Collective Nouns, Subject-Verb Agreement, Common Used Collective Nouns, etc… Please follow the list for detailed expressions, lists and examples;
What is Collective Noun?
Collective noun is a noun which describes a group of things oe people. It means collective noun is a single noun that is made up of more than one thing or person or etc.
For examples: family, group, herd, team.
Collective Noun Singular or Plural?
Generally, we can say that collective nouns can be singular or plural. It depends on the context of the sentence.
- If the members of a group act together as a unit or a whole, we use a singular verb.
( we can also say that if we or speakers want to emphasize the group as a whole, we use singular verb in this situation.)
- If the members of a group stop acting together as a unit or a whole and act as individuals, it is better to use a plural verb.
( we can also say that if we or speakers want to emphasize the individuals in a group rather than regarding the group as a whole, we use plural verb in this situation)
ATTENTION:
If you are not sure whether to use a singular or a plural verb with a collective noun in ypur writing or speaking, you can put “members of” before the collective noun and then use a plural verb.
Common Collective Noun List;
| Collective Noun | Meaning |
| Board | the group of people who are responsible for controlling and organizing a company or organization. |
| Bunch | 1. a number of things of the same type fastened together or in a close group. 2. a group of people. |
| Choir | a group of people who sing together. |
| Class | a group of students who are taught together at school, college, or university. |
| Committee | a small group of people chosen to represent a larger organization and either make decisions or collect information for it. |
| Crew | a group of people who work together, especially all those who work on and operate a ship, aircraft, etc. |
| Crowd | a large group of people who have come together. |
| Flock | a group of sheep, goats, or birds. |
| Group | a number of people or things that are put together or considered as a unit |
| Gang | 1. a group of criminals who work together. 2. a group of young people, especially young men, who spend time together, often fighting with other groups and behaving badly. 3. a group of friends. 4. a group of workers or prisoners who work together. |
| Heap | an untidy pile or mass of things. |
| Herd | a large group of animals of the same type that live and feed together. |
| Mob | 1. a large, angry crowd, especially one that could easily become violent. 2. a group of people who are friends or who are similar in some way. |
| Orchestra | a large group of musicians who play many different instruments together and are led by a conductor. |
| Pack | 1. a group of animals, such as dogs, that live and/or hunt together. 2. a group, set, or collection of something. |
| Panel | a small group of people chosen to give advice, make a decision, or publicly discuss their opinions as entertainment. |
| Pile | a mass of something that has been placed somewhere. |
| Series | a number of similar or related events or things, one following another. |
| Set | a group of similar things that belong together in some way. |
| Shoal | a large number of fish swimming as a group. |
| Shower | a lot of small objects or drops of liquid coming through the air. |
| Stack | a pile of things arranged one on top of another. |
| Staff | the group of people who work for an organization. |
| Swarm | 1. a large group of insects all moving together. 2. a large group of people all moving together. |
| Team | a number of people or animals who do something together as a group. |
| Troupe | a group of performers such as singers or dancers who work and travel together. |
Common Collective Nouns Used For People
| an army of soldiers |
| an audience of listeners |
| a band of musicians |
| a board of directors |
| a choir of singers |
| a class of students |
| a crew of sailors |
| a crowd of people |
| a flock of tourists |
| a gang of labourers |
| a group of dancers |
| a panel of experts |
| a staff of employees |
| a tribe of natives |
Common Collective Nouns Used For Animals
| an army of ants |
| a catch of fish |
| a flight of birds |
| a flock of sheep |
| a haul of fish |
| a herd of cattle |
| a hive of bees |
| a host of sparrows |
| a litter of cubs |
| a murder of crows |
| a pack of wolves |
| a team of horses |
| a troop of lions |
| a zoo of wild animals |
Common Collective Nouns Used For Animals
| an album of photographs |
| a basket of fruit |
| a bowl of rice |
| a bouquet of flowers |
| a bunch of keys |
| a galaxy of stars |
| a group of islands |
| a fleet of ships |
| a forest of trees |
| a hedge of bushes |
| a library of books |
| a pack of cards |
| a pair of shoes |
| a range of mountains |
| a string of pearls |
| a wad of notes |
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