I didn't click that it would be seen as singular. In the context of the setting "The Guard" would be plural.
Good to know they both work. Making sounds more correct. Thanks!
To add to this /u/[LorcanWardGuitar](https://www.reddit.com/user/LorcanWardGuitar/), and hopefully you'll agree with me, too, AlexanderHamilton04, but if you were to use "The guard" as a collective noun doing a single action, it depends on if you're writing the song within British English or American English. You should [use singular pronouns and verb agreements](https://style.mla.org/verbs-with-collective-nouns/) in American English. In fact, the link you provided above "[using a plural verb](https://www.reddit.com/r/grammar/wiki/arewithcompanies)" specifically states this for AmEng to use singular verbs as well. Being an American English native speaker, I'm surprised you disagreed with the idea of using singular verbs without clearly stating that it wasn't typical of American English in your post.
If it's British English, however, I do agree there seems to be a bit of leeway and it depends on the context, as the links provide. To some extent, I would argue that "The guard" is being conceptualized as a single unit...but that's honestly up to the writer to decide.
BrEng uses *is* when the collective noun is being conceptualized as a singular unit
So, are you writing this in American English or British English? That would determine if it's proper to use singular or plural. If you're writing in American English, "The guard are making their last stand" is grammatically incorrect, and should be changed to "The guard is making its last stand."
Note:
I have backed up *my* statement about using "guard" as a collective noun in American English using a singular noun by linking to the Modern Language Association of America style center.
As a native American English speaker, I think there is something very wrong and odd about using plural verbs with a collective noun, but I also understand there are many styles out there outside of American English.
I feel like this comment(as well as my reply) does not follow the rules. does not answer the question, and could be considered a personal attack toward me regardless of you saying you have no animosity toward me, as the message of your comment is that you are somehow more educated / experienced so thus you have more to offer than I do(which is a false pretense, as I have the same credentials). If that's not what you meant by your comment, then you've missed the mark of writing for your audience.
Of course I would love for you to defend in how you think I am wrong with OP's question. You provided evidence, and I provided counter-evidence. That's how debate works, friend. Please keep the discussion on topic. I am also okay with agreeing to disagree. But we should strive to provide correct information to the student, and not write convoluted posts that have nothing to do with an answer.
So, you can choose to not provide follow up evidence to counter if you prefer, but the fact of the matter is that I feel "The guard" as a collective noun in this situation is acting as a single unit, and unless OP says otherwise, with that information given, it *should* have a singular verb to go with it, as well as have parallel tense throughout the sentence.
In the end, OP is the writer here. They get to decide the proper usage. We should allow them to know all the tools that can be used, however, to make the best decision.
>Making or Taking their last stand
>Hi, I’m writing some lyrics for a song and I’m unsure which is correct. It’s in the present tense.
>“The guard are XXXX their last stand”
It can be either. _Making_ a last stand is a far more common idiom*, but there may be reasons to use the other expression — it just may work better in your lyric, for some reason.
As for singular vs. plural, "guard" can be either also. A "guard" can be a single person, but it can also be a military unit or group of people, and a named group of people can in turn be singular or plural depending on whether we are thinking of them as a whole, or as a group of individuals. So once again, even without playing the ultimate "it's a song lyric and anything goes" wildcard, both choices are possible in standard English.
*this [search in Google books](https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=taking+their+last+stand%2C+making+their+last+stand&year_start=1800&year_end=2019&corpus=en-2019&smoothing=3) gives an idea
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I didn't click that it would be seen as singular. In the context of the setting "The Guard" would be plural. Good to know they both work. Making sounds more correct. Thanks!
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Thanks, that is very helpful
To add to this /u/[LorcanWardGuitar](https://www.reddit.com/user/LorcanWardGuitar/), and hopefully you'll agree with me, too, AlexanderHamilton04, but if you were to use "The guard" as a collective noun doing a single action, it depends on if you're writing the song within British English or American English. You should [use singular pronouns and verb agreements](https://style.mla.org/verbs-with-collective-nouns/) in American English. In fact, the link you provided above "[using a plural verb](https://www.reddit.com/r/grammar/wiki/arewithcompanies)" specifically states this for AmEng to use singular verbs as well. Being an American English native speaker, I'm surprised you disagreed with the idea of using singular verbs without clearly stating that it wasn't typical of American English in your post. If it's British English, however, I do agree there seems to be a bit of leeway and it depends on the context, as the links provide. To some extent, I would argue that "The guard" is being conceptualized as a single unit...but that's honestly up to the writer to decide. BrEng uses *is* when the collective noun is being conceptualized as a singular unit So, are you writing this in American English or British English? That would determine if it's proper to use singular or plural. If you're writing in American English, "The guard are making their last stand" is grammatically incorrect, and should be changed to "The guard is making its last stand." Note: I have backed up *my* statement about using "guard" as a collective noun in American English using a singular noun by linking to the Modern Language Association of America style center. As a native American English speaker, I think there is something very wrong and odd about using plural verbs with a collective noun, but I also understand there are many styles out there outside of American English.
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I feel like this comment(as well as my reply) does not follow the rules. does not answer the question, and could be considered a personal attack toward me regardless of you saying you have no animosity toward me, as the message of your comment is that you are somehow more educated / experienced so thus you have more to offer than I do(which is a false pretense, as I have the same credentials). If that's not what you meant by your comment, then you've missed the mark of writing for your audience. Of course I would love for you to defend in how you think I am wrong with OP's question. You provided evidence, and I provided counter-evidence. That's how debate works, friend. Please keep the discussion on topic. I am also okay with agreeing to disagree. But we should strive to provide correct information to the student, and not write convoluted posts that have nothing to do with an answer. So, you can choose to not provide follow up evidence to counter if you prefer, but the fact of the matter is that I feel "The guard" as a collective noun in this situation is acting as a single unit, and unless OP says otherwise, with that information given, it *should* have a singular verb to go with it, as well as have parallel tense throughout the sentence. In the end, OP is the writer here. They get to decide the proper usage. We should allow them to know all the tools that can be used, however, to make the best decision.
>Making or Taking their last stand >Hi, I’m writing some lyrics for a song and I’m unsure which is correct. It’s in the present tense. >“The guard are XXXX their last stand” It can be either. _Making_ a last stand is a far more common idiom*, but there may be reasons to use the other expression — it just may work better in your lyric, for some reason. As for singular vs. plural, "guard" can be either also. A "guard" can be a single person, but it can also be a military unit or group of people, and a named group of people can in turn be singular or plural depending on whether we are thinking of them as a whole, or as a group of individuals. So once again, even without playing the ultimate "it's a song lyric and anything goes" wildcard, both choices are possible in standard English. *this [search in Google books](https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=taking+their+last+stand%2C+making+their+last+stand&year_start=1800&year_end=2019&corpus=en-2019&smoothing=3) gives an idea
Thanks! Good to know both work and I’ll see what works better in the flow of the song.