Last updated on October 13th, 2026 at 05:04 pm
A family, a team and a flock are all groups. English has one word for each group. These words are called collective nouns.
This lesson shows what they are and how to use them. You will also learn if the verb is singular or plural. Then you get 40 examples, exercises with answers and a short quiz.
- What a collective noun is
- Three kinds of groups: people, animals and things
- When the verb is singular or plural
- 40 example sentences and fun animal group names
- Exercises with answers and a quiz
What Is a Collective Noun?
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A collective noun is a word for a group. It is one word, but it names many people, animals or things. Collective nouns are one type of noun.
For example, family is one word, but a family has many people. Here are three easy examples:
- A team of players
- A flock of birds
- A bunch of grapes
These words make our sentences shorter. Instead of “the birds flew together,” we can say “A flock of birds flew across the sky.”
Types of Collective Nouns
We use collective nouns for three kinds of groups.
| Group of | Collective nouns | Example |
|---|---|---|
| People | Team, family, class, crowd, committee, audience | The audience clapped loudly. |
| Animals | Flock, herd, pack, swarm, school, troop | A herd of cows crossed the road. |
| Things | Bunch, pile, collection, bouquet, fleet, set | She has a collection of old coins. |
Singular or Plural?
A collective noun is singular in form. Most of the time we use a singular verb, because we see the group as one thing.
- The team is ready for the match.
- The class has a test today.
In British English, we can also use a plural verb. We do this when we think about the people in the group one by one.
| English | Rule | Example |
|---|---|---|
| American | Use a singular verb | The jury has decided. |
| British | Use a singular or plural verb | The jury have decided. |
Check your answer
20 Examples of Collective Nouns with Sentences
Here are 20 collective nouns. Each one has an example sentence, and the collective noun is in bold.
| Collective noun | Example sentence |
|---|---|
| A herd of cattle | The herd of cattle was eating grass in the field yesterday. |
| A team of players | Our team of players won the final last weekend. |
| A swarm of bees | A swarm of bees is buzzing near the garden right now. |
| A bunch of grapes | I bought a fresh bunch of grapes at the market. |
| A flock of birds | The flock of birds flies south every winter. |
| A group of friends | My group of friends meets every Saturday. |
| A class of students | The class of students was taking a test when the alarm rang. |
| A pack of wolves | A pack of wolves walked through the forest at night. |
| A bouquet of flowers | He will give her a lovely bouquet of flowers for her birthday. |
| A gang of thieves | The gang of thieves ran away before the police arrived. |
| A crowd of people | A crowd of people is gathering in front of the concert hall. |
| A fleet of ships | A fleet of ships was in the harbor this morning. |
| A choir of singers | The choir of singers will perform at the school event next week. |
| A troop of monkeys | We saw a troop of monkeys playing in the trees. |
| A panel of judges | The panel of judges has announced the winner. |
| An army of soldiers | An army of soldiers marched across the field at dawn. |
| A collection of stamps | He has a large collection of stamps. |
| A school of fish | A school of fish swam past the divers. |
| A pile of books | There is a pile of books on my desk. |
| A band of musicians | The band of musicians practiced for hours before the show. |
20 More Examples of Collective Nouns
These 20 sentences use different collective nouns, so there are no repeats. Each one uses a singular verb, as in American English.
- Kareema belongs to a joint family.
- He is a new member of our committee.
- The jury will give its decision soon.
- The audience clapped when the show ended.
- The police told the mob to go home.
- The crew is cleaning the ship.
- The staff meets every Monday morning.
- The cast of the play is waiting backstage.
- Our city council is building a new park.
- The orchestra plays every Friday night.
- The board of the company is meeting today.
- The club has twenty members.
- A couple is waiting outside the door.
- The football squad trains every morning.
- A set of keys is on the table.
- A stack of plates is next to the sink.
- A batch of cookies is in the oven.
- The tribe lives near the river.
- The government is planning a new road.
- A chain of islands lies in the sea.
