The Use of Verbs

An average of 3.3 starlings were seen in each garden.

To correct this by making the verb singular (An average . . . was seen)
w ould not do because it was not the average that was seen but the
starlings. Far better w ould be to change the subject o f the sentence and
write: On average 3.3 starlings w ere seen in each garden.
An interesting variation occurs naturally in the use o f the w ord
num b er. In There was any num ber o f reasons for them to perform
below their best the singular verb w as is correct, for the issue is a list
o f reasons. But no one w ould w ish to press for w as instead o f w ere in
the sentence A num ber o f people were shouting outside and clamouring
for adm ittance, w here it is the behaviour o f several individuals that is
being described. Similarly, w hile it is correct to say The audience was
small, it is also correct to say The audience w ere screaming and waving
their hands. In the form er case the audience is the w hole body. In the
latter case the audience is the gathered individuals. (To say The audience
w ere small w ould convey that the people were o f dim inutive stature.)
This freedom in mixing singular and plural is accepted in such sen
tences as This group are all paid-up members o f the society, w here, in
spite o f the singular pronoun and noun - this group - the plural verb
is required by w hat follows.

The Institutional Collective

The same distinction is regularly made in speaking o f collective bodies
such as the governm ent or the council. Speaking o f a collective
decision, we say The governm ent has decided to push the act through,
but thinking of the body as a collection o f individuals, we say The
governm ent are deeply divided on this issue. Thus the following sen
tences need correction as indicated.
The authority plan [plans] a low-key promotion of the route.
Since then the museum have [has] funded two lots of restoration work.
The National Trust have [has] one other complete example, Reliance, which
has been authentically restored.
The institutional collective, as used o f football teams and the like, tends
to take a plural verb. I hear o f a match w here Aston Villa meet Tranmere