my family are...

[ripley]

Hi, Can I say my family are.... instead of my family is......?
Can you tell me the context in which only one of them is possible and where , if it is possible, both are correct?
Rip.

[Steven D]

Originally Posted by ripley

Hi, Can I say my family are.... instead of my family is......?
Can you tell me the context in which only one of them is possible and where , if it is possible, both are correct?
Rip.

family- This is a collective noun. For the most part, American English speakers treat collective nouns as singular forms. British English speakers often treat collective nouns as plural forms.

My family are - British

My family is - American

I've heard AE speakers treat collective nouns as plural forms, but it's very infrequent. It hardly ever happens in AE. It's always been on the radio that I've heard collective nouns used this way in AE. And as I say, it's very seldom. In AE, I'd stick with "my family is".

I believe BE speakers can go either way on this.

Would a BE speaker care to comment here?

[blacknomi]

How is your family? ( the whole family)
How are your family? ( family members)

[ripley]

Thank you all

Rip.