Collective noun - singular/plural

[uae918]

Hi Manhattan experts!

I have a question regarding the collective noun and if we should treat it as singular or plural. Is it safe to say that we should always treat the collective noun (such as data, board, etc) as singular unless the question gave clue in the non-underlining part, indicating that the collective noun is plural?

Many thanks

[Sage Pearce-Higgins]

Yes, that's right. Group nouns, such as army, company, group, jury, and police, are treated as singular by GMAT. Often a sentence will give a hint of a noun's number with a singular / plural verb. Check out the section titled 'when in doubt, think singular' in the chapter called 'Extra SC: Meaning, Structure, and Modifiers'.

Data, however, is a plural noun, as in SC 84 in the diagnostic test in the front of OG 2020.

[uae918]

Thanks Sage as always

[Sage Pearce-Higgins]

You're welcome.