What comes after everybody has or have?

The Grammatical Conundrum of “Everybody”

In the realm of English grammar, the word “everybody” presents a unique challenge. While it refers to a group of individuals, it is grammatically considered singular. This seemingly paradoxical concept often leads to confusion in sentence construction, particularly when it comes to verb agreement.

The key to understanding “everybody” lies in its origin as a collective noun. Collective nouns refer to a group of people or things considered as a single unit. Other examples include “team,” “family,” and “committee.” Grammatically, collective nouns are treated as singular because they act as a cohesive whole.

This grammatical singularity extends to the verb agreement with “everybody.” Despite referencing a group, the correct verb form is the singular “has,” not the plural “have.” This is because the focus is on the collective action of the group as a whole, rather than the individual actions of each member.

For example, the sentence “Everybody has their own unique perspective” is grammatically correct. The verb “has” agrees with the singular subject “everybody,” even though it implies that each individual in the group has their own perspective.

Contrast this with the sentence “Everybody have their own unique perspectives,” which is incorrect. The plural verb “have” does not match the singular subject “everybody.”

The same rule applies to other collective nouns. For instance, “The team has won the championship” is correct, while “The team have won the championship” is not.

In summary, when using “everybody” in a sentence, remember that it is grammatically singular. The correct verb form is the singular “has,” which emphasizes the collective action of the group rather than the individual actions of its members.