Pls explain why

This topic has expert replies
Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 93
Joined: Thu Oct 22, 2009 4:03 am
Thanked: 2 times
Followed by:1 members

Pls explain why

by max37274 » Sun Mar 21, 2010 7:41 pm
After this year's record-shattering January performance in Madison Square Garden, the ensemble were touted as the country's best new group in decades; no critic or reviewer had anything but praise for the young musicians.

(A) the ensemble were touted as the country's
(B) the ensemble was touted as the country's

Legendary Member
Posts: 610
Joined: Fri Jan 15, 2010 12:33 am
Thanked: 47 times
Followed by:2 members

by kstv » Sun Mar 21, 2010 8:18 pm
ensemble a word of french origin but used as a collective noun in English
so by this fact it should be was touted.

Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 182
Joined: Mon Apr 20, 2009 7:09 pm
Thanked: 1 times
Followed by:1 members

by akahuja143 » Sun Mar 21, 2010 8:27 pm
ensemble sounds singular to me hence I would go with B

Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 338
Joined: Fri Apr 17, 2009 1:49 am
Thanked: 9 times
Followed by:3 members

by kaulnikhil » Mon Mar 22, 2010 10:12 am
max37274 wrote:After this year's record-shattering January performance in Madison Square Garden, the ensemble were touted as the country's best new group in decades; no critic or reviewer had anything but praise for the young musicians.

(A) the ensemble were touted as the country's
(B) the ensemble was touted as the country's
group singular
ensemble singular

Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts
Posts: 13
Joined: Wed Oct 01, 2008 4:41 pm
Location: USA

by lalmanistl » Mon Mar 22, 2010 4:16 pm
agreeing with all, "best new group" is a Singular noun.
also "best" is superlative degree and it refers to singular noun.

So i will go with "B"

-STL