Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Easter Clark]

"The older couple we saw at the restaurant were doing the tango."

I would have said "The older couple we saw at the restaurant was doing the tango."

It seems to me that "couple" is a single unit, thus would take the singular verb. Is the textbook wrong in this case? I mean, if the sentence read:

"The older couples we saw in the restaurant were doing the tango." then it would be correct.

What do you think?

"was"? "were"? either?

[nate2008]

You are exactly right.

A couple is a singular object (made up of two people of course), which is why the verb must agree accordingly.

[Cornfed]

I think it's a regional variation whether you treat groups as a singular entity or not.

[Fat_Elvis]

Both are OK.

In British English singular and plural verbs can be used with words referring to groups of people such as family, government and presumably couple.

In American English generally singular forms are used.

[mortundo]

It's "were."

[Easter Clark]

[Girlygirl]

I think in this case "the couple was..." is correct b/c "couple" is used as a single entity.

Whereas other nouns can be used as a single entity or as individuals of its members. For example:
1. The group IS ready to perform.
2. The group ARE getting to their seats.

[maddog]

Kind of similar to

My family was......

or

My family were.....

I think 'was' is technically correct, but both seem to be acceptable.

[Ramen]

Do we say "The people was....?"

[Easter Clark]

[Tobias]

'Couple' is a collective noun. In the US, a collective noun is treated as singular UNLESS its name is plural. In Britain, however, most are treated as plural.

Manchester United is in first place. (US)
BUT
The New York Yankees are playing at home today. (US)

Boston was playing on the radio. (US)
BUT
The Smithereens were playing on the radio. (US)

The Korean TESOL teachers' union is going on strike tomorrow. (US)

versus

Manchester United are in first place. (UK)
.
.
.

Exceptions can be found, as always. These exceptions mostly stem from whether the collective nouns' members are truly acting collectively. For instance, we in the US can say "The team is taking the field" and then say "The team are going their separate ways after winning the title". Talk about being anal or stuffy.

To eliminate ambiguity, one can convert the collective noun to an adjective of type and add another plural noun or introduce the word "of" with a plural noun.

"The team are going their separate ways"--> "The team members are..."

"A couple is dancing together on the floor"--> "A couple of people are..."

[Thiuda]

A search on Google found 390k instances of "A couple was" and 341k instances of "A couple were," indicating that both forms are acceptable - at least in informal use.

People is a plural noun requiring a plural verb, like child -> children.

[nate2008]

[The Cosmic Hum]

Several people on this thread have already mentioned that both are correct...it is a regional issue....british vs american.
At best this is an issue of prespcriptive rules, which at the best of times serve no logical purpose...mainly to prescribe how people should talk.
Thiuda's test, while seemingly simple, applies a very credible scientific method of describing the way people do talk.
Usage rules.

[Omkara]

If you can use the indefinite article "a," then "is" and "was" are okay.

A couple. The couple was walking hand in hand, though one of the couple was eying another.

A couple is defined as a pair.

However, so long as we don't pluralize the noun, "are" and "were" are also fine, so long as we mean one pair.

Okay: The couple were. . .

Okay only if we mean at least two pair: The couples were. . .

Never okay: The couples is. . .

It is a choice, really. English allows for both. British prefer "were," Americans, "was." An aware writer or speaker will choose one or the other for emphasis on certain aspects of the relationship or interaction.