'are' or 'is'..?

ferdi

right, if you want to say something about a band, eg: metallica, do you say - 'metallica are crap' or do you say 'metallica is crap?

i always speak of a band as if it were a bunch of people, so i've always said 'xyz are great'

saying 'xyz is great' always sounded wrong to me.

which do you say

fobster

I don't now, I flunked school cause I'm hard-core

Anyway, yeah I'd say "are"

John

are

Mr Rivers

are

MrJoeSoap

are, I think its mainly in America where they say "is". Same goes for sports teams etc...

mike65

collective noun
n.

A noun that denotes a collection of persons or things regarded as a unit.

USAGE NOTE In American usage, a collective noun takes a singular verb when it refers to the collection considered as a whole, as in The family was united on this question. The enemy is suing for peace. It takes a plural verb when it refers to the members of the group considered as individuals, as in My family are always fighting among themselves. The enemy were showing up in groups of three or four to turn in their weapons. In British usage, however, collective nouns are more often treated as plurals: The government have not announced a new policy. The team are playing in the test matches next week. A collective noun should not be treated as both singular and plural in the same construction; thus The family is determined to press its (not their) claim. Among the common collective nouns are committee, clergy, company, enemy, group, family, flock, public, and team. See Usage Notes at government, group.

So it depends if you are 'American' or 'British' and where that leaves most here I dunno!

Mike.

senordingdong

Are!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Alter-Ego

Who the hell says "is"? Metallica is crap

Tar.Aldarion

Pff.

It depends on whether you are referring to the band as an entity or are referring to the members.

Entity - Metallica is crap.
Members - Metallica are crap.

Good example.

Black NG-60-90

No i think its Metallica are great. Correction

Tar.Aldarion

The dictionary definition of great tends to disagree.

pbsuxok1znja4r

Thank you for bringing this up, OP. It does actually bake my noodle just a bit when people inappropriately say "is".

It's are, as far as I'm concerned. It's multiple people. Or in past tense: Metallica were a great band. (I'm sure we can all agree on that )

Then there are some crazy exceptions. There is a solo artist who goes by the name of "City And Colour". His title then contains more than one term, so is he plural, is he singular
Generally I tend to say City & Colour is amazing. The bloke's name is actually Dallas Green. (Geddit? A city and a colour! )

Tar.Aldarion

scouser.tommy. Metallica are great and Metallica is great are both gramatically correct. It just depends on what aspect you are referring to.

mike65

Put it this way if you said Metallica's great, thats shortening Metallica is great not are great

Mike.

pbsuxok1znja4r

Tar.Aldarion wrote:

scouser.tommy. Metallica are great and Metallica is great are both gramatically correct. It just depends on what aspect you are referring to.

Oh, I think I see your point now. You mean in the same sense that one might say "Syriana is crap", or "Americana is crap". But TBH, to me, "Metallica" has only ever meant four blokes who play metal. So this habit'll die are'd

Tar.Aldarion

scouser.tommy wrote:

So this habit'll die are'd

Oh, god.

*Thinks of removing his new access to Spell Czechs for that.*

:P