Collective Nouns

Definition

Collective Noun is a word naming a unit that includes a collection of more than one person, place, animal, thing, or idea.

Examples

• Swarm: a large group of flying insects
• Crew: a group of people who work together or work on an aircraft, or a ship
• Staff: a set of employees at a business
• Gang: a group of criminals
• Mob: a disordered or riotous crowd of people
• Committee: a group of people elected to perform some service or function
• Choir: an organized group of singers
• Band: a group of people joining together for a special purpose or a group of animals
• Bunch: a number of things of the same kind growing together like grapes or bananas
• Army: a military branch made up of a trained people

Note

a collective noun can be paired with the singular verbs or pronouns as well as with the plural verbs or pronouns  depending on the context of the sentence.

Examples of collective nouns paired with singular verbs and pronouns

• The army is doing an amazing movement in its field.
• The family thinks that its youngest son is not happy.
• The committee has the same planification to the new project of solar energy.

we notice that collective nouns in the last three examples are used with the singular form of verbs and pronouns as the sentence's context shows that the collective nouns act as a single unit. 

Rule (1): we use the singular verb and pronoun when each individual or member of the collective noun acts as a single unit in the sentence. That means, they act in unison.

Examples of collective nouns paired with plural verbs and pronouns 

• The crowd were clapping and cheering while they were following the stand-up comedy.
• After taking an English class about the basic part of speech, the class students start doing their exercises.
• The gang were running in different directions once they beheld a set of policemen.

we notice that the collective nouns are used with plural form of the verbs and pronouns because the context of the sentence shows that the individuals or the members of those collective nouns act individually.

Rule (2): when the members of a collective noun act as individuals that collective noun should be paired with plural verbs and pronouns.

Here are some examples for:

common collective nouns used for people

• A gang of  thieves
• A company of actors
• A platoon of soldiers
• A team of players
• A troupe of dancers
• A class of schoolchildren

common collective nouns used for animals

• A gaggle of geese
• A troop of monkeys
• A pod of dolphins
• A flock of birds
• A hive of bees
• A herd of deer

common collectve nouns used for things

• A set of tools
• A grove of trees
• A range of mountains
• A bunch of grapes
• A galaxy of stars
• A pair of shoes

Exercises

1) Each of these sentences contains a collective noun. Select the correct answer from the options that follow the sentence.

• After finishing her shopping, Anna got back home to celebrate her birthday with her family.

          Anna-birth day-family

• once they agreed to form a team of basketball the students started training at once.

          team-training-students

• A group of students is discussing the types of sentences.

        types-sentences-group

• The boat's crew made a great job to stop the leak. 

        leak-crew-job

2) Complete each of the following phrases with the suitable collective nouns.

pack-pairs-collection-heap-bowl-string

• A....................of cards
• A....................of pearls
• A....................of coins
• A....................of rice
• A....................of shoes 
• A....................of rubbish

Answer key

Exercise (1)

family-team-group-crew

Exercise (2)

pack-string-collection-bowl-pairs-heap