Difference between revisions of "Language/French/Grammar/Subject-verb-agreement-—-Verb-agreement-with-collective-noun-subjects"
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<div style="font-size:200%"> | <div style="font-size:200%">[[Language/French/Grammar/Subject—Verb-Agreement|subject—verb agreement]] with collective noun subjects</div> | ||
Generally, a collective noun in the singular requires the verb to be in the singular, as opposed to English where speakers use either a verbal form in the singular or the plural: | |||
==Collective Nouns in singular and verb in singular== | |||
*Le gouvernement a décidé de modifier la loi | |||
The government has/have decided to change the law | |||
*Le comité a proposé une nouvelle réunion d'information | |||
*Le | The committee has/have suggested a new information meeting | ||
The | |||
*La famille passe les vacances de février en Normandie | |||
The family is/are spending the February holidays in Normandy | |||
==Tout le monde== | |||
NB: "Tout le monde" always agrees with a singular verb: | |||
*Tout le monde vient passer la soirée chez moi | |||
Everybody is coming to my place for the evening | |||
NB: Tout le monde always agrees with a singular verb: | |||
*Tout le monde vient passer | |||
Everybody | |||
==Collective noun followed by a plural complement== | |||
This may change, however, when the collective noun is followed by a plural complement. The verb may then be in the singular or the plural (although some speakers still have a preference for the singular): | This may change, however, when the collective noun is followed by a plural complement. The verb may then be in the singular or the plural (although some speakers still have a preference for the singular): | ||
*L'équipe de footballeurs | *L'équipe de footballeurs italiens a (or ont) dû quitter Paris hier matin | ||
The team | The Italian football team had to leave Paris yesterday morning | ||
*La foule | *La foule de supporters ont (or a) été rapidement calmé(e)(s) | ||
The crowd of supporters were rapidly | The crowd of supporters were rapidly calmed down | ||
Revision as of 21:05, 23 November 2021
Generally, a collective noun in the singular requires the verb to be in the singular, as opposed to English where speakers use either a verbal form in the singular or the plural:
Collective Nouns in singular and verb in singular
- Le gouvernement a décidé de modifier la loi
The government has/have decided to change the law
- Le comité a proposé une nouvelle réunion d'information
The committee has/have suggested a new information meeting
- La famille passe les vacances de février en Normandie
The family is/are spending the February holidays in Normandy
Tout le monde
NB: "Tout le monde" always agrees with a singular verb:
- Tout le monde vient passer la soirée chez moi
Everybody is coming to my place for the evening
Collective noun followed by a plural complement
This may change, however, when the collective noun is followed by a plural complement. The verb may then be in the singular or the plural (although some speakers still have a preference for the singular):
- L'équipe de footballeurs italiens a (or ont) dû quitter Paris hier matin
The Italian football team had to leave Paris yesterday morning
- La foule de supporters ont (or a) été rapidement calmé(e)(s)
The crowd of supporters were rapidly calmed down
Note that in English there is a preference for a plural verb in these cases.