Grammar question

[Flying Ford Anglia]

No: HPFGUIDX 10133

Amanda wrote (re "Slytherin are on the offensive..."):

<<<The grammar is correct, so far as I understand it. British English 
treats collective nouns--like sheep, council, assembly, you know, 
words that are themselves singular but which refer to multiple 
members--as plurals for the purposes of subject-verb agreement, and 
American English treats them as singulars.>>>

I'd be inclined to use the singular form if the word appeared to be 
singular.  For example, I'd say, "Heineken is an established 
company," rather than "Heineken are an established company."  I must 
have picked up the American usage


Strangely though, "Slytherin are on the offensive
." does not sound 
wrong to me."  I think it has something to do with the fact that some 
group terms suggest a corporate entity (Heineken) and others suggest 
a group of individuals (Slytherin).

Sheep isn't quite the same as the other examples you give, because 
the word is exactly the same in singular and plural usage (whereas 
you could have several councils or assemblies).  Would you say "The 
sheep was grazing in the field" in Am English if there were several 
sheep? 

Neil