whether 'data' is singular or plural?

Question

if data is plural then what is its singular ?

Answer 1

Data is both singular and plural like Equipment, Hair et.

Answer 2

It is plural not singular but it is increasingly treated as singular e.g. this data shows, when it should be these data show. However, in our minds we tend to think of a data items collected together (say in a table) or a 'dataset' as a collective noun.



The purpose of dictionaries is to record usage not freeze it in time so eventually the makers of dictionaries will accept 'data' as singular and plural.

Answer 3

both. like-

singular- Administrative data HAS shown that the Food Stamp caseload has declined substantially since 1994.

plural- For all samples that use Civil War veterans, data ARE collected for each individual from original sources in three datasets.

Answer 4

Datum is singular and data is plural.

Answer 5

Like machinery, furniture, scenery, stationery etc., data is also used as both singular and plural.

Answer 6

data is plural.... Data in it's singular for is DATUM. Therefore, data is plural

Answer 7

data is singular as uncountable nouns are takes as singular.