Collective Nouns in English

All countable nouns have their plural forms. But in some cases, you don't have to use plurals to describe a group of individuals, animals, or items considered as one single unit. Instead, you can use a specific collective noun. What are they, and what are the grammar rules behind them? That’s what you’ll learn in today’s reference.

What Is a Collective Noun

Collective nouns are words that refer to an entire group of people, animals, or things and describe them as a single unit. Whether to treat collective noun examples as singulars or plurals depends on several factors.

• In American English, collective nouns examples are typically considered singular. While in casual conversations, you might hear both, when it comes to formal writing, it’s better to stick to the standard rule. For example:

The team is practicing for the tournament.

The family is planning a reunion for the holidays.

• In British English, a collective noun can be both singular and plural, depending on the context. In most cases, it is considered a plural when you need to emphasize the group's individual members. For example:

The team are arguing among themselves.

The jury have their doubts about the evidence.

So, what are collective nouns? These are words used to describe a group of someone or something. In most cases, these nouns are singular, and while some exceptions are allowed in casual speech, it is better to follow the singularity rules when it comes to formal and academic writing.

Collective Nouns List

What’s a collective noun? Now that you know the answer, it is time to move on and finally get to some practice! Below is a collective nouns list to help you get started.

Groups of people

Since these words describe groups of people, animals, or things, we will talk about each category separately. So, what are examples of collective nouns when talking about people?

• Team – a group of people working together.
• Committee – a body of people appointed for a specific function or decision-making process.
• Panel – a group of experts gathered to discuss a judge or matter.
• Audience – a group of spectators or listeners at an event.
• Staff – the collective employees of an organization.
• Band – a group of musicians playing together.
• Troop – a group of scouts or soldiers or a small group gathered for a specific purpose.

Groups of animals

When talking about animals, the situation is a bit different. Here, a list of collective nouns consists of different terms that depend on the species of the animal you’re talking about.

• A herd of cows
• A pack of wolves
• A flock of birds
• A school of fish
• A pride of lions
• A gaggle of geese
• A colony of ants
• A crowd of people
• A swarm of bees
• A litter of puppies
• A troop of monkeys
• A clutch of eggs
• A bunch of grapes
• A team of players
• A crew of sailors
• A library of books
• A bouquet of flowers
• A flock of sheep

Groups of things

What is a collective noun examples when it comes to groups of inanimate objects? There’s also a lot of them to use in different situations. Here are some common examples of collective nouns in this case:

• Bouquet – an arranged grouping of flowers.
• Batch – a group of items produced or prepared together.
• Bunch – a cluster of items loosely gathered or tied together.
• Pile – a heap or mound of objects, often disorganized.
• Stack – a neatly arranged pile of items, usually placed one on top of another.
• Bundle – a group of items bound together, often for convenience.
• Collection – an assembly of items gathered for their common characteristics or purposes.
• Series – a sequence or set of items arranged in a logical order.
• Range – a variety or selection of similar items.
• Cluster – a group of similar items that are closely gathered together.
• Set – a group of related objects usually used together.

Learning what collective nouns are with examples allows you to easily memorize them and understand which one to use, depending on the context.

Collective Noun List of Examples in Sentences

After learning the collective noun definition and exploring common examples, the next step is understanding how these words work in different contexts. To do this, take a look at these example sentences.

• The herd of cows was grazing in the field.
• The pack of wolves howled at the moon.
• The flock of birds flew in formation.
• The school of fish swam in circles.
• The pride of lions was on the hunt.
• The gaggle of geese flew overhead.
• The colony of ants was working together.
• The crowd of people cheered as the team scored.
• The swarm of bees buzzed around the flowers.
• The litter of puppies played in the yard.
• The troop of monkeys swung from the trees.
• The clutch of eggs was in the nest.
• The bunch of grapes was ripe for picking.
• The team of players was ready for the game.
• The crew of sailors sailed off into the sunset.
• The library of books was filled with knowledge.
• The bouquet of flowers was a beautiful sight.
• The flock of sheep was huddled together.

Collective Noun Grammar

After understanding the collective noun meaning, it’s time to learn some English grammar rules related to this topic. Here are the main things to keep in mind:

• Subject-verb agreement. The verb must match how you perceive the group. Use a singular verb when viewing the group as one unit and a plural verb when highlighting the individual members.
• Pronoun agreement. Use singular pronouns (it, its) for a unified group and plural pronouns (they, their) when referring to the individual components.
• Consistency in usage. Once you decide on the collective noun list to use in a sentence or paragraph and its number (singular or plural), maintain that choice throughout to avoid confusion.
• Formal vs informal contexts. In formal writing, especially in American English, it’s best to stick with the standard singular usage. Informal contexts might allow for more flexibility in verb and pronoun agreement.

Collective nouns English rules are not that hard to follow. Keep them in mind, and you will be able to easily use collective nouns in English in different contexts.

Common Collective Noun Mistakes

Despite the lack of strict collective noun grammar rules, there are still some common issues that you might face when learning this topic. What are they?

1. Incorrect verb agreement

Don’t: The team are winning the match.

Do: The team is winning the match.

2. Inconsistent pronoun usage

Don’t: The team won its game, but they did not celebrate.

Do: The team won its game, but it did not celebrate.

3. Misidentifying the collective noun

Don’t: A flock of fish swam near the boat.

Do: A school of fish swam near the boat.

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Rare (and Fun!) Collective Nouns of English

Now that you can define collective noun meanings, know the main grammar rules that apply to this topic, and understand what mistakes to avoid, it’s time to solidify this knowledge. Here are some fun and unique collective noun example phrases at last.

• A cete of badgers
• A skulk of foxes
• A parcel of rabbits
• A siege of herons
• An exaltation of larks
• A flamboyance of flamingos
• A hover of trout
• A coalition of cheetahs
• A shrewdness of apes
• A crash of rhinos
• A parliament of owls

Summary

Collective noun definition and examples are an important part of the English language. They can be tricky to remember and use correctly, but with a few simple tips, you'll be able to do it in no time!