Which sentence uses proper subject-verb agreement with a collective noun?

• A. The team has decided to postpone its meeting
• B. The team have decided to postpone its meeting
• C. The teams has decided to postpone its meeting
• D. The team has decided to postpone their meeting

Answer: (A)

Subject-verb agreement with a collective noun hinges on whether the group is treated as a single unit or as individuals. When the group is treated as one unit, the verb should be singular and the pronoun should be its. The sentence “The team has decided to postpone its meeting” uses a singular verb (has) and a singular possessive pronoun (its), which correctly reflect the team as a single entity making one decision for the group.

Other options clash with this approach: using have treats the team as acting in its individual members rather than as a single unit, which is less standard in formal writing. Using teams introduces a plural subject, which would require a matching plural verb. Using their introduces a plural possessive pronoun that does not align with treating the team as a single entity.