"Staff" with Was or Were

[K Rose]

I have a question regarding the word "staff."
Does it take "was" or "were" in the following sentences:
All staff was/were dressed in navy blue uniforms.
The staff was/were on duty to assist with any problems.
Does the word "all" in the first sentence refer to "all of them," making staff plural?
Thanks!

 

[mykwyner]

In American English, collective nouns like staff are used as singulars if the entire staff acts as one unit, The staff arrives at 7:00 every morning, and as a plural if you are speaking of the actions of individuals, The staff take turns cleaning the bathrooms.

I believe that this is a pecularity of American English, and other English speakers follow the British example of always treating collective nouns as plurals.

 

[sheena55ro]

All the staff were dressed in.... [ in fact, each member of the staff was dressed in ...]

 

[sheena55ro]

All the staff were dressed in.... [ in fact, each member of the staff was dressed in ...]

 

[Tdol]

In British English, we can use the singular, but tend to use the plural. However, with 'staff', the singular sounds very strange to me.

 

[Ouisch]

In British English, we can use the singular, but tend to use the plural. However, with 'staff', the singular sounds very strange to me.

It's just the opposite with me - "staff are" sounds strange, but distinctly British. Um, not that I'm calling British things strange....

 

[Tdol]

With some, it doesn't sound strange- the company is doing well sounds natural, but not staff is. ;-)