What Is a Collective Noun? | Examples & Definition
A collective noun is a type of noun used to refer to a group or collective of animals, people, or things. Collective nouns are treated as grammatically singular, even though they refer to a group.
Collective nouns include both common nouns (such as “family”) and proper nouns, like “Apple” or “QuillBot.”
Are collective nouns singular or plural?
Collective nouns are usually treated as singular, even though they’re semantically plural. This means they’re generally used with singular verb forms (e.g., “is” instead of “are”), but the usage differs between US and UK English.
- In UK English, both singular and plural are acceptable, depending on the context.
- In US English, collective nouns are treated as singular, no matter the context.
UK English: Varies depending on context
In UK English, both forms are used. The plural form is commonly used when the emphasis is placed on individual group members acting independently, or when the noun looks like a plural noun (e.g., “Red Hot Chili Peppers”).
However, it’s good practice to be consistent about how you treat collective nouns, even in UK English. This means that you shouldn’t use a word like “band” as a singular noun in some sentences and plural in others.
US English: Always singular
In US English, all collective verbs are treated as singular. Using a plural verb form with a collective noun is considered incorrect. In practice, people sometimes use a plural verb form, but this is not in line with most American style guides.
It is advised to use a singular verb form in formal or academic writing, even when the noun looks like a plural noun (e.g., a band name like “The Rolling Stones”).
Collective nouns for animals
Collective noun | Type of animal |
---|---|
Brood | Baby animals (e.g., chicks) |
Colony | Social animals that often collaborate (e.g., ants or beavers) |
Flock | Animals with a leader (e.g., sheep) or animals that move in a formation (e.g., some birds) |
Gaggle | Geese |
Herd | Animals kept by farmers (e.g., cows) or wild animals that gather in groups |
Murder | Crows |
Murmuration | Starlings |
Pack | Animals that hunt as a group, whether wild or trained (e.g., dogs or wolves) |
Parliament | Owls |
Plague | Locusts |
Pod | Dolphins |
Shiver | Sharks |
Shrewdness | Apes |
Swarm | Bees, flies, and other insects |
Troop | Baboons |
Unkindness | Ravens |
Examples of collective nouns
Animals | People and things | Proper nouns |
---|---|---|
brood (of chicks) | array | the American Psychological Association |
flock (of sheep) | army | The Bee Gees |
gaggle (of geese) | assortment | Chicago University Press |
herd (of cows) | band | Foo Fighters |
murder (of crows) | bouquet | Manchester United |
murmuration (of starlings) | company | Microsoft |
pack (of wolves) | group | the New York Jets |
plague (of locusts) | party | QuillBot |
pride (of lions) | team | the United States Congress |
Frequently asked questions about collective nouns
- What’s the difference between common and proper nouns?
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A common noun is not capitalized, as it names a category of person, place, thing, or concept. Common nouns often require articles (e.g., “a”) or determiners (e.g., “many,” “his”).
In contrast, a proper noun is capitalized and names a specific person, place, thing, or concept. Most common nouns don’t require an article, but some require “the” (e.g., “the Great Lakes”).
- Is family a collective noun?
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Yes, family is a collective noun. It is grammatically singular, but it refers to a group of people who are related (e.g., “Your family is friendly”).
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