help with some nouns

<p>Hey guys, i need some help with some nouns which have been confusing me for a while..
When we say each/every/everyone we phrase a sentence like this
1)Each of the boys has his ticket
and not 2) each of the boys has their ticket</p>

<p>but when we use words like 'a majority' or 'a group' or 'a handful'
do we say
1) a majority of the boys has his ticket
or
2) a majority of the boys have their tickets.</p>

<p>does the verb "has" refer to 'a majority' or 'the boys'</p>

<p>This is another sentence that has been confusing me: Never before had a group of artists been so isolated from society and from official patronage as was the so-called Impressionists.</p>

<p>Aren't the Impressionists 'a group' and isn't a group a singular noun? Why according to Cb, must it say 'as were the so-called Impressists'?</p>

<p>Thanks for your help</p>