Proper Grammar

[Caribeing]

Which term is correct! when introducing two people, The next couple is or the next couple are!

[chiaroscuro]

'The next couple is Jack and Jill and they is going to dance the waltz' ??

[elliemay1]

The next couple is going to dance the waltz. Note the difference.

[chiaroscuro]

Yes, the two sentences are different so context is important.

[Zacs-Master]

There's no need for either is, or are. The next couple jack and Jill are going to dance the waltz.

[Zacs-Master]

Apart from the fact that I used are. ;-)

[elliemay1]

Caribeing has asked one particular qn and the only answer to it is, 'The next couple is..' End of story!

[weecalf]

Might not be a couple So best to say these two what are next are ......

[chiaroscuro]

Noah to Shem: I see the next couple is the elephants

Pedantic nonsense

[elliemay1]

Lol @ weecalf!

[jno]

I can't really imagine saying "the next couple is Rupert Psmith and Violet Elizabeth Bott", it needs to be "are". It depends whether you consider them as one unit or as two. Brangelina might have been one unit, but most couples, even married ones, are still two people.

[jno]

the OED disagrees, Murdo. The very first example given in mine is "a couple of girls were playing marbles". Not "was".

[elliemay1]

At the risk of sounding repetitive the only correct answer is, 'The next couple is..'

[Jackdaw33]

It is more complicated than many make out. You need to consider whether a collective noun in context is a single entity or a collection of individuals.

1. This team is the best in the competition.
2. I expect them to win a lot of medals.

To say that just because a collective noun is singular in form it must always be followed by a singular verb or pronoun is plain wrong. Check with Fowler if you don't believe me.

[Prudie]

elliemay you are repetitive in repeating that you are right throughout the thread - I'm not sure why you are so self assured when there is vast evidence to the contrary.

[murraymints]

is for me !

[Jackdaw33]

As I have tried to explain above, there is no right of wrong answer; it depends on context.

Example, take the word 'cattle', singular collective noun.

Now think of the Xmas carol, Away in a Manger.

Which is correct? The cattle is lowing, as ellie et al would have it, or The cattle are lowing.

[Old_Geezer]

IMO, if you mention that the couple are girls (plural) that changes the context: you are then referring to two girls rather than a couple.