English 
español 
française 
italiano 
deutsche 
日本語 
polski 
česky 
svenska 
Türkçe 
Nederlands 
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- Those criteria were outdated.
Recommended posts in 
Grammar
Understanding "the another" mistake: a grammar insight
People might make this error because they confuse when to ... Learn more →
Bear with me: the mammoth mistake of "bare in mind"
The words "bare" and "bear" are homophones, meaning they sound ... Learn more →
The sneaky misstep: why "had mislead" leads us astray
People might make this error because "lead" and "read" in ... Learn more →
Why "the one of the" is a common grammar slip
People may make this error due to confusion or a ... Learn more →