Michael in Toronto, Ontario asks…
If I am referring to a sports team, like the Montreal Canadiens, should I use plural or singular nouns?
Answer: Plural
Sports teams fall under a tricky grammatical category-collective nouns. This type of noun is difficult to comprehend because it is based on exceptions. For example, singular verbs would follow company names. Cases in point:
Stellen Property Management has reported a third quarter gain.
Molly Motors is adding a line of car-shaped biscuits.
On the other hand, a sports club, which is also a collective noun, is plural, as the two sentences below illustrate.
The Lansing Lugnuts are entertaining.
The Toronto Rock have been playing well lately.
Whether a sports organization is viewed as singular or plural, the principle will always be problematic. The Oshawa Generals, for instance, can be replaced by “team,” which is singular. On the other hand, the Generals are comprised of individuals, hence being plural. Either way, the logic is flawed.
