'A group of mums IS campaigning...' or 'A group of mums ARE campaigning...'?

[Spidermama]

I think it's 'is' but it sounds wrong.

[CrackerOfNuts]

IS does sound wrong. I'd have said it was ARE.

[Cappuccino]

is

group is the subject, and it is a singular ie it is not 'groups of mums'

[JackieNo]

Technically it is the group that's campaigning, so 'is' would be correct, but you're right, it does sound wrong.

[nickytwotimes]

I think it's "is" because it is refering to 1 group. Agree though, it sounds wrong.

[MehgaLegs]

I think you are right. It's "is" as it refers to the group which is singular but it does sound awkward.

[MehgaLegs]

LOL - I type slow!

[Spidermama]

I think you're right capp but it still sounds wrong or pompous.

A bit like saying 'none of them IS' which is correct but sounds wrong. Most people nowadays say none of them are.

[RosaLuxembourg]

Is is correct. Collective nouns always take the singular.

[dewmeadow]

definitely is - same as above.

[mrsbabookaloo]

Officially it's "is" because the subject - a group - is singular. But no-one would bat an eyelid if you used "are" because the mums are campaigning and they are plural and the word mums is closer to the verb "is/are"

So if you want to be totally correct, use "is" but it's actually something I don't feel that pedantic about: I think both are acceptable.

[StealthPolarBear]

have always wondered this about "the army"
it would be is, wouldn't it?

[mrsbabookaloo]

I'm so slow! No-one had replied when I started typing!

[Cappuccino]

it's not pompous

it's correct

it's a really simple rule

[MrsBadger]

Mums are campaigning.

One group of mums is campaigning.

Two groups of mums are campaigning.

[mrsbabookaloo]

Groups like "the army" "the police" etc are supposed to take a singular verb, but I think this is changing.

[CocodeBear]

is

[Spidermama]

Yes in footbally now people universally say 'Arsenal are travelling to White Hart Lane' which I think, though strictly speaking incorrect, sounds far better. Noone says 'Arsenal is travelling' do they?

[Shitemum]

Group is uncountable therefore it is 'is'.

..and that's my first ever post on Pedants' corner [proud]

[AllFallDown]

Americans refer to sports teams and pop groups in the singular "Queen is playing at Giants Stadium because the football team is away at Denver."

But in English English it's accepted that sports teams and pop groups are collections of individuals, rather than a single unit, and so the plural form is used.

[UnquietDad]

Yes, pop/rock groups with singular names being plural - I hadn't consciously thought about that one.

"The Human League ARE releasing a new album"

"Status Quo ARE still going"

[RoxyNotFoxy]

You should do what makes sense in context. "Arsenal is buying new players" is fine because you are treating Arsenal aa a single unit - a club, an financial entity, a business. But "Arsenal must improve its tackling" sounds ridiculous, because you are clearly talking about individual players. It's players, not clubs that tackle. In that case, "their tackling" would be the right choice, whatever rules of grammar say.

[PuppyMonkey]

And Mark Radcliffe/Stuart Maconie types on the radio always say stuff like: "Those were The Charlatons" etc...

Regards to OP, always has to be "is" where I work...

[UnquietDad]

Yes, Mark Radcliffe always says "These are" for bands, I've noticed that.

[Tortington]

i think its ARE

why isn't it ARE

i dont get it

and dont start with the " oh its a subjunctive of the pronoun verbalite from the latin 'A bene placito' "

also
"and cos it is"

isn't sufficient

[Quattrocento]

A group ... is