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I'm sure this has been dealt with before, but I don't have time to read this entire thread to check and see. My rant is about signs in stores which say, "Express Lane, 10 items or less." It should be "fewer," for Pete's sake! The only store I can think of which has it correct on its signs is Menards. Yay, Menards!
Thank you! The number of people who argue with this rule of grammar is astounding. I work with a person (with a PhD!) who says, "I feel badly." Admittedly, "I feel bad" sounds wrong to some people.
I've argued about this ^ with my best college buddy since the 1970s! She teaches advanced placement English at a high school, yet she continues to say, "I feel badly." Drives me nuts.
Another one that makes me cringe is the misuse of the word, "media." Few people, including members of the media, use it correctly. "Media" is a plural word! If someone says, "The media was hounding Charlie Sheen," that is incorrect. It should be, "The media are hounding Charlie Sheen." The press is a medium. TV is a medium. Radio is a medium. One or more of these should be referred to as media and should be accompanied by a plural verb. Dagnabbit! ()
Another one that makes me cringe is the misuse of the word, "media." Few people, including members of the media, use it correctly. "Media" is a plural word!
So I suppose it's also correct to say, "The couple were going to Brazil" vs "The couple was going to Brazil." Why does that sound so odd? And you're right; it's very misused.
So I suppose it's also correct to say, "The couple were going to Brazil" vs "The couple was going to Brazil." Why does that sound so odd? And you're right; it's very misused.
IMO, "couple" is a singular word. I'd go with "The couple was going to Brazil."
Okay, I was curious after writing my opinion, so I just now researched the "couple" question. Several different sources indicated that the singular OR the plural verb may be used with the word, "couple."
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The only store I can think of which has it correct on its signs is Menards. Yay, Menards! 
