What is a collective noun? Collective nouns list! If you are looking for collective nouns in detail for speaking or writing in the English language, Here we have covered all the details step by step. Collective nouns often we have seen in the English language during writing or reading so it is important for us to be aware of it.
In this article, we are going to look at various kinds of collective nouns, types, and their proper definition with examples in sentences as well as their use.
What is a collective noun?
A collective noun is a type of noun that refers to a group of people, animals, or things as a single unit.
For example, “team” is a collective noun that refers to a group of individuals.
Collective Noun Examples
- What is a group of elephants called? The herd of elephants marched across the savannah.
- What is a group of birds called? The flock of birds flew south for the winter.
- What is a group of bees called? The swarm of bees buzzed around the hive.
- What is a group of ants called? The colony of ants worked together to gather food.
- What is a group of wolves called? The pack of wolves howled at the moon.
- What is a group of puppies called? The litter of puppies played in the yard.
- What is a group of fish called? The school of fish swam in unison.
- What is a group of whales called? The pod of whales breached the surface of the water.
- What is a group of cheered called? The crowd cheered as the band took the stage.
Learn about nouns in detail: What is a noun?
Types of Collective Nouns
There are different types of collective nouns, including common collective nouns, singular collective nouns, plural collective nouns, and partitive collective nouns.
- Common collective nouns refer to groups of people or animals, such as “team” or “flock.”
- Singular collective nouns refer to a single entity, such as “family” or “staff.”
- Plural collective nouns refer to groups of people or animals, such as “audience” or “police.”
- Partitive collective nouns refer to groups of things, such as “grains” or “sands.”
| Category | Definition | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Animals | Collective nouns that refer to groups of animals. | herd, flock, swarm, colony, pack, litter, school, pod |
| People | Collective nouns that refer to groups of people. | crowd, audience, team, group, staff, committee, family, band |
| Things | Collective nouns that refer to groups of objects. | fleet, collection, library, bouquet, bunch, suite, set |
Animals
| Collective Noun | Definition | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Herd | A group of large animals that live and move together. | A herd of elephants was grazing in the savannah. |
| Flock | A group of birds that fly or move together. | A flock of geese flew overhead in a V formation. |
| Swarm | A large group of insects or small animals that move together. | A swarm of bees was buzzing around the hive. |
| Colony | A group of animals, especially insects, that live and work together. | A colony of ants was busy gathering food. |
| Pack | A group of wild animals that hunt and travel together. | A pack of wolves was howling in the distance. |
| Litter | A group of animals born to the same mother at the same time. | A litter of kittens was playing in the yard. |
| School | A group of fish that swim together. | A school of tuna was swimming in the ocean. |
| Pod | A group of whales or dolphins that swim and travel together. | A pod of whales breached the surface of the water. |
People
| Collective Noun | Definition | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Crowd | A large group of people gathered in one place. | The crowd cheered as the team scored a goal. |
| Audience | A group of people who watch a performance or event. | The audience applauded after the concert. |
| Team | A group of people who work together to achieve a goal. | The team won the championship game. |
| Group | A number of people who come together for a common purpose. | The group of friends went to the beach. |
| Staff | A group of people who work for a company or organization. | The staff held a meeting to discuss new policies. |
| Committee | A group of people appointed to make decisions on a particular matter. | The committee met to discuss the budget for the project. |
| Family | A group of people related by blood or marriage. | The family gathered for Thanksgiving dinner. |
| Band | A group of musicians who play instruments together. | The band played a new song at the concert. |
Things
| Collective Noun | Definition | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Fleet | A group of vehicles or ships under one ownership or command. | The fleet of trucks was carrying supplies to the warehouse. |
| Collection | A group of objects or items that are similar or related. | The collection of stamps was worth a fortune. |
| Library | A group of books or other materials available for use. | The university had a large library of research materials. |
| Bouquet | A group of flowers arranged in a decorative manner. | The bouquet of roses was stunning. |
| Bunch | A group of similar things that are held or tied together |
Usage of Collective Nouns
Using collective nouns correctly is essential to ensure that the meaning of a sentence is clear. Collective nouns can be used in both singular and plural contexts, depending on the context in which they are used.
List of Collective Nouns for People in English
- audience
- band
- choir
- class
- committee
- crew
- crowd
- family
- faculty
- gang
- group
- jury
- orchestra
- staff
- team
List of Collective nouns for People Image
List of Collective Nouns
1. Collective nouns list for Animals
- A pride of lions hunted together in the grasslands.
- The herd of cattle grazed peacefully in the meadow.
- The flock of birds migrated south for the winter.
- A swarm of bees buzzed around the hive.
- The pack of wolves howled at the full moon.
- A colony of ants marched in a line towards their nest.
- A school of fish swam in the ocean.
- A pod of dolphins leaped out of the water.
- The troop of monkeys swung through the trees in the jungle.
- A litter of puppies played in the backyard.
2. Collective nouns list for People
- a band of musicians
- a team of athletes
- a troupe of actors
- a crew of sailors
- a squad of soldiers
- a staff of employees
- a choir of singers
- a class of students
- a gang of criminals
- a party of friends
- a mob of protesters
- a group of activists
- a board of directors
- a committee of experts
- a jury of peers.
3. Collective nouns list for Things
- A bouquet of flowers brightened up the room.
- The fleet “fleet” of cars drove through the city streets.
- A pack of cards is scattered on the table.
- The stack “stack” of papers needed to be sorted out.
- A set of tools lay on the workbench.
- The collection “collection” of books in the library was impressive.
- A swarm of bees buzzed around the garden.
- The herd “herd” of cattle grazed on the field.
- A bunch of bananas hung from the tree.
- The pile “pile” of clothes needed to be washed.
