Believer  +  234424 Sat, 10 Jun 06 03:11 AM I am looking at a dictionary and it said that a variable collective noun is the noun that behaves like a variable noun but when it is singular it can be used with either a singular or a plural verb. Can you give me some examples of this? Also, kindly tell me if you would use the article "the" as I have done in the underlined part?   Believer Joined on Mon, Jan 2 2006 Contributing Member 1,969 Articles, Verbs, Plurals, Nouns

	RedPenCJ  +  234484 Sat, 10 Jun 06 06:13 AM A collective noun, according to Webster's II: New Riverside University Dictionary is: "A noun that denotes a collection of persons or things regarded as a unit. usage: A collective noun takes a singular verb when the reference is to a group as a whole and a plural verb when the reference is to members of a group as single individuals: The orchestra was playing. The orchestra have all gone home.". As is done in the above definition, I would use the article "a" instead of "the" where you have made your underscore.   RedPenCJ Joined on Fri, Jun 9 2006 Huntington Beach, California, USA New Member 41 "I have never let my schooling interfere with my education." (Mark Twain) Articles, Verbs, Singular Verbs, Plurals, Nouns, Universities, Underscore