collective noun

Collective Nouns – Definition and Examples

Understanding Collective Nouns

A collective noun is a unique type of noun that refers to a group or collection of people, animals, or things, presenting them as a single unit. It simplifies language by using one word to represent multiple individuals. For example, “team” refers to a group of players, “herd” describes a group of cattle, and “school” represents a group of fish. This article dives into everything you need to know about collective nouns—including their meaning, examples, usage, and even exercises to enhance your understanding.

What Is a Collective Noun?

In simple terms, a collective noun is a word used to describe a group acting as one entity. While it represents multiple individuals, it’s treated as singular when referring to the group as a whole. However, it can also be paired with plural verbs if the focus is on the individuals within the group.

For example:

  • “The jury has reached its verdict.” (singular)
  • “The jury were arguing among themselves.” (plural)

Collective nouns add elegance to the language by replacing lengthy descriptions with concise terms.

Defining Collective Nouns

According to the Collins Dictionary, a collective noun is “a noun such as ‘family’ or ‘team’ that refers to a group of people or things.” Similarly, the Merriam-Webster Dictionary describes it as “a noun such as ‘team’ or ‘flock’ that represents a group of people or things.”

These simple yet powerful words make communication precise and effective, enriching the way we describe groups in everyday language.

Examples of Collective Nouns

Here is a list of collective nouns along with examples to demonstrate their usage:

Collective Noun Example
Team A team of cricketers
Herd A herd of buffalo
Flock A flock of sheep
Pack A pack of dogs
School A school of whales
Swarm A swarm of locusts
Hive A hive of wasps
Pod A pod of seals
Gaggle A gaggle of geese
Army An army of ants
Crowd A crowd of spectators
Group A group of colleagues
Bunch A bunch of grapes
Fleet A fleet of trucks
Crew A crew of astronauts
Choir A choir of performers
Hoard A hoard of coins
Pride A pride of tigers
Colony A colony of penguins
Family A family of giraffes

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Examples of Collective Nouns

  1. A fleet of ships
  2. A swarm of insects
  3. A herd of elephants
  4. A bundle of firewood
  5. A choir of singers
  6. A team of athletes
  7. A bouquet of roses
  8. A clutch of eggs
  9. A troupe of dancers
  10. A galaxy of stars
  11. A pride of lions
  12. A school of dolphins
  13. A colony of ants
  14. A board of directors
  15. A batch of cookies
  16. A pack of cards
  17. A gang of thieves
  18. A parliament of owls
  19. A string of pearls
  20. A crew of sailors

Uses of Collective Nouns

  1. Efficient Communication: Collective nouns simplify language by representing multiple elements with a single term.
    • Example: Instead of saying “ten players,” you say “a team of players.”
  2. Clarity in Context: They highlight the unity of a group or collection for better understanding.
    • Example: Saying “a flock of birds” makes it clear they belong together.
  3. Enhanced Imagery: Collective nouns create a vivid mental image, making writing or speech more engaging.
    • Example: “A galaxy of stars” evokes a stunning celestial image.
  4. Smooth Flow: By condensing multiple elements, they keep sentences concise and improve readability or speech delivery.
    • Example: “A faculty of teachers” flows better than listing each educator individually.

List of Collective Nouns

Given below are the lists of collective nouns.

Animals

  1. A flock of birds
  2. A shoal of fish
  3. A swarm of bees
  4. A school of dolphins
  5. A pride of lions
  6. A pack of wolves
  7. A herd of elephants
  8. A troop of monkeys
  9. A drove of cattle
  10. A gaggle of geese

People

  1. A board of directors
  2. A council of elders
  3. A bench of judges
  4. A choir of singers
  5. A circle of friends
  6. A staff of employees
  7. A team of players
  8. A union of laborers
  9. A guild of craftsmen
  10. A gang of thieves

Objects/Things

  1. A pile of leaves
  2. A cloud of dust
  3. A cluster of stars
  4. A library of books
  5. A string of pearls
  6. An album of photographs
  7. A fleet of ships
  8. A set of tools
  9. A batch of bread
  10. A bundle of sticks

Is a Collective Noun Singular or Plural?

The verb used with a collective noun depends on whether the group acts as a single unit or as individuals. Use a singular verb when the group is acting together, and a plural verb when members act individually.

  • Committee: A group of decision-makers.
  • Audience: A group of spectators.

Examples:

  • The committee has reached a unanimous decision.
  • The audience were debating among themselves during the intermission.

Examples of Collective Nouns in Sentences

  1. A flock of birds flew over the mountains.
  2. The villagers saw a pride of lions resting under a tree.
  3. A school of fish swam gracefully in the clear water.
  4. A convoy of ambulances rushed to the accident site.
  5. A sudden gust of wind scattered a stack of papers.
  6. A troop of scouts marched toward the campsite.
  7. The crew of the spaceship celebrated their successful mission.
  8. A band of performers entertained the crowd with acrobatics.
  9. A team of researchers discovered a new species of plant.
  10. He donated his collection of rare stamps to the museum.

Collective Nouns: Exercise

Fill in the blanks with appropriate collective nouns:

  1. A _________ of firefighters arrived to extinguish the blaze.
  2. The hen laid a __________ of eggs in the coop.
  3. A ___________ of lawyers discussed the legal implications of the case.
  4. Their ___________ of hotels and resorts has expanded internationally.
  5. The island is just a ___________ of minutes away by ferry.
  6. The range is surrounded by a ___________ of hills.
  7. A ___________ of instructions was given to assemble the equipment.
  8. A ___________ of fireworks lit up the night sky.
  9. She wore a ___________ of pearls around her neck.
  10. The rooster has a colorful ___________ of feathers on its tail.

Exercise Answers

  1. Team
  2. Clutch
  3. Panel
  4. Chain
  5. Couple
  6. Ridge
  7. Set
  8. Display
  9. String
  10. Fan

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