“The main criteria is fluency.”
Usage Entry 1356 / 1605 60-second read
Criterion vs. Criteria
Singular versus plural — one standard versus more than one.
The comparisoni
“The main criterion is fluency — criterion is singular, criteria is the plural. "The criteria are clear" not "the criteria is clear."”
The ruleii
¶
CRITERION = one. CRITERIA = many.
From Greek — like PHENOMENON / PHENOMENA. The plural CRITERIA takes a plural verb (criteria are, criteria were). "Criterias" doesn't exist. Some style guides allow CRITERIA as a singular collective; most still flag it.
Memory aidiii
Remember it like this
One criteriON. Many criteriA.