Collective Nouns

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Bilde: Theo Allof

The English language has a rich variety of collective nouns. Collective nouns describe groups, but the words look as though they are singular. This can make us unsure whether to use a singular verb or a plural verb with the collective noun. We should then think about what we want to express: if we are trying to say something about the group as a unit, we should pair it with a singular verb. If we are talking about the various members or things in a group then we use a plural verb.

Let us look at some examples of how we would use collective nouns with singular and plural verbs:

• 'The choir sings beautifully'.
  This sentence expresses that everyone in the choir signs together as a unit, therefore we use a singular verb.

• 'The choir were all singing in different keys'.
  Here, we are talking about the individual members in the choir all doing different things, therefore we use a plural verb.

Here is another example:

• 'The board of directors has made a final decision'.
  This sentence describes the board of directors as a unit.

• 'The board of directors were having a terrible row'.
  Here, we mean that the individual members of the board were fighting each other.

Now we will explore a selection of collective nouns used about people, things, and animals. While this gives you an impression of the variety that exists, you should be aware that there are many more.

1. a body of men

2. a bunch of crooks

3. a choir of singers

4. a company of actors

5. a congregation of worshippers

6. a gang of prisoners

7. a class of students

8. a line of kings

9. a mob of rioters

10. a pack of thieves

11. a party of friends

12. a staff of employees

13. a team of players

14. a tribe of natives

15. a troop of scouts

16. a band of musicians

17. a panel of experts

18. a squad of soldiers

19. a board of directors

20. a troupe of ballet dancers

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Bilde: Georg Wendt

1. a cloud of dust

2. a heap of rubbish

3. an outfit of clothes

4. a range of mountains

5. a ream of paper

6. a pair of shoes

7. a cluster of coconuts

8. a hand of bananas

9. a quiver of arrows

10. a bouquet of flowers

11. a bundle of sticks

12. a fleet of vehicles

13. a bunch of keys

14. a hedge of bushes

15. an atlas of maps

16. a set of clubs

17. a shower of rain

18. a wad of notes (money)

19. a string of pearls

20. a flight of stairs

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Bilde: Science Photo Library, NTB

A quirk of the English language is that there are many unusual collective nouns for animals that may be used instead of the more common ones. For example, you will be understood if you say you went on holiday and saw a group of lions, but it would be more idiomatic to say that you saw a pride of lions. We could say that there is a flock of crows in the tree, but it sounds more poetic to say that there is a murder of crows in the tree. We could say there is a swarm of bees, but it would also be fine to say there is a hive, grist, stand, rabble, bike, charm, or nest of bees. Below, you will find a list of examples of unusual collective nouns.

1. a lamentation of swans

2. a colony of bats

3. a glaring of cats

4. a school of fish

5. a shiver of sharks

6. a crash of rhinoceroses

7. a congregation of alligators

8. a troop of foxes

9. a gaggle of geese

10. a colony of seagulls

11. an unkindness of ravens

12. a brood of hens

13. a prickle of hedgehogs

14. a coalition of cheetahs

15. a horde of hamsters

16. a flight of dragons

17. a smack of jellyfish

18. an army of ants

19. a mischief of mice

20. a parliament of owls

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Bilde: Jack Dykinga