"your staff is" or "your staff are"?

[dilbertina]

Now I'm sure I'm right but can't explain why!
I reckon it should be "your staff are doing something". When I queried it I was told that since "staff" is a collective noun, "is" is correct. Now I understand how collective nouns normally work but "staff is" just seems wrong. Please tell me I'm right! (and why!)

Why don't you rephrase it as "your members of staff are". Then it's a proper plural!

"Your staff is a dozy shower who should all be sacked"
"Your staff are excellent"

Has to be 'are' - but to my shame I don't know why!

are

This is on "My zoo" on facebook. I might have to stop playing it. Do you think American English might be different? (well wrong frankly!)

Anyone care to explain why are is right?

All I remember from Christmas Carol Concerts as a child is
"The people that walked in darkness has seen a great light". Our school was incredibly pedantic on grammar.

However I seem to recall reading somewhere that either is acceptable.

rhink technically it's is, but in reality either fine

The band is going on tour.

The band are splitting up in order to explore different artistic avenues.

In the first example the band is a single entity, but the second example is describing actions by individuals within the band.

I would always say 'the staff are...' in normal speech.

ok, have found something that explains it to my satisfaction! I get it! (and think I was right in this instance...!

good explanation - you learn something new every day!

If you replace "your staff" with the pronoun "they" then it should be are.

Using "it" as a pronoun for "your staff" then it should is but I agree it doesn't sound quite right. I mean when would you have to use "it" to refer to "your staff"?

dilbertina, that's a really good explanation - Word is always pulling me up for this when I'm writing minutes of team meetings!

But. Isn't there a get out clause that thingumy uses in Eats shoots and leaves, that sometimes its just down to personal style and what feels right. I continue to ignore Word's suggestions as my staff would wonder what I was going on about. Common usage eventually becomes what is right.

(Except I will never accept this argument for misplaced apostrophes mind)

I mean when would you have to use "it" to refer to "your staff"?

When 'it' is a piece of wood; that other type of staff.