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The staff is deciding how they want to vote.
Careful speakers and writers would avoid assigning the singular is and the
plural they to staff in the same sentence.
Rule 10. The word were replaces was in sentences that express a wish or are contrary to
fact:
Example: If Joe were here, you'd be sorry.
Shouldn't Joe be followed by was, not were, given that Joe is singular? But Joe isn't actually
here, so we say were, not was. The sentence demonstrates the subjunctive mood, which is
used to express things that are hypothetical, wishful, imaginary, or factually contradictory.
The subjunctive mood pairs singular subjects with what we usually think of as plural verbs.
Examples:
I wish it were Friday.
She requested that he raise his hand.
In the first example, a wishful statement, not a fact, is being expressed; therefore, were,
which we usually think of as a plural verb, is used with the singular it. (Technically, it is the
singular subject of the object clause in the subjunctive mood: it were Friday.)

Normally, he raise would sound terrible to us. However, in the second example, where a
request is being expressed, the subjunctive mood is correct.
Note: The subjunctive mood is losing ground in spoken English but should still be used in
formal speech and writing.

Subject/Verb Agreement – Some Examples ( to be noted in the cw notebook)
Here are some examples of subject verb agreement (the subject is bolded and the verb
underlined):

 My dog always growls at the postal carrier.
 Basketballs roll across the floor.
 I don't understand the assignment.
 These clothes are too small for me.
 Peter doesn't like vegetables.

Compound Subjects
Compound subjects (two subjects in the same sentence) usually take a plural verb, unless
the combination is treated as singular in popular usage or the two subjects refer to the
same thing or person. Here are some examples of subject verb agreement with compound
subjects:
 Sugar and flour are needed for the recipe.
 Neither my dad nor my brothers know how to ski.
 Pepperoni and cheese are great on a pizza.
 Corned beef and cabbage is a traditional meal in Ireland. (popular usage)
 The creator and producer is arriving soon. (both refer to same person)

When using "or" or "nor" in a compound subject containing a singular and plural subject,
the verb agrees with the closest subject. Examples of compound subjects using or, neither-
nor, or either-or include: