Staff were or staff was

Question

I am having a hard time determining the correct usage when referring to my staff in a sentence. It includes multiple employees.

Should I say"

Staff were busy this fall or

Staff was busy this fall....

HELP!

A.P. · Answer 1 · 2015-10-10T18:57:06.593

0

In British English, it's not uncommon for staff to be followed by a plural verb. So, "our staff were busy".

In American English, "our staff was busy" is correct.

edited Oct 10 '15 at 18:57

answered Oct 10 '15 at 18:49

A.P.

1

...and this is American English because the OP talks about Fall rather than Autumn. – chasly - supports Monica Oct 10 '15 at 18:55
I assume you're right. Incidentally, you guys never ever use fall? It is exclusively American? – A.P. Oct 10 '15 at 18:58
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Please don’t answer duplicates. – tchrist Oct 10 '15 at 18:58
Didn't know it was a duplicate, kinda new around here. – A.P. Oct 10 '15 at 18:59
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Using fall for the season is originally a British thing but which per the OED is now rare in literary use there, although still found in some dialects. Like many linguistics castoffs, it was preserved in North America. – tchrist Oct 10 '15 at 19:01
I can't speak for other English-speaking countries but we never use 'fall' in the UK. EDIT - I wonder what dialects use it? I've never heard it anywhere in Britain. – chasly - supports Monica Oct 10 '15 at 19:04

1 Answers1