Fun Animal Group Names
Many animal groups have special names. Some are old and funny. People use them mostly in stories and word games.
| Animal | Group name | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Lions | Pride | A pride of lions slept under the tree. |
| Crows | Murder | A murder of crows flew over the field. |
| Geese | Gaggle | A gaggle of geese crossed the road. |
| Dolphins | Pod | A pod of dolphins followed the boat. |
| Owls | Parliament | A parliament of owls sat in the tree. |
| Flamingos | Flamboyance | A flamboyance of flamingos stood in the lake. |
| Puppies | Litter | A litter of puppies is sleeping in the box. |
| Ants | Colony | A colony of ants lives under the stone. |
Collective Noun vs Plural Noun
A collective noun names a group as one thing. A plural noun names more than one thing.
| Feature | Collective noun | Plural noun |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | One group of many members | More than one thing |
| Example | The team is ready. | The teams are ready. |
| Verb in American English | Singular: is, has | Plural: are, have |
Common Mistakes
| Incorrect | Correct | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| A army of soldiers marched. | An army of soldiers marched. | Use an before a vowel sound. |
| The team is ready, but they are late. | The team is ready, but it is late. | In American English, use it with a singular verb. |
| A flock of birds are flying. | A flock of birds is flying. | The collective noun flock is the subject. |
| A bunch of grape. | A bunch of grapes. | Use a plural noun after of for things you can count. |
Practice: Exercises on Collective Nouns
Exercise A: Fill in the Blanks
Use a word from the box: school, class, flock, bouquet, gang.
- A __________ of fish swam near the coral reef.
- The __________ of students listened to the teacher.
- I saw a __________ of birds flying across the sky.
- She received a beautiful __________ of flowers on her birthday.
- The police arrested a __________ of thieves last night.
Show answers for Exercise A
- School
- Class
- Flock
- Bouquet
- Gang
Exercise B: Choose the Correct Collective Noun
- A __________ of ships was near the harbor. a) herd b) flock c) fleet
- We watched a __________ of monkeys in the trees. a) troop b) pile c) bouquet
- The __________ of judges announced the winner. a) pack b) panel c) swarm
- A __________ of grapes was on the kitchen table. a) bunch b) fleet c) class
- The __________ of players celebrated their win. a) army b) team c) gang
Show answers for Exercise B
- Fleet
- Troop
- Panel
- Bunch
- Team
Exercise C: Choose the Correct Verb
Use American English.
- The family (is / are) having dinner.
- The jury (has / have) made a decision.
- Our band (is / are) very good.
- The class (starts / start) at nine o’clock.
- The audience (was / were) happy with the show.
Show answers for Exercise C
- Is (The family is having dinner.)
- Has (The jury has made a decision.)
- Is (Our band is very good.)
- Starts (The class starts at nine o’clock.)
- Was (The audience was happy with the show.)
Quiz: Test Yourself
- What is a collective noun?
- Which word is a collective noun?
- A ___ of dolphins swam near the boat.
- Which verb is correct in American English? “The class ___ a test today.”
- Which sentence is correct?
- What is a group of owls called?
- Which sentence is correct?
- Which sentence is clear in both American and British English?
- Which collective noun goes with a group of singers?
- Which word is a plural noun, not a collective noun?
Key Takeaways
- A collective noun is one word for a group.
- We use collective nouns for people, animals and things.
- In American English, use a singular verb: The team is ready.
- In British English, you can use a singular or plural verb.
- Add members to make the verb plural and clear: The members of the team are tired.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a collective noun?
A collective noun is one word for a group of people, animals or things. For example: A flock of birds is flying.
What are some examples of collective nouns?
Common examples are team, family, class, crowd, flock, herd, bunch and fleet. For example: The team is ready.
Is a collective noun singular or plural?
It is singular in form. American English uses a singular verb: The class has a test. British English can also use a plural verb.
What are collective nouns for animals?
Animals have group names such as a pride of lions, a pod of dolphins, a flock of birds and a swarm of bees.
How do you use a collective noun in a sentence?
Put the collective noun as the subject and use a singular verb. For example: The committee meets on Monday.
What is the difference between a collective noun and a plural noun?
A collective noun names one group: The team is ready. A plural noun names more than one thing: The teams are ready.
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