Is or are

[slobodan]

The Australian cricket team is sh!t

The Australian cricket team are sh!t

The Australian cricket team always were sh!t

Don't care what's correct, just enjoyed saying it.

[flounderbout]

Tony has it spot on.
A team (or the name of it) refers to two things, the individuals that go to make up the team, and the team itself. Whether one should use "is" or "are" therefore depends on which of the two ways in which you are referring to the team in context.
The Australian cricket team are ungracious.
And the Australian team is a shadow of its former self.

[slobodan]

Yes really.

I had the impression that you was well traveled.

An otel, an eater, are all normal terms in the south.

If you are in a part of the country where you sound your 'aiches' then just say 'a'

I always found Leeds and Sheffield funny when they say "I'm going t'toilet" or t'shops etc

[Bogus]

You don't understand it? really? ?

Yes really.

[Wolfracer]

On strictly come dancing, they always refer to the couple leaving tonight 'is'... Sounds wrong, but is right. The couple are one item. The team is one item. Is. Is. Is. As for derbyshire- ay up mi duck is tha raight? Not many of those words are in the dictionary, never mind dropping an n here and there!

[Bogus]

Almost, an precedes any vowel sound not just vowel.

see my "an FLM" V "a first line manager" the F has a vowel soun in FLM an so gets the "an"

So, do you live in an Ouse, or in a House ??
Does your truck have an Eater or a Heater??

[Sancho]

It's 'an' hotel. You don't drop the H. It's the same rule as in 'an historic'. As for the 'is' or 'are' thing, I've never worked that out. Companies are 'is' but sports teams, for some unknown reason, always seem to be 'are'.

[markp2]

My opinion (based on English 'O' level about 35 years ago!)

Xmas Tree United ARE rubbish - I think a team is a plural.

An hotel - in 'Olde English', the H wasn't pronounced and it was said as otel.

An is used where the verb begins with a vowel (apple, echo, injector, ostrich, uniform etc). I am sure that there are exceptions to this rule, but other than hotel, I can't think of any. (Not sure I agree with the 'historic' example).

If you saw QI on telly a few days ago, apparently the spelling rule 'I before E except after C' has more exceptions than words where it works. Makes it a pretty rubbish 'rule' in my book!

Cheers,
Mark

[slobodan]

I dont understand the bit about dropping the H from hotel, I dont and because I dont, I cant accept that dropping it somehow becomes proper English.

Bogus

You don't understand it? really? or are you being (trying to be) a snob?

[yoshie]

The "rule" as I was taught it is,

an precedes a word which begins with vowel
a precedes a word which begins with a consonant

as Hotel begins with a consonant, proper English would be "a Hotel"
I dont understand the bit about dropping the H from hotel, I dont and because I dont, I cant accept that dropping it somehow becomes proper English.

Bogus

Almost, an precedes any vowel sound not just vowel.

see my "an FLM" V "a first line manager" the F has a vowel soun in FLM an so gets the "an"

[Bogus]

The "rule" as I was taught it is,

an precedes a word which begins with vowel
a precedes a word which begins with a consonant

as Hotel begins with a consonant, proper English would be "a Hotel"
I dont understand the bit about dropping the H from hotel, I dont and because I dont, I cant accept that dropping it somehow becomes proper English.

Bogus

[Albannach]

A Hotel, never becomes an Otel, unless your are a drunk Yank.

The Americanism in there is the 'A Hotel' one, the English pronunciation would be 'An Otel'. I can't remember the exact rule, but it's something to do with polysyllables (historic is another one that springs to mind, 'An Historic event').

It's probably Googlable, but that's not going to cut here, is it?

Anyway; I still think team is singular, in the same way that Army is.

[Koi]

depends where they are in the league as to if they are or is rubbish

[VidaMusic]

Great thread!

It's 'are'.

An yes, you would never say "an Otel". In Derbyshire, partic where I'm from, people are so lazy with speech and it winds me up (dont get me wrong I don't speak properly but know how to)
They sayin things like "a Otel" or "a orange" "do ya want a ash brown with that"

Aaaaaaaagghhhhhhh!!!!

Really gets me going!!!

[yoshie]

Which is where I'm in the minority. I think 'is' sounds more correct than 'are'; in this specific context.

Just because it sounds nicer, doesn't mean it's correct. 'An hotel' or 'A Hotel' (In proper English the "h" is pronounced when the word 'Hotel' is spoken on its own, but dropped when saying the phrase 'An Hotel') being a classic example.

Big fella that I am not buying. You are making shit up now.

A Hotel, never becomes an Otel, unless your are a drunk Yank.