Please tell the difference bw these two sentences(both are correct):
1. The committee was fighting over some issues.
2. The committee were fighting over some issues.
Subject verb agreement
This topic has expert replies
- avik.ch
- Legendary Member
- Posts: 641
- Joined: Wed Apr 20, 2011 1:15 am
- Thanked: 149 times
- Followed by:32 members
- GMAT Score:760
Both are not correct.imskpwr wrote:Please tell the difference bw these two sentences(both are correct):
All collective nouns are singular.
The committee was fighting over some issues. - Correct
The committee were fighting over some issues. - Incorrect.
- karthikpandian19
- Legendary Member
- Posts: 1665
- Joined: Thu Nov 03, 2011 7:04 pm
- Thanked: 165 times
- Followed by:70 members
Collective nouns are those words that represent numbers of things with singular nouns; familiar examples include group, team, and jury.
So it shld be WAS
So it shld be WAS
- HSPA
- Legendary Member
- Posts: 1101
- Joined: Fri Jan 28, 2011 7:26 am
- Thanked: 47 times
- Followed by:13 members
- GMAT Score:640
the committee were fighting among themselves. {Here we use 'were' when representing each individual person in committee}
the committee has been fighting for human rigts. { committee as group is fighting for a cause 'has'}
the committee has been fighting for human rigts. { committee as group is fighting for a cause 'has'}
First take: 640 (50M, 27V) - RC needs 300% improvement
Second take: coming soon..
Regards,
HSPA.
Second take: coming soon..
Regards,
HSPA.
- imskpwr
- Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
- Posts: 377
- Joined: Wed Sep 14, 2011 10:45 am
- Thanked: 10 times
- Followed by:1 members
How can you guys be so sure that its acting like a "Collective noun" in both cases?
Here,
The committee was/were fighting over some issues. The second part contains ambiguity.
If, "Committee" is fighting with the other committee. In this case it is "Was".
If, "Committee" is fighting among themselves. In this case it is definitely "Were".
Here,
The committee was/were fighting over some issues. The second part contains ambiguity.
If, "Committee" is fighting with the other committee. In this case it is "Was".
If, "Committee" is fighting among themselves. In this case it is definitely "Were".
- tuanquang269
- Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
- Posts: 296
- Joined: Sun May 29, 2011 5:10 am
- Location: Vietnam
- Thanked: 10 times
- Followed by:5 members
- essaysnark
- Legendary Member
- Posts: 795
- Joined: Sun Sep 20, 2009 10:41 am
- Thanked: 177 times
- Followed by:85 members
Hi all --
Important consideration here: Collective nouns are almost always singular in American English. The use of the plural with a collective noun sounds completely foreign to this American ear! This was discussed some time ago over here and we're pretty sure it still applies -- see the 4th comment in particular (can't say that the GMAT still has not ever used the "collective noun/plural" on an actual problem but it's good to note): https://www.manhattangmat.com/forums/sc- ... t3514.html
Also, in the example being discussed in this thread, it should be "amongst" not "among" - and, we can't say for sure that the plural is correct or not in that second one!
We would be willing to bet money that a statement like "The committee were fighting over some issues" would NEVER be found on a GMAT problem. Even doubtful that the modified "The committee were fighting amongst themselves" would show up... but we're no expert.
EssaySnark
Important consideration here: Collective nouns are almost always singular in American English. The use of the plural with a collective noun sounds completely foreign to this American ear! This was discussed some time ago over here and we're pretty sure it still applies -- see the 4th comment in particular (can't say that the GMAT still has not ever used the "collective noun/plural" on an actual problem but it's good to note): https://www.manhattangmat.com/forums/sc- ... t3514.html
Also, in the example being discussed in this thread, it should be "amongst" not "among" - and, we can't say for sure that the plural is correct or not in that second one!
We would be willing to bet money that a statement like "The committee were fighting over some issues" would NEVER be found on a GMAT problem. Even doubtful that the modified "The committee were fighting amongst themselves" would show up... but we're no expert.
EssaySnark
EssaySnark has MBA application guides for HBS, Stanford, Booth, Wharton, NYU and pretty much any other school you can name - including a fully revised and expanded 2015 Columbia essay guide!
https://essaysnark.com/bookstore/
* * * * * * *
The Indians' Guide to Getting In maps out everything you need to evaluate your own profile and select your schools. https://essaysnark.com/ssguide/quicksnar ... ans-guide/
* * * * * * *
MILITARY CANDIDATES! We've got some pro bono offers just for you: https://essaysnark.com/military-mba/
* * * * * * *
Follow EssaySnark on Twitter!
https://essaysnark.com/bookstore/
* * * * * * *
The Indians' Guide to Getting In maps out everything you need to evaluate your own profile and select your schools. https://essaysnark.com/ssguide/quicksnar ... ans-guide/
* * * * * * *
MILITARY CANDIDATES! We've got some pro bono offers just for you: https://essaysnark.com/military-mba/
* * * * * * *
Follow EssaySnark on Twitter!
- avik.ch
- Legendary Member
- Posts: 641
- Joined: Wed Apr 20, 2011 1:15 am
- Thanked: 149 times
- Followed by:32 members
- GMAT Score:760
"The committee",as collective noun, is always singular in GMAT !! Have you seen this kind of sentence in OG.HSPA wrote:the committee were fighting among themselves. {Here we use 'were' when representing each individual person in committee}
- imskpwr
- Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
- Posts: 377
- Joined: Wed Sep 14, 2011 10:45 am
- Thanked: 10 times
- Followed by:1 members
Thanks everyone for their valuable guidance. I have just started working on Manhattan SC(will definitely take OG problems). But need some guidance on this section esp "American English".essaysnark wrote:Hi all --
Important consideration here: Collective nouns are almost always singular in American English. The use of the plural with a collective noun sounds completely foreign to this American ear! This was discussed some time ago over here and we're pretty sure it still applies -- see the 4th comment in particular (can't say that the GMAT still has not ever used the "collective noun/plural" on an actual problem but it's good to note): https://www.manhattangmat.com/forums/sc- ... t3514.html
Also, in the example being discussed in this thread, it should be "amongst" not "among" - and, we can't say for sure that the plural is correct or not in that second one!
We would be willing to bet money that a statement like "The committee were fighting over some issues" would NEVER be found on a GMAT problem. Even doubtful that the modified "The committee were fighting amongst themselves" would show up... but we're no expert.
EssaySnark
Hope if someone can put some more light on "American English". I am usually confused with "American & UK English".
- HSPA
- Legendary Member
- Posts: 1101
- Joined: Fri Jan 28, 2011 7:26 am
- Thanked: 47 times
- Followed by:13 members
- GMAT Score:640
https://www.800score.com/guidec4view1c.html
Hello All,
Here is a guide regarding the same. I learned from it.
Please search for word committee in the above page.
Hello All,
Here is a guide regarding the same. I learned from it.
Please search for word committee in the above page.
First take: 640 (50M, 27V) - RC needs 300% improvement
Second take: coming soon..
Regards,
HSPA.
Second take: coming soon..
Regards,
HSPA.
- essaysnark
- Legendary Member
- Posts: 795
- Joined: Sun Sep 20, 2009 10:41 am
- Thanked: 177 times
- Followed by:85 members
Thanks HSPA!!!
Taking the liberty of copying in from that source here, since the OP seems to have been referencing the same (or a very similar!) source:
This is only part of the explanation, you may still want to go read that whole section (search for "committee" as HSPA said).
Very useful, thanks again HSPA!
EssaySnark
Taking the liberty of copying in from that source here, since the OP seems to have been referencing the same (or a very similar!) source:
(Emphasis added.)https://www.800score.com/guidec4view1c.html wrote: The flock of birds is flying south.
Again, the "flock of birds" is referred to as a singular group - we're not talking about each bird's direction of flight, but the direction of the flock as a whole - thus it requires the singular verb "is," not the plural verb "are."
The team are always fighting amongst themselves.
This is an example of a collective noun that requires a plural verb. You will not see this very often on the GMAT, but it's useful to illustrate the necessity of reading the entire sentence and visualizing what it describes: while 'team' is often used as a singular collective noun, in this case, the sentence describes the fighting that occurs between the individual members of the team. "Team" therefore refers to several individual members, and requires a plural verb, "are," as a result.
This is only part of the explanation, you may still want to go read that whole section (search for "committee" as HSPA said).
Very useful, thanks again HSPA!
EssaySnark
EssaySnark has MBA application guides for HBS, Stanford, Booth, Wharton, NYU and pretty much any other school you can name - including a fully revised and expanded 2015 Columbia essay guide!
https://essaysnark.com/bookstore/
* * * * * * *
The Indians' Guide to Getting In maps out everything you need to evaluate your own profile and select your schools. https://essaysnark.com/ssguide/quicksnar ... ans-guide/
* * * * * * *
MILITARY CANDIDATES! We've got some pro bono offers just for you: https://essaysnark.com/military-mba/
* * * * * * *
Follow EssaySnark on Twitter!
https://essaysnark.com/bookstore/
* * * * * * *
The Indians' Guide to Getting In maps out everything you need to evaluate your own profile and select your schools. https://essaysnark.com/ssguide/quicksnar ... ans-guide/
* * * * * * *
MILITARY CANDIDATES! We've got some pro bono offers just for you: https://essaysnark.com/military-mba/
* * * * * * *
Follow EssaySnark on Twitter!