Collective Noun

People who are new to writing often encounter some trouble with sentence agreement when using collective nouns. This is understandable, because a collective noun can be singular or plural, depending on a sentence’s context.

1. How do you know if a collective noun is singular?
2. How can you tell if it’s plural?
3. What pronouns and verbs are best for pairing with the collective noun you’ve chosen?

Here’s a simple trick you can use to decide how to use collective nouns in sentences: Imagine a herd of zebras grazing peacefully on the savanna. Suddenly, a lion jumps out of a clump of tall grass. What do the zebras do? They run away as a single unit as they attempt to make a getaway, galloping across the savanna in the same direction.

Often, people behave in the same way, engaging in a single activity in unison with everyone else in their group. When individuals are in a team, a choir, a committee, or part of any other collective noun, that noun is singular and is paired with singular pronouns and singular verbs. As you read the examples that follow, notice that each individual who is part of the collective noun is doing the same action at the same time as others who are part of that collective noun.

• • Every morning, the herd follows its leader to the watering hole for a drink.

→ Herd is a singular collective noun. Follows is a singular verb, and the word its is a singular pronoun