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Sectence correction doubt

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Sectence correction doubt

by aryansaurabhbhardwaj » Sun Aug 25, 2013 10:29 pm
The people of the ancient Assyrian Empire were renowned warriors, although they also crafted some of the best-preserved ancient art.
A) were renowned warriors, although they also crafted
B) had been renowned warriors, although they also crafted
C) were renowned warriors, and also crafted
D) was renowned warriors, although they also crafted
E) were renowned warriors, but also crafting

THe people is collective noun why it is considered as plural in this.

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by vinay1983 » Mon Aug 26, 2013 6:18 am
In this prompt we mean the public or groups by the people. It is not a single person who were warriors and who preserved art, it was a group of people.

E.g A select group of people were chosen for the task is plural

You can also say: The people of Nile valley were smart and crafty, not was.You are referring to a group of people here with a common characteristic.
You can, for example never foretell what any one man will do, but you can say with precision what an average number will be up to!
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by [email protected] » Mon Aug 26, 2013 1:21 pm
Hi,

Based on what you two are discussing, I felt the need to offer some information.

The GMAT tests certain grammar rules repeatedly: two of those rules are subject-verb agreement and pronoun-noun agreement.

The vocabulary changes depending on what the noun/subject is:

Examples:

THE PEOPLE were chosen for the task ---> Here, "the people" is a plural

A GROUP was chosen for the task. ----> Here, "a group" is singular

A GROUP of people was chosen for the task. ----> Still singular, NOT plural, because the noun is "a group"

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by \'manpreet singh » Mon Aug 26, 2013 8:44 pm
Thumb rule:

"The people" is always plural.

Just remember it and move on.
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by ceilidh.erickson » Tue Aug 27, 2013 11:26 am
Manpreet is right. For whatever reason, in English "people" is always plural, and is thus not in the same category of collective nouns as group, team, committee, etc.
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