"Fish is/are"

[Rachel Adams]

Does "fish" take a singular or a plural verb?

"The fish in my tank are/is beautiful."

 

[teechar]

Both are possible. If you have one fish, use "is". If you have more than one fish, use "are".

 

[Tarheel]

If you have one fish use a singular verb. If you have more than one use a plural verb.

(Cross posted.)

Edited to say:

What teechar said.
:-D

 

[Rachel Adams]

Both are possible. If you have one fish, use "is". If you have more than one fish, use "are".

Is it the same with other words that don't change in plural?
For examle, "deer", "trout", "sheep", "plaice", etc?

 

[Tarheel]

Yes. Yes. Yes. What are plaice? A type of fish?

 

[teechar]

What are plaice? A type of fish?

They are, indeed. And a delicious type too.

 

[Rover_KE]

Is it the same with other words that don't change in plural?
For examle, "deer", "trout", "sheep", "plaice", etc?

Yes, but deer and sheep wouldn't be in your tank.:lol:

 

[jutfrank]

"What's a nice plaice like you doing in a tank like this?"

 

[Yankee]

"What's a nice plaice like you doing in a tank like this?"

Original :?:

 

[jutfrank]

Original :?:

Are you suggesting my joke sounds fishy?

 

[teechar]

Who are you codding, jutfrank?

 

[Yankee]

Are you suggesting my joke sounds fishy?

Well, it just smelt a little fishy. :roll:

 

[Rover_KE]

Some members of our local Workmen's Club recently spent a day fishing in the Irish Sea. Jake got a hake, Rod got a cod, Russ got a huss, Mike got a pike, Neil got an eel, Sean got a prawn, Russell got a mussel, Pat got a sprat, Mark got a shark, Dale got a whale, Jace got a plaice, Paul got a sole, and Sid got a squid.

Not really— we made those up in a daft half-hour after Gary had come into the snooker room and told us what I swear is absolutely true: Bernard got a gurnard.