Couple is a singular noun. It is, however, also a collective noun, and these creatures will sometimes find themselves paired with a plural verb, and sometimes with a singular one. It doesn't matter whether you mean literally a couple, i.e. just two people or things, or you use "a couple of" synonymously to "a few"; it represents a plural idea, so the correct form is: correct There were just a couple of people at the party. wrong There was just a couple of people at the party.
Is 'couple' singular or plural? MerriamWebster
Collective nouns are singular in form, "a team," but refer to a group of two or more people or things. In other words, they're singular and plural at the same time. And since verbs are supposed to agree in number with their subjects — one cat is, two cats are — the roughly 200 collective nouns in our language cause a lot of confusion. Compare: Grammarly Updated on May 25, 2023 When deciding whether to use the verb is or the verb are, look at whether the subject noun in the sentence is plural or singular. If the noun is singular, use is. If it is plural or there is more than one noun, use are. The cat is eating all of his food. The cats are eating all of their food. The majority is powerful. The majority are enrolled full time. Sometimes collective nouns seem to make more sense as plurals, while other times they make more sense as singulars. When you're trying to write grammatically, that seems like a problem. But it's not, because the rule is: If you mean it as a plural, it's plural. LeoBritish Senior Member Turkish Oct 22, 2021 #3 owlman5 said: I generally expect to hear this version in American English, Leo. More often than not, people use singular verbs after nouns like couple, group, and audience. but in British English, "are" must be used with the couple, mustn't it? DonnyB Moderator Emeritus Coventry, UK
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#1 Hi again! Which is the correct? A) A couple is visiting us. B) A couple are visiting us. C) A couple of people are organizing a party. D) A couple of people is organizing a party. Thanks a lot! M marrako Member Barcelona Catalan / Spanish - Spain Feb 25, 2010 #2 It is singular: a couple is visiting us. D dinis.dinis Senior Member USA/English 1 Answer. First question: the subject is plural ("two of the people I met"), so the verb is plural, even though the complement might be singular. So your sentence is fine. Second question: In my experience "a couple" usually takes a plural verb. But I speak British English, which is more tolerant of collective nouns (such as "company", "team. Apr 7, 2018 It is proper to say "The couple is fighting" according to American grammar. Explanation: It seems strange to use a singular verb for a noun that contains two people - the verb should be plural if the subject has more than one person, right? But, think about it: couple is actually a singular noun, so you should use a singular verb. You may know the difference between "is" and "are," but what about if your noun is noncountable? Or you are choosing between two subjects? Figure out when you use "is" and "are" with several examples and explanations.
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verb agreement with couple. With most singular collective nouns—nouns like group, staff or herd that represent a unit with many members—we use a singular verb when the members of the group are acting in unison:. The cast is having a party.; And we use a plural verb when the members are acting individually: A couple is/are Ecavi Oct 25, 2018 Ecavi Member Spanish Oct 25, 2018 #1 Hola. Tenía entendido que "couple" iba seguido de verbo en singular aunque tenga carácter colectivo pero hoy he visto este titular de periódico. ¿Podría ser que en inglés británico es singular y en americano es plural? Couple lost in maze call 999 NickL Senior Member Barcelona
Two subjects = are; one subject = is. When more than one noun or subject are being used, the correct choice is " are .". In contrast, sentences written in singular use "is.". Here's a quick look: Correct: There are ten apples in the basket. Incorrect: There is ten apples in the basket. Ten apples refer to numerous apples (obviously. The term "run-on sentence" can describe a couple of different things. To some people, a run-on sentence is simply a very long, hard-to-follow sentence.. Check your English text for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors with Grammarly's free grammar checker. Great Writing Made Simple. Join over 30 million people who use Grammarly to.
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The verb "be" comes in many forms, including "is" and "are." Learn when to use each form, and take a look at helpful examples, too. A couple is a singular word which has the meaning of plurality (a pair, two of something) in it. I just met this couple in a café. They were wonderful. Back to top srirr Posted: Wednesday, August 4, 2010 4:13:12 AM Rank: Advanced Member Joined: 12/29/2009 Posts: 8,507 Neurons: 484,443 Couple is singular.
