Language/French/Grammar/Subject-verb-agreement-—-Verb-agreement-with-collective-noun-subjects
Normally collective nouns which are singular require the verb to be in a singular form, unlike English where speakers use either a singular or plural verb form:
- Le gouvernement a décidé de modifier la loi sur la nationalité
The government has/have decided to change the nationality law
- Le comité a proposé une réunion pour 16 heures
The committee has/have suggested a meeting at 4 o'clock
- La famille passe les vacances de Noël en Bretagne
The family is/are spending the Christmas holidays in Brittany
NB: Tout le monde always agrees with a singular verb:
- Tout le monde vient passer le weekend chez moi
Everybody's coming to my place for the weekend
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 anglais a (or ont) dû quitter la ville très rapidement
The team of English football players had to leave town in a hurry
- La foule des supporters ont (or a) été rapidement dispersé(e)(s)
The crowd of supporters were rapidly dispersed
Note that in English there is a preference for a plural verb in these cases.