T8 Collective Nouns

Topic 8        Collective Nouns

Collective nouns refer to groups of people, animals / things considered as a whole.

     ----- singular in form

     ----- singular / plural in meaning

     ----- It is considered Countable nouns             

        band/  class / company  /   flock /        gang / litter / swarm  /   team

     Proper Nouns

        the BBC,  the United Nations, the Senate

When a collective noun is singular in form, it may have singular / plural in meaning depending on whether you, as a writer / speaker, refer to an individual member in the group or a whole group as a unit.

People

1.  a band of musician                 2.  a bench of magistrates

3.  a bevy of girls/ ladies                     4.  a board of directors

5.  a body of men                               6.  a choir of singers

7.  a class of pupils                             8.  a company of actors

9.  a congregation of worshippers         10. a crowd of spectators           

11. a field of athletes                   12. a gang of thieves

13. a horde of savages                        14. a host of angels/ friends

15. a panel of judges                  16.  a party of friends/ politicians 

17. a posse of policemen             18.  a relay of runners               

19. a regiment of soldiers            20.  a school of pupils

21. a staff of teachers                 22.  a team of players        

23. a tribe of natives                   24. a troupe of dancers              

Animals

1.  an army of ants                             2.  a brood of chickens

3.  a catch/ haul / shoal of fish             4.  a flight of swallows        

5.  a flock of birds / sheep                   6.  a gaggle of geese         

7.  a herd of cattle / elephants             8.   a litter of kittens / puppies

9.  a nest of mice / rabbits                   10.  a pack of hounds / wolves

11. a pride of lions                              12.  a school of whales

13. a stud of horses                            14.  a swarm of bees

15. a swarm / plague of insects            16.  a team of oxen

17.  a troop of monkeys

Things

1.  an album of photographs                2.  a bale of cotton                             

3.  a basket of fruit                             4.  a batch of bread

5.  a battery of guns                          6.  a bouquet of flowers              

7.  a bunch of bananas / grapes          8.  a bundle of rags / sticks

9.  a chain / range of mountains           10. a chest of drawers        

11.  a cloud of dust                             12. a clump of trees

13.  a cluster of diamonds                   14.  a clutch of eggs          

15.  a collection of pictures / stamps     16.  a column of smoke

17.  a fleet of motorcars / ships           

18.  a flight of aeroplanes/ stairs/ steps

19.  a galaxy of stars                   20.  a group of islands

21.  a heap / piles of stones         22.  a hedge of bushes

23.  a library of books                 24.  a line of cars

25.  a pack of cards                            26.  a packet of cigarettes

27.  a peal of bells                              28.  a quiver of arrows               

29.  a reel of film / thread                     30.  a row of houses

31.  a set of china                               32.  a set / kit of tools

33.  a sheaf of corn                             34.  a skein of silk                      

35.  a stack of hay / timber                  36.  a stock of goods

37.  a string of beads / pearls              38.  a suit of clothes

39.  a suite of furniture                                40.  a tuft of grass