Quick Grammar Q

[JS80]

Financial data was pulled from...

Financial data were pulled from...

 

[JRock]

Was

 

[DnetMHZ]

Was

 

[sash1]

data = plural of datum

the datum was
the data were

though it can be used with the singular, so data was is still correct

 

[Hyperlite]

it really depends doesn't it?

 

[JRock]

Originally posted by: Kauru
data = plural of datum

the datum was
the data were

though it can be used with the singular, so data was is still correct

Is that why you got that silly hat on? 😉

 

[KillerCharlie]

There is debate as to data being both plural and singular. Furthermore, even when it's used as a plural verb, there is debate as to weather a plural or singular verb should be used.

Usage Note: The word data is the plural of Latin datum, ?something given,? but it is not always treated as a plural noun in English. The plural usage is still common, as this headline from the New York Times attests: ?Data Are Elusive on the Homeless.? Sometimes scientists think of data as plural, as in These data do not support the conclusions. But more often scientists and researchers think of data as a singular mass entity like information, and most people now follow this in general usage. Sixty percent of the Usage Panel accepts the use of data with a singular verb and pronoun in the sentence Once the data is in, we can begin to analyze it. A still larger number, 77 percent, accepts the sentence We have very little data on the efficacy of such programs, where the quantifier very little, which is not used with similar plural nouns such as facts and results, implies that data here is indeed singular.

 

[yosuke188]

was

 

[JRock]

Originally posted by: KillerCharlie
There is debate as to data being both plural and singular. Furthermore, even when it's used as a plural verb, there is debate as to weather a plural or singular verb should be used.

Usage Note: The word data is the plural of Latin datum, ?something given,? but it is not always treated as a plural noun in English. The plural usage is still common, as this headline from the New York Times attests: ?Data Are Elusive on the Homeless.? Sometimes scientists think of data as plural, as in These data do not support the conclusions. But more often scientists and researchers think of data as a singular mass entity like information, and most people now follow this in general usage. Sixty percent of the Usage Panel accepts the use of data with a singular verb and pronoun in the sentence Once the data is in, we can begin to analyze it. A still larger number, 77 percent, accepts the sentence We have very little data on the efficacy of such programs, where the quantifier very little, which is not used with similar plural nouns such as facts and results, implies that data here is indeed singular.

Beat me to it 🙁

 

[JS80]

I heart you guys.