Collective Nouns

Exercises

Explanation

1. What are collective nouns?

A collective noun refers to many individuals together.

Examples:

• A team is training for the final.

• A crowd is waiting outside the theatre.

• A family lives in the house next door.

• A class starts at nine o’clock.

Even though these words describe many people or things, they often act like one unit in a sentence.

2. Collective nouns for groups of people

Common examples:

• team

• family

• staff

• audience

• committee

• class

• crew

• band

Examples:

• The team is ready to play.

• Her family meets every weekend.

• The staff are discussing the new schedule.
  (They act as individuals.)
  
  

3. Collective nouns for groups of animals

English uses special collective nouns for many animals.

Examples:

• a flock of sheep

• a herd of horses

• a school of fish

• a pack of dogs

• a swarm of insects

Examples in sentences:

• A flock of sheep was crossing the road.

• We saw a school of fish near the shore.

• A pack of dogs was running through the field.

4. Collective nouns for groups of things

We also use collective nouns for objects.

Common examples:

• a bunch of flowers

• a stack of papers

• a set of tools

• a pile of clothes

• a collection of stamps

Examples:

• She bought a bunch of flowers.

• There is a pile of clothes on the chair.

• He owns a collection of old coins.

5. Singular or plural?

Collective nouns can be singular or plural, depending on meaning.

Use singular when the group acts as one unit:

• The team is winning the match.

• The committee has made a decision.

Use plural when members act individually:

• The team are arguing about tactics.

• The committee have different opinions.

6. Pronouns with collective nouns

The pronoun must match the meaning.

• The group finished its work. (one unit)

• The staff shared their ideas. (individual members)