[(c)] The singular verb is to be used with book titles and similar names and singulars that are plural in form but logically a unit. See Baskervill and Sewell’s English Grammar, pages 312, 313. An example from Goldsmith is: “The Three Pigeons expects me down every moment.” So, we should say the Odd Fellows meets to-night, meaning, by ellipsis, the lodge of Odd Fellows.
[(d)] Companies, associations, etc., are usually singular in meaning, as: The Southern Pacific Company is in trouble, the Bar Association is incorporated. However, collective nouns are to be followed by a plural verb when the individuals are thought of separately, as: A multitude go mad about it. Emerson. All our household are at rest. Coleridge.
[(e)] The following is from Teall: Three dollars was paid, ten dollars was the price. When the meaning is simply a sum of money as one sum, and not so many actual separate dollars, the verb should be singular. Though the verb should be singular, this is so under the rules of logic, rather than those of grammar. In literal strictness it would not be ungrammatical to say ten dollars were paid.
[(f)] Collective nouns are always singular in form, but many of them, if not most, may be used even in that form with a plural verb, but such use depends upon the nature of the thought to be expressed. Considered as really singular are a crowd, an army, a multitude. It should be remembered that these words also have regular plural forms, though often used with the plural verb in the collective form.
[(g)] All words like ethics, mathematics, physics, and politics are plural in form, but they are usually treated as singular in meaning. The dictionary definitions of such words all begin, “the science which treats,” etc. James Russell Lowell wrote politics are, and this has been held sufficient justification for this use. Teall.
[(h)] Either bricks or brick is proper as a plural. Brick probably has the better standing. The Century Dictionary says brick is the proper singular collective.
[75.] Whereabouts. Whereabouts is, which is never are, is often written with the plural verb, but it should not be considered a plural. The error doubtless occurs from some fancied resemblance to headquarters, which may be either singular or plural.
[76.] Women. Women’s names should never be preceded by their husbands’ titles, as: Mrs. Governor Pardee, Mrs. General John Jones, Mrs. Doctor Charles Ketchum.
[77.] Variations. In many of the job offices of the country, also in newspaper offices where composition is done by the linotype, there will be many variations from the style expounded in this little manual. For example, it will not be practical to follow the italic citations of books, magazines, newspapers, etc., in offices where the equipment does not contain italic magazines. In such cases the use of roman is recommended, without quote-marks, which are unnecessary and unsightly. If the equipment does not carry small capitals, newspapers should run their own names in roman, making no distinction between their own and other publications.
When there is no italic, it may be well to quote the names of books and plays, also the names of vessels and characters in novels, plays, etc. This should not be the custom with vessels and characters, except when it is necessary to indicate that a vessel or a character, rather than a person, is meant.