Everybody in all probability is aware of {that a} group of cows is named a herd and maybe {that a} group of lions is named a delight, however do you know {that a} group of otters is typically known as a raft? Or {that a} group of swans may be known as a wedge—however solely once they’re flying?
These phrases for congregated animals are examples of collective nouns: nouns that seek advice from teams or collections. There are round 200 collective nouns within the English language.
What’s a collective noun?
A collective noun is a widespread noun that names a bunch of individuals, creatures, or objects:
The viewers on the midafternoon displaying was particularly appreciative of the comedic elements of the film.
Site visitors on the street was briefly stopped by a flock of untamed turkeys that was making its manner throughout.
Paleontologists discovered a set of fossils in Argentina from the bones of an Achillesaurus or a carefully associated species.
Are collective nouns singular or plural?
Though they seek advice from a number of issues directly by definition, collective nouns are singular in type. This could make selecting the best verb to make use of with a collective noun when it’s the topic of a sentence or clause (that’s, sustaining subject-verb settlement) a bit tough—it’s nearly like they’re plural and singular on the similar time!
In American English, collective nouns most of the time seem with singular verbs:
The movie competition’s choice committee consists of filmmakers, movie programmers, and critics.
Residents of the city stated a drove of pigs that had escaped from a neighborhood farm was destroying their yards and gardens.
Nonetheless, it’s additionally right—and fairly widespread—to deal with a collective noun as plural when what’s being communicated is that the members or elements of a bunch are performing individually somewhat than as a unit:
My household principally have their birthdays within the fall and winter.
The choir had been all warming up in numerous keys.
Among the many scholar physique, the majority are Californians.
In British English, it’s way more widespread to deal with collective nouns as plural:
The band had been on tour all summer time.
It appeared just like the workers had been at all times taking their lunch break after we stopped by the store.
3 recommendations on the way to use collective nouns
As we’ve seen, preserving collective nouns in settlement with the verbs they seem alongside may be tough. When you’ve mastered that, collective nouns are easy to make use of in your writing. Listed below are a number of extra ideas that will help you alongside.
1
Lean towards singular
An excellent rule of thumb for utilizing collective nouns in American English is to err on the facet of treating them as singular. In different phrases, until there’s a compelling argument for making them plural—as within the examples within the previous part, by which the emphasis is on the person members of the group—it’s at all times acceptable to make use of a singular verb with them.
The membership meets each Wednesday after faculty.
The pod of dolphins was approaching the ship.
Observe that there are a number of exceptions to this rule of thumb, such because the collective noun police, which at all times takes a plural verb.
The police had been already there after we arrived on the scene.
2
Make the topic plural
In case you are scuffling with a sentence as a result of a specific collective noun / plural verb mixture sounds awkward to your ear, one choice is to show the collective noun right into a extra simple plural by including “members of” or related. Evaluate the 2 examples beneath. Within the first, the collective noun jury is the topic. Within the second, the plural noun members has change into the topic. Each sentences are grammatically right, however within the second, no reader will journey on or query the usage of the plural noun had been.
The jury had been staying in resort rooms whereas they had been sequestered.
The members of the jury had been staying in resort rooms whereas they had been sequestered.
3
Be constant
Whenever you resolve whether or not to deal with a collective noun as a singular or a plural, be sure you’re constant about its quantity all through any part of writing that it seems in. For instance, in the event you use a pronoun to refer again to the collective noun, it must also agree with the collective noun and the verb in quantity.
The firm is doing very effectively this quarter. It has recouped most of its losses from final winter.
The group of passengers will scatter as quickly as they disembark.
Examples of collective nouns
Many collective nouns—equivalent to group, bunch, couple, and pair—are common sufficient or versatile sufficient that they are often utilized to individuals, animals, or objects.
A bunch of my coworkers are going to that live performance.
Sam picked up a bunch of magazines earlier than getting on their flight.
Different collective nouns are extra particular in what they seek advice from.
Widespread collective nouns for individuals
- military
- viewers
- band
- board
- forged
- choir
- class
- membership
- coalition
- committee
- neighborhood
- firm
- congregation
- company
- council
- crew
- crowd
- household
- agency
- gang
- group
- jury
- majority
- minority
- mob
- orchestra
- panel
- parliament
- occasion
- public
- faculty
- workers
- crew
- troupe
Widespread collective nouns for objects
- array
- assortment
- bouquet
- caravan
- assortment
- constellation
- fleet
- forest
- galaxy
- heap
- parcel
- pile
- vary
- collection
- set
- bathe
- stack
- stream
- wad
Widespread collective nouns for animals
- brood
- cloud
- colony
- flock
- gaggle
- herd
- horde
- litter
- pack
- delight
- faculty
- shoal
- swarm
Collective noun FAQs
What’s a collective noun?
A collective noun is a typical noun that names a bunch of individuals, creatures, or objects.
What number of collective nouns exist in English?
There are round 200 collective nouns in English.
How are you aware whether or not a collective noun needs to be singular or plural?
Collective nouns are singular in type however plural in that means. In American English, they’re often handled as singular and adopted by a singular verb. Nonetheless, lots of them may be handled as plural in contexts the place the emphasis is on the person members or elements of a bunch somewhat than on the group as an entire. In British English, collective nouns are way more regularly handled as plural.
How are you aware what pronoun to make use of to seek advice from a collective noun?
A pronoun that refers again to a collective noun ought to agree in quantity with that collective noun and, if the collective noun is performing as the topic of a sentence or clause, with the verb.
