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The singular mistake: understanding why "criteria was" is incorrect

Reviewed and edited by Anwar Kareem 29/09/2024, 11:55
English.me team member

What kind of error is it?

Criteria was or criteria were [plural]. What's correct?

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  • Those criteria were outdated.

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