normally use are directly after a singular group noun in careful American English. Instead, make the individual members the subject: The players are warming up.
British English may use are with a singular collective noun when the members are acting independently. American English speakers may also use this construction occasionally, but it can sound less conventional or may create disagreement in formal writing. Rephrasing the sentence with a plural noun often removes the ambiguity.
Example 1: The employees are preparing their individual reports.
Example 2: The members of the committee are debating the details.
Example 3: The two departments are working on separate projects.
What Are the Different Forms of Are?
Are is a present-tense form of the irregular verb be. It agrees with plural subjects, including we and they, and with you in both singular and plural use. Its related forms include am, is, was, were, being, and been. For example, They are ready becomes They were ready in the past tense.
Etymology of the Word Are
Are developed from older forms of the verb be, including forms related to Old Norse eru and Old English plural forms. Over time, these historical forms merged into the modern English verb system. Its unusual relationship to is, am, and be reflects the verb’s mixed Germanic origins.
Related Concepts
Understanding subject-verb agreement and the difference between a group and its individual members makes collective-noun choices much clearer.
- Collective nouns: A collective noun names a group, such as team, staff, audience, or committee. In American English, it generally takes a singular verb when the group acts as one unit.
- Subject-verb agreement: The verb must agree with the grammatical subject in number. A singular subject takes is, while a plural subject takes are.
- Notional agreement: This principle matches a verb with the meaning a speaker intends, rather than only the noun’s grammatical form. It helps explain why some varieties of English use are with collective nouns when emphasizing individuals.
- American and British usage: American English usually favors singular agreement with collective nouns. British English more readily permits plural agreement when group members are acting separately.
Examples from Media and Literature
Collective-noun agreement appears frequently in reporting, fiction, entertainment writing, and everyday descriptions of organizations.
- News reporting: A newspaper may write, “The government is introducing a new policy,” treating the government as one institution.
- Sports coverage: An American sports report commonly says, “The team is preparing for the final,” because the team is viewed as one unit.
- Business writing: A company announcement may state, “The board is approving the merger,” referring to one official body and its collective decision.
- Film dialogue: A character might say, “The family is waiting in the dining room,” presenting the family as a single group.
- Literary narration: A novel may distinguish between “The crowd is silent” and “The spectators are shouting,” using the first sentence for one collective condition and the second for individual people.
Practice Exercises
Choose the correct word to complete each sentence.
- The committee is/are reviewing the final report.
- The committee members is/are submitting separate recommendations.
- The audience is/are completely silent.
- The members of the audience is/are leaving through different exits.
- The family is/are planning one vacation together.
Answer Key
- is — The committee acts as one reviewing body.
- are — The plural subject is committee members.
- is — The audience is described as one silent group.
- are — The plural subject is members, who act separately.
- is — The family is making one shared plan.
Is Synonyms
Because is is a grammatical form of be, its closest alternatives depend on the sentence’s meaning. These words can sometimes replace it, but they are not interchangeable in every context.
| Synonym | Definition |
|---|---|
| exists | Has actual presence or reality |
| remains | Continues to be in a particular state or place |
| acts | Behaves or functions in a particular way |
| equals | Has the same value, identity, or meaning |
Are Synonyms
Are is also a grammatical form rather than a word with one universal synonym. Depending on context, the following verbs may express a similar idea of existence, continuation, or condition.
| Synonym | Definition |
|---|---|
| exist | Have presence or reality |
| remain | Continue in a particular state or location |
| continue | Keep occurring or remain in progress |
| equal | Have the same value or significance |
Frequently Asked Questions
Question 1: Should I write “the team is” or “the team are”?
In American English, write the team is when the team acts as one unit. Use a plural construction such as the team members are when emphasizing individual members. British English more often allows the team are.
Question 2: Is “the family are” grammatically wrong?
It is not universally wrong. It is accepted in some varieties, especially British English, when family members are acting individually. In formal American English, the family is is usually the safest choice when the family is treated as one group.
Question 3: Can a collective noun take “are” in American English?
Yes, but the clearest American English construction usually makes the individual members the subject: The staff members are attending separate workshops. This avoids uncertainty about whether the staff is acting collectively or separately.
Conclusion
Use is with a singular collective noun when the group acts as one unit: The committee is meeting. Use are with plural subjects such as committee members, or with collective nouns when following a variety of English that emphasizes individuals. Pro Tip: In professional writing, choose the clearest construction and use is for unified American English groups unless individual action is the focus.
