What is a Collective Noun?
A collective noun refers to a group of individuals as one unit.
a flock of birds — flock is the collective noun, not "birds"
Common Collective Nouns for Animals
| Collective noun | Animals |
|---|---|
| flock | birds, sheep |
| swarm | bees, flies, insects |
| pack | wolves, dogs |
| herd | cows, elephants, horses |
| pride | lions |
| school / shoal | fish |
| litter | kittens, puppies |
| colony | ants, bats, penguins |
| gaggle | geese (on land) |
| murder | crows |
Collective Nouns for People and Things
| Collective noun | Group |
|---|---|
| team | players |
| crew | sailors, workers |
| band | musicians |
| bunch | flowers, keys, grapes |
| fleet | ships, vehicles |
| library | books |
| bouquet | flowers |
| audience | viewers, spectators |
Singular or Plural Verb?
In British English, collective nouns can take either a singular or plural verb depending on meaning:
- Singular (group acting as one unit): The team is winning.
- Plural (group members acting individually): The team are wearing different coloured boots.
In American English, collective nouns almost always take a singular verb.
Some collective nouns are fun and unusual. Learning them adds colour to your writing — teachers and examiners love them!
Real world: wildlife documentary narration
A pride of lions rested in the shade while a herd of elephants moved slowly toward the river. Overhead, a large flock of birds circled the sky, and in the water a shoal of fish darted past the rocks.
Real world: sports news report
The team is preparing for Sunday's final. The squad has been training hard all week. The crowd at the stadium was enormous — a band of musicians played before the match.
Practice Problems
Which collective noun fits? 'A __ of wolves howled at the moon.' (flock / pack / herd)
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Is this correct? 'A swarm of bees are attacking the hive.' (British English)
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Name the collective noun for a group of fish.