Collective Nouns In English

What are collective nouns?

A collective noun refers to a single term used to describe a group of individuals or things. It represents a singular entity despite encompassing multiple members. Examples include “herd” for a group of cattle, “swarm” for a gathering of bees, and “team” for a collective of players in sports.

Examples:

• committee, crowd, flock, audience, group, team, choir, committee, police, crew, family, government, etc

Are collective nouns plural or singular?

Collective nouns can be both singular and plural, depending on how they are used in a sentence.

1. Singular Usage:
   • When the collective noun refers to the group as a single entity or unit, it is treated as singular.
     • Example: “The team is celebrating its victory.”
2. Plural Usage:
   • When the focus is on the individual members within the group, the collective noun can be treated as plural.
     • Example: “The team are putting on their uniforms.”

In practice, both singular and plural forms are accepted, and the choice often depends on whether the emphasis is on the group as a whole or on its individual members.

List of Common Collective Nouns

These tables organize the collective nouns based on whether they refer to groups of animals, people, or things.

Animals:

Collective Noun	Example
Army	An army of soldiers
Bevy	A bevy of swans
Bunch	A bunch of grapes
Colony	A colony of ants
Crash	A crash of rhinos
Exaltation	An exaltation of larks
Gaggle	A gaggle of geese
Murder	A murder of crows
Parliament	A parliament of owls
Pod	A pod of dolphins
Pride	A pride of lions
Raft	A raft of ducks
Shiver	A shiver of sharks
Sleuth	A sleuth of bears
Sounder	A sounder of pigs
Swarm	A swarm of bees
Troop	A troop of kangaroos

People:

Collective Noun	Example
Band	A band of musicians
Choir	A choir of singers
Coven	A coven of witches
Horde	A horde of zombies
Team	A team of players

Things:

Collective Noun	Example
Galaxy	A galaxy of stars
Quiver	A quiver of arrows
String	A string of ponies

Collective Nouns In Sentences

Here are 20 examples of sentences with collective nouns, with the collective nouns in bold:

1. The troop of kangaroos bounded across the Australian outback.
2. In the distance, a majestic parliament of owls hooted in harmony.
3. The buzzing sound indicated the presence of a nearby swarm of bees.
4. A harmonious melody filled the air as the choir of singers performed on stage.
5. The explorers marveled at the vast galaxy of stars in the night sky.
6. Farmers watched as a sounder of pigs roamed freely in the fields.
7. A graceful bevy of swans glided across the tranquil lake.
8. The battlefield echoed with the clash of a charging army of soldiers.
9. Underneath the tree, a pod of dolphins played in the sparkling waves.
10. The spooky forest was home to a mysterious coven of witches.
11. A loud honking announced the arrival of a gaggle of geese overhead.
12. The scientist studied a bustling colony of ants for research.
13. During the safari, the tourists observed a majestic pride of lions resting in the shade.
14. A colorful string of ponies paraded through the festival.
15. The concert hall resonated with the music of a talented band of musicians.
16. The detectives tracked the movements of a suspicious sleuth of bears.
17. The children enjoyed feeding a playful raft of ducks at the pond.
18. At the beach, a thrilling sight awaited as a shiver of sharks swam close to shore.
19. The soccer field buzzed with energy as a competitive team of players warmed up.
20. A dark cloud in the sky signaled the approach of a massive murder of crows.