Collective Nouns, Definition of Collective Noun With Examples

Collective nouns are words used to describe groups or collections of things, people, or animals. They are singular words that refer to a group of individuals as a single unit. Collective nouns are commonly used in the English language to make sentences more concise and easier to understand when referring to a group of entities.

What is a Collective Noun

Also Read: What are Nouns

For Examples:

1. A herd of cattle grazed in the field.
2. A flock of birds flew across the sky.
3. The soccer team practiced for the big game.

Collective Noun Definition

Collective Nouns Examples

Collective Nouns for Animals

• Collective noun for wolves - Den
• Collective noun for geese - Gaggle
• Collective noun for horses - Herd
• Collective noun for bees - Hive
• Collective noun for owls - Parliament
• Collective noun for fish - Shoal
• Collective noun for crows - Murder
• Collective noun for squirrels - Dray
• Collective noun for seagulls - Colony
• Collective noun for penguins - Colony

Collective Nouns for People

• Collective noun for chefs - Brigade
• Collective noun for students - Class
• Collective noun for lawyers - Bar
• Collective noun for cyclists - Peloton
• Collective noun for writers - Guild
• Collective noun for firefighters - Brigade
• Collective noun for politicians - Caucus
• Collective noun for teachers - Faculty
• Collective noun for artists - Gallery
• Collective noun for astronauts - Crew

Collective Nouns for Objects/Things

• Collective noun for books - Library
• Collective noun for ships - Armada
• Collective noun for cars - Fleet
• Collective noun for clouds - Sky
• Collective noun for islands - Archipelago
• Collective noun for buildings - Cluster
• Collective noun for stars - Constellation
• Collective noun for planets - System
• Collective noun for islands - Chain
• Collective noun for coins - Collection

Collective Nouns Examples Used in Sentences

1. The herd of cows grazed peacefully in the pasture.
2. A flock of birds flew across the colorful sunset.
3. The team of firefighters worked together to put out the blaze.
4. A swarm of bees buzzed around the blooming flowers.
5. The pack of wolves hunted for their next meal.
6. The fleet of ships sailed majestically under the clear sky.
7. An army of ants marched in a neat line across the picnic blanket.
8. The group of students studied late into the night.
9. The choir of singers performed a beautiful rendition of the song.
10. The colony of penguins waddled clumsily on the icy shore.

Practice Problems on Collective Nouns

1. What is the collective noun for a group of sheep?
2. Fill in the blank: A ________ of fish swam by, creating a beautiful underwater spectacle.
3. Which collective noun is used for a group of musicians performing together?
4. In the sentence, "The _______ of bees was busy collecting nectar," what is the missing collective noun?
5. Identify the collective noun: "The coach was proud of his talented _______ of young gymnasts."
6. What is the collective noun for a group of lions?
7. In the sentence, "A ______ of keys was found in the lost and found box," what is the missing collective noun?
8. Which collective noun is used for a group of books?
9. Complete the sentence: "The _______ of dancers moved gracefully across the stage."
10. What is the collective noun for a group of geese in flight?

Answers:

• Flock
• School
• Orchestra
• Swarm
• Team
• Pride
• Bunch
• Library
• Troupe
• Skein