1. Here familyis viewed as a single undivided body, so it
takes a singular predicate verb.
2. Here the group of people denoted by the collective noun
familyis considered as a collection of individuals doing personal
things, so the predicate verb is plural.
3. Here the staffis viewed as an impersonal unit, hence the
singular predicate verb.
4. Here the staffare considered as a collection of people
doing personal things like deciding, so the predicate verb is plural.
5. The mediais a collective noun, which can be used with
plural or singular verbs. In conversation both can be used but a
plural form should be used in formal writings.
6. The collective noun policeis always used with plural
verbs.
7. Glassesis the plural of glass.In the plural the noun loses
its original meaning and means spectacles.
8. Equipmentis a singular invariable noun of material.
Under no circumstances can it become plural.
9. If the noun statisticsas in this case means the science of
collecting and examining numbers which represent facts of
measurements, it is always singular and as such is used with singular
verbs.
10. The noun statisticsif it denotes a set of numbers representing
facts or measurements as in this sentence is always plural
and is used with plural verbs.
11. Poultryis considered as a collection of living beings,
hence the plural verb.
12. The Governmentis viewed as an impersonal unit so it
takes a singular predicate verb.
13. The Governmentis considered as a collection of people
doing personal things like feeling, so this collective noun takes a
plural predicate verb.
14. The collective noun planktonis uncountable and takes
singular predicate verbs.
15. Linenis a noun of material. As such it is uncountable and
takes singular predicate verbs.
16. The noun publicis a collective one. Since here the public
are a collection of people performing personal actions like
stopping and staring, the predicate verb is plural.
17. Crowdis a collective noun. The verb is plural not because
here it is a noun of multitude, i.e. a noun denoting a collection of
living beings doing personal things, but because the subject is
plural: we.
Clothesis a plural invariable noun used with plural verbs.
Earningsis a plural invariable noun used with plural predicate
verbs.
20. The noun tightsis a plural invariable one used only with
plural verbs.
21. Classis a collective noun. Here it is viewd as a single undivided
body, so a single predicate verb is used.
22. The teacher views her classas a collection of individuals
doing separate things, hence the plural predicate verb.
23. Measleslike the names of some other diseases (mumps,
shingles, rickets) is a singular invariable noun taking singular verbs.