Even though it sounds plural because of the "s" at the end, grammatically we treat it as one single country (a single entity).
How to know which verb to use?
Just replace "The United States" with the pronoun "It" in your head.
You wouldn't say "It are a big country," you’d say "It is a big country." * Therefore: "The United States is..." Historically, people used to say "the United States are" back when they viewed the states as separate units, but since the late 19th century, it has been strictly singular.
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Alex
• December 9, 2025 – 07:43
That's an interesting question! “The United States” is singular in modern English when referring to the country as one nation.
It’s singular.
Even though it sounds plural because of the "s" at the end, grammatically we treat it as one single country (a single entity).
How to know which verb to use?
Just replace "The United States" with the pronoun "It" in your head.
You wouldn't say "It are a big country," you’d say "It is a big country." * Therefore: "The United States is..." Historically, people used to say "the United States are" back when they viewed the states as separate units, but since the late 19th century, it has been strictly singular.
That's an interesting question! “The United States” is singular in modern English when referring to the country as one nation.
United States are...