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The singular mistake: understanding why "criteria was" is incorrect
Anwar Kareem 29/09/2024, 11:55English.me team member
What kind of error is it?
![Criteria was or criteria were [plural]. What's correct?](/know/grammar/images/criteria_was.jpg "The singular mistake: understanding why \"criteria was\" is incorrect")
This is a grammatical error related to subject-verb agreement.
Why do people make this mistake?
People often make this error because "criteria" is commonly mistaken for a singular noun when it is actually the plural form of "criterion". In English, nouns ending in "-a" are often perceived as singular, leading to confusion.
What is correct?
The correct usage is "criteria were" since "criteria" is the plural of "criterion" and requires a plural verb.
Examples of correct usage
- The criteria were clearly defined.
- Several criteria were taken into consideration.
- Those criteria were outdated.
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