Are collective nouns singular or plural in British English?

In British English, collective nouns are generally treated as singular when they refer to the group as a single unit.

Here are some examples:

* The team is playing well. (The team is treated as one entity.)

* The government has announced new policies. (The government is considered a unified body.)

* The jury has reached a verdict. (The jury is viewed as a collective decision-maker.)

However, there are certain situations where a collective noun can be treated as plural:

* When the focus is on the individual members of the group, the verb can be plural. For example:

* The team are all wearing their new jerseys. (Emphasis on individual members)

* In informal contexts, it's more common to use the plural verb. For example:

* The committee are meeting tomorrow.

Ultimately, the choice between singular and plural depends on the context and the emphasis you want to convey.

Key takeaway:

British English generally treats collective nouns as singular unless the focus is on the individual members of the group.