[Grammar] the trio of dancers take/takes

[Oceanlike]

'Trio' seems like a collective noun. In the following sentence, do I use 'take' or 'takes'?

- The trio of dancers take/takes to the stage.

Thank you. :-D

 

[GoesStation]

The singular isn't impossible, but my American English ears prefer the plural.

 

[emsr2d2]

I would use the singular - just my preference.

 

[Tdol]

The singular isn't impossible, but my American English ears prefer the plural.

Would you say the same if we removed of dancers?

 

[Tarheel]

It would still be three, which is plural (more than one).

 

[Tarheel]

Good point! In fact, I would say a trio.

 

[Tdol]

I am surprised that you regard it as plural. It's normally speakers of BrE who prefer to treat (singular) group nouns as if they were plural.

That's why I asked- to eliminate the proximity effect and focus on the collective noun. I was a little surprised by the AmE answer. Maybe trio is an exception because it has a greater idea of a number. As one used to British laxness about number, it caught my eye.

 

[GoesStation]

Would you say the same if we removed of dancers?

No. A trio is a singular, mass noun.

 

[Roman55]

It's not a mass noun. You can count trios.

 

[Tarheel]

But you would still say 'A trio take ...'?

No, I don't think I would. (I may be contradicting myself. If that's the case, so be it.)

I Googled "the trio takes the stage" and found several instances of that usage. Also, I agree with it.

It's perfectly fine. Okay?

 

[Tdol]

No. A trio is a singular, mass noun.

I'd call it a collective noun.