Collective Nouns English Grammar Lessons and Worksheets

What is a Collective Noun?
A collective noun is a word that names a group of people, animals or things.
Free lessons and worksheets: goo.gl/L2FMzZ
Common collective nouns used for people:
a team of players
a panel of experts
a board of directors
an army/company/regiment of soldiers
a band/gang of robbers
a band/orchestra of musicians
a bevy of beauties
a body of men
a bunch/gang of crooks
a caravan of gypsies
a cast/company/troupe of actors
a choir/troupe of singers
a class of pupils or students
a congregation of worshipers
a crew of sailors
a crowd of people
a crowd of spectators
a dynasty of kings
a galaxy of film stars
a gang of labourers
a gang of prisoners
a gang/pack of thieves
a troupe of dancers
a host of angels
a mob of rioters
a party of friends
a troop of scouts
a staff of employees
a staff of teachers
a team of climbers
a troupe of entertainers or performers

Common collective nouns for animals:
an army/colony/nest/swarm of ants
a brood of chicks
a brood/flock of chickens
a caravan/train of camels
a cloud/swarm of flies
a cloud/flight/plague/swarm of locusts
a colony of gulls
a colony of termites
a covey of partridges
a litter of puppies/kittens/piglets/cubs
a drove/flock of sheep
a drove/herd of cattle
a drove/string/stud/team of horses
a flight of doves/swallows
a flight/flock of birds
a flock/gaggle/skein of geese
a flock/herd of goats
a herd of antelopes
a herd of buffaloes
a herd of deer
a herd of elephants
a hive/swarm of bees
a host of sparrows
a cluster of spiders
a muster of peacocks
a dray/scurry of squirrels
a nest of mice
a nest/colony/herd of rabbits [herd=domestic]
a pack of dogs/hounds
a pack/rout of wolves [rout=in movement]
a pod/rookery of seals
a pod/school of whales
a pride/troop of lions
a rookery of penguins
a rookery of turtles
a shoal/school of fish
a school of porpoises or dolphins
a skulk of foxes
a team of oxen
a troop of monkeys
a bloat of hippopotamuses
a herd/dazzle/zeal of zebras
a kettle/committee/wake of vultures

Common collective nouns for things:
a bouquet/bunch of flowers
a bunch of keys
a anthology of poems
a chain/range of mountains
a archipelago of islands
a bale of cotton or wool
a battery of guns
a block of flats or apartments
a bunch/cluster of grapes
a bunch/cluster/comb/hand of bananas
a basket/bowl/cluster of fruits
a bundle of sticks
a bundle/truss/bale/stack of hay
a chain/series of events
a chest of drawers
a cloud of dust
a clump/forest/grove of trees
a clump/hedge of bushes
a cluster /constellation/galaxy of stars
a cluster of coconuts
a cluster of galaxies
a clutch of eggs
a crate of bottles
a deck/pack of cards
a fleet of cars
a fleet of taxis
a fleet/flotilla of ships
a flight of steps
a glossary of difficult words
a glossary of technical terms
a hail of bullets
a heap of stones
a library/set of books
a orchard of fruit trees
a pack of lies
a packet of cigarettes
a peal of bells
a quiver/sheaf of arrows
a range of hills
a ream/sheaf of paper
a roll of cloth
a round of applause
a row of houses
a set of china
a set of tools
a sheaf/stack/harvest of corn
a stack/stock of wood
a suite of furniture
a suite of rooms
a tuft of grass
a wad of currency/notes
a string of beads


Verb agreement with collective nouns:
Now we know a good number of collective nouns, don't we?
A question arises:
Do we use a singular verb or a plural verb after a collective noun?
Do we say a pride of lions is sitting under a tree or a pride of lions are sitting under a tree.

Well, sometimes 'a pride of lions is sitting under a tree' is correct. And sometimes 'a pride of lions are sitting under a tree' is correct.
It depends on context.

Let me explain:
Look at these lions. What are they doing? They're hunting. They're working as a team. They're doing the same thing at the same time. In this case, we say the pride is hunting now.
Now look at these lions. Today, they're not hunting. Their stomachs are full and they're having a holiday. One lion is sleeping. Another is walking. Two of them are playing. Different lions are doing different things. They're not working working as a team. They're not doing the same thing at the same time. In this case, we say: The pride are doing different things now.

The pride is hunting.
The pride are doing different things.

I hope I was able to explain it well. But it's not always easy like this. When you really don't know what verb to use and you don't want to make an error, then you have another option too:
Don't use the collective noun.
Instead of saying 'the pride' say 'the lions'. The lions are hunting. The lions are doing different things.
When you can't decide whether to say 'the committee is' or 'the committee are', say 'the members of the committee are'. 'Members' is plural and it takes a plural verb.
Instead of saying 'the team is' or 'the team are' say 'the players are'. #grammar #writing #skooll