Collective Noun: Definition, 100+ Examples, List & Practice Questions

In English grammar, nouns play a major role in forming meaningful sentences. Noun is a word that refers to a person, place, thing, idea, feeling, or animal. Noun has several types, and one important type is the collective noun. If you've ever said “a group of students” or “a bunch of flowers,” you've already used one! This guide will help you undestand what collective nouns are, how to use them correctly, and you'll explore 100+ examples and practice questions to master this topic.

What is a Collective Noun?

A collective noun is a noun which refers to a group of people, animals, or things considered as a single unit. It describes a collection or group of individuals acting together. Collective nouns are often used to simplify language and make it more concise.

Example:

• "The team is playing well."
• "A flock of birds flew over the river."

Even though a collective noun refers to many, it's often treated as a singular noun in grammar.

Common List of Collective Nouns

There are many collective nouns in English, we often use them without even realizing it! Here are some common collective nouns you might encounter:

Collective Noun	Used For
Team	A group of players/people
Flock	A group of birds or sheep
Herd	A group of animals (cattle, deer)
Bunch	A group of flowers, grapes
Pack	A group of wolves/dogs/cards
Crowd	A group of people
Army	A group of soldiers
Committee	A group of people for a task
Family	A group of related people
Class	A group of students

Tip: Collective nouns often come with the preposition "of": a bunch of flowers, a herd of cattle.

100+ Examples of Collective Nouns

Here are 100+ examples of collective nouns in a bullet format for easy reference:

1. A pride of lions
2. A herd of elephants
3. A pod of dolphins
4. A pod of whales
5. A flock of birds
6. A murder of crows
7. A gaggle of geese
8. A skein of geese
9. A covey of quail
10. A parliament of owls
11. A school of fish
12. A shoal of fish
13. A swarm of bees
14. A hive of bees
15. A colony of ants
16. A troop of monkeys
17. A pack of wolves
18. A pack of dogs
19. A litter of puppies
20. A litter of kittens
21. A kennel of dogs
22. A pride of tigers
23. A crash of rhinoceroses
24. A tower of giraffes
25. A leap of leopards
26. A shrewdness of apes
27. A tribe of goats
28. A herd of sheep
29. A drove of cattle
30. A stert of pigs
31. A sounder of swine
32. A raft of ducks
33. A paddling of ducks
34. A covey of partridges
35. A mob of kangaroos
36. A business of ferrets
37. A conspiracy of lemurs
38. A zeal of zebras
39. A bloat of hippopotamuses
40. A herd of buffalo
41. A pod of seals
42. A colony of penguins
43. A flamboyance of flamingos
44. A watch of nightingales
45. A murmuration of starlings
46. A kettle of hawks
47. An unkindness of ravens
48. A clowder of cats
49. A kindle of kittens
50. A leash of hounds
51. A pod of otters
52. A colony of bats
53. A mischief of mice
54. A cete of badgers
55. A charm of finches
56. A brood of hens
57. A descent of woodpeckers
58. A flight of butterflies
59. A plague of locusts
60. A skulk of foxes
61. A gaze of raccoons
62. A husk of hares
63. A pandemonium of parrots
64. A sedge of herons
65. A clutter of spiders
66. A pride of peacocks
67. A fall of woodcocks
68. A scurry of squirrels
69. A cloud of grasshoppers
70. A wake of vultures
71. A prickle of porcupines
72. A shiver of sharks
73. A tank of sharks
74. A gam of whales
75. A port of ships
76. A fleet of ships
77. A pack of cards
78. A board of directors
79. A committee of officials
80. A staff of employees
81. An orchestra of musicians
82. A troupe of actors
83. A band of musicians
84. An army of soldiers
85. A company of soldiers
86. A fleet of cars
87. A congregation of worshippers
88. An audience of spectators
89. A jury of peers
90. A panel of judges
91. A cast of characters
92. A bouquet of flowers
93. A cluster of stars
94. A galaxy of stars
95. A chain of islands
96. A range of mountains
97. A bunch of keys
98. A bundle of sticks
99. A heap of stones
100. A patch of flowers
101. A forest of trees
102. A grove of trees
103. A deck of cards
104. A suite of rooms
105. A set of tools
106. A collection of stamps
107. A panel of experts
108. A board of trustees
109. A troupe of dancers
110. A squadron of planes

Examples of Collective Nouns in Sentences

Here are some examples of collective nouns used in sentences:

1. The flock of birds flew over the lake.
2. A pride of lions was resting under the tree.
3. The team of players celebrated their victory.
4. A herd of elephants was spotted near the watering hole.
5. The class of students is preparing for the exam.
6. A bunch of grapes was on the table.
7. The committee of experts will meet tomorrow.
8. A pack of wolves howled in the distance.
9. The audience was captivated by the performance.
10. A swarm of bees surrounded the hive.

Collective Noun: Singular or Plural?

This confuses many students that collective nouns can be both singular and plural. Let's clarify:

• In British English, collective nouns can be plural or singular, depending on context.

  • The team are wearing their new jerseys.

• In American English, collective nouns are usually singular.

  • The team is wearing its new jerseys.
  • The team is playing tonight.

Use singular if you're talking about the group as a whole. Use plural if referring to individuals in the group.

Common Confusions with Collective Nouns

Incorrect	Correct
The crowd are silent.	The crowd is silent.
A group of student is waiting.	A group of students is waiting.
The bunch of grapes were sweet.	The bunch of grapes was sweet.

Practice Questions on Collective Nouns

Part 1: Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

1. Which of the following is a collective noun?
A. Chair
B. Family
C. Book
D. Dog
Answer: B. Family

2. Choose the correct sentence:
A. A herd of cows are grazing.
B. A herd of cows is grazing.
Answer: B. A herd of cows is grazing.

3. What is the collective noun in this sentence? "The audience was silent after the speech."
A. Silent
B. Speech
C. Audience
Answer: C. Audience

4. Which of the following is NOT a collective noun?
A. Team
B. Flock
C. Group
D. Apple
Answer: D. Apple

Part 2: Fill in the Blanks

5. A ______ of lions is resting in the shade.
Answer: pride

6. She gave me a beautiful ______ of flowers.
Answer: bunch

7. A ______ of sailors boarded the ship.
Answer: crew

8. The ______ of students is studying for the exam.
Answer: class

Part 3: Sentence Correction

9. The class are very noisy today.
Corrected: The class is very noisy today.

10. A group of players are warming up.
Corrected: A group of players is warming up.

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