Forum newsfeeds |  | | Notices | You are welcome to answer questions posted in the Ask a Teacher forum as long as your suggestions, help, and advice reflect a good understanding of the English language. If you are not a teacher, you will need to state that clearly at the top of your post. Please note, all posts are moderated by our in-house language experts, so make sure your suggestions, help, and advice house the kind of information an international language teacher would offer. If not, and your posts do not contribute to the topic in a positive way, they will be subject to deletion. | 
12-Feb-2004, 17:23
| | Senior Member | | Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 512
First Language: Taiwanese Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
| | My family are (or is) I am confused:
My family is from Italy.
My family are very close.
My family is poor.
My family are poor.
My family is very grateful.
Are these all correct? When do you use "are" or "is?" | 
12-Feb-2004, 17:33
| | | In my opinion:
My family is... "My family" is treated as one unit.
My family are...I am saying every member in my family. | 
12-Feb-2004, 18:01
|  | VIP Member | | Join Date: Nov 2002 Country: USA
Posts: 6,095
Current Location: New York First Language: American English Thanks: 0
Thanked 7 Times in 7 Posts
| | Re: My family are (or is) Quote: |
Originally Posted by bmo I am confused:
My family is from Italy.
My family are very close.
My family is poor.
My family are poor.
My family is very grateful.
Are these all correct? When do you use "are" or "is?" | In American English, collective nouns are almost always treated as singular. In British English, it often depends on whether the speaker/writer sees the noun as a unit or as individuals. That seems to defeat the purpose of collective nouns, but that is how it is. 8) | 
12-Feb-2004, 19:28
| | Senior Member | | Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 512
First Language: Taiwanese Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
| | Re: My family are (or is) thanks to jesse and mikenewyork, i think i got it. bmo | 
12-Feb-2004, 21:10
|  | VIP Member | | Join Date: Nov 2002 Country: USA
Posts: 6,095
Current Location: New York First Language: American English Thanks: 0
Thanked 7 Times in 7 Posts
| | Re: My family are (or is) Quote: |
Originally Posted by bmo thanks to jesse and mikenewyork, i think i got it. bmo | You're welcome. :) | 
12-Feb-2004, 22:14
| | Editor, UsingEnglish.com | | Join Date: Nov 2002 Country: UK
Posts: 25,131
Current Location: Phnom Penh First Language: English Thanks: 2
Thanked 243 Times in 232 Posts
| | Re: My family are (or is) Quote: |
Originally Posted by MikeNewYork In British English, it often depends on whether the speaker/writer sees the noun as a unit or as individuals. That seems to defeat the purpose of collective nouns, but that is how it is. 8) | Watch it.  | 
12-Feb-2004, 23:26
| | | Re: My family are (or is) From grammar point of view, the word 'family' is singular, so I would use 'is'. | 
13-Feb-2004, 02:10
|  | VIP Member | | Join Date: Nov 2002 Country: USA
Posts: 6,095
Current Location: New York First Language: American English Thanks: 0
Thanked 7 Times in 7 Posts
| | Re: My family are (or is) Quote: |
Originally Posted by tdol Quote: |
Originally Posted by MikeNewYork In British English, it often depends on whether the speaker/writer sees the noun as a unit or as individuals. That seems to defeat the purpose of collective nouns, but that is how it is. 8) | Watch it.  | :wink: :wink: :wink: :wink: :wink: :wink: | 
08-Jun-2006, 05:04
| | Newbie | | Join Date: May 2006 Country: japan
Posts: 10
First Language: english Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
| | Re: My family are (or is) when you speak of your family or a family in general, you are talking about a single group. So, family is, is the correct usage. One exception is "the people in my family are crazy, nice......whatever. This is because you have changed the subject to a plural, people. | | Thread Tools | | | | Display Modes | Linear Mode |
Posting Rules
| You may post new threads You may not post replies You may not post attachments You may not edit your posts HTML code is Off | | | All times are GMT. The time now is 11:32. |  |