TOEIC/ Staff

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Lcchang  #503285  Mon, 21 Apr 08 09:58 AM

The airport custodial staff, which (A) hasn't been working under contract for a year, (B) are thinking about (C) striking if management (D) doesn't agree to salary increases.

I think (B) should be corrected to is thinking because in American English "staff" is considered a singular noun.

But, what I would like to ask is about the relative pronoun "which". Do you think if using "who" is much better? Please advise.

LCChang

  
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Marius Hancu  #503308  Mon, 21 Apr 08 11:50 AM
 I think you're right. "Who" is just a bit better in terms of frequency. Check at Google Books: 

84 on "staff which has been working"

 http://books.google.com/books?q=%22staff+which+has+been+working%22+&btnG=Search+Books

 3 on "staff which have been working" (thus quite rare)

 http://books.google.com/books?q=%22staff+which+have+been+working%22&btnG=Search+Books

 110 on "staff who has been working"

 http://books.google.com/books?q=%22staff+who+has+been+working%22&btnG=Search+Books

  
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