In English, specific nouns represent groups as a single entity or unit instead of representing each member individually. For example, have you ever wondered why we use words like audience, assembly, family, or crew as singular nouns? The reason is that these words are, in fact, collective nouns in English, and they are used to represent the whole group as one single unit.
In this article, you will learn what collective nouns are, why you should learn them, the use of common collective nouns in English, and examples of sentences using collective nouns.
A collective noun is a type of common noun that describes a group of animals, persons, objects, or things as one unit.
Merriam-webster dictionary defines the collective noun as:
“a noun such as “team” or “flock” that refers to a group of people or things.”
Some Examples of Collective Nouns in English
- A group of people
- A herd of animals
- A bunch of magazines
- A pride of lions
Collective nouns used in sentences
- The audience was listening to his views on global warming.
- A group of people is chanting slogans outside the building.
- A herd of deer is crossing the river.
- A bunch of magazines is lying on the table.
- A pride of lions is passing across the road.
In the above sentences, words like the audience, group of people, herd of deer, bunch of magazines, and pride of lions are collective nouns; therefore, they require a singular verb to be grammatically correct.
Why Should You Learn Collective Nouns?
Collective nouns in Engish help you describe a group of animals, objects, persons, ideas, and things as a single unit representing all the individual members of that group. Using such nouns makes your communication more professional, accurate, and fluent. Once you know them, you can express your views and thoughts more efficiently and correctly.
Is Collective Noun Singular or Plural?
A collective noun is always singular in its form, and it requires a singular verb to match the subject-verb agreement of English grammar. That is the basic rule to be followed in English grammar i.e., if the subject is singular, it must go with a singular verb.
As mentioned earlier, a collective noun represents all the members of one group as one single unit instead of representing each and every individual member, that is why it is considered as a singular noun.
For example, a school of fish, a collection of rare coins, and a bouquet of flowers represent a group, not a single member; therefore, these nouns must be used as singular nouns in the sentence. See the example sentences below:
For examples:
- A school of fish is swimming in the pond.Â
- A collection of rare coins is offered for auction.
- A bouquet of flowers was presented to the prime minister.
Collective Nouns Used as Singular
Here are some examples of collective nouns used as singular because they represent the whole group irrespective of individual members.
- The audience was keen to listen to his thoughts.
- The army is deployed on the borders.
- The bouquet of flowers made the room fresh and fragrant.
- The herd of sheep crosses the river.
Some Collective Nouns Used as plural
Certain collective nouns are used as plural nouns in English, and that is why we use plural verbs with them to satisfy the subject-verb agreement. Keep in mind that once you use these collective nouns as plural, you need to use plural pronouns to refer to them. Take a look at the following example.
- The police were looking for the fugitive.
- The members of the committee were ready to vote.
- All twelve jury members gave their verdict.
- Everyone in the audience is listening to his views on global warming.Â
In the examples above, the words police, members of the committee, jury members, and everyone in the audience are used as plural nouns and, therefore, require a plural verb.
Most Common Collective Nouns in English
Common collective nouns are nouns that are most frequently used in English. Even if you did not know they are collective nouns, you might have heard these words in newspapers, books, magazines, or daily conversations. Learning these common collective nouns helps you use them correctly in English.Â
List of Most Common Collective Nouns in English used for people
- army
- audience
- band
- board
- cast
- choir
- class
- club
- coalition
- committee
- community
- company
- congregation
- corporation
- council
- crew
- family
- firm
- gang
- group
- jury
- majority
- minority
- mob
- orchestra
- panel
- parliment
- party
- public
- school
- staff
- team
- troupe
List of Most Common Collective Nouns in Engish used for animals
- brood
- cloud
- colony
- flock
- gaggle
- herd
- horde
- litter
- pack
- pride
- school
- shoal
- swarm
Use of Collective Nouns in English
Some collective nouns like group, class, bunch, or pair are used to describe people, animals, birds, or objects. These words are flexible enough to be used in English, like a bunch of people, a bunch of papers, a bunch of books, etc.
On the other hand, some collective nouns are more specific and can only be used for certain groups of persons, animals, or objects.
Collective Nouns in English – Final Thoughts
Now, you have learned about collective nouns. For a quick reminder, a collective noun is a noun that represents a group of animals, persons, objects, or things as one single unit. We use singular verbs with collective nouns because they are singular nouns. Collective nouns are types of common nouns used to describe something generally, not specifically. Certain collective nouns like police are used as plural nouns. Or if the collective noun represents different members in one group, then it will be plural and require a plural verb to satisfy the subject-verb-agreement.
Collective Nouns in English FAQs
What is a collective noun?
A collective noun is a noun that describes a group of individuals as one single unit instead of representing members of the group individually. Assembly, family, audience, and crew are some of the examples of common collective nouns in English.
How many collective nouns exist in English?
In English, there are more than two hundred collective nouns.
How do you know whether a collective noun should be singular or plural?
If a collective noun represents one group as one unit, then it is singular—for example, the army, family, and class.Â
- My family is enjoying summer vacation.Â
- My class is taking the test.
If a collective noun describes different members in one group, then it is plural and requires a plural verb. For example,
- The students in my class are taking tests.
- My family members are enjoying summer vacation.
How do you know what pronoun to use to refer to a collective noun?
A collective noun describes a group of persons, animals, objects, or things as one unit, and therefore, a singular pronoun must be used to refer to a collective noun. For example,
- A herd of deer is grazing, and soon it will cross the river.Â
Is a crowd singular or plural collective noun?
A crowd is a singular collective noun because it represents all the members of the crowd as a single entity.
I hope this article helped you to learn what collective nouns are, whether they are singular or plural, how to use them in English, and some examples of collective nouns used in everyday English.
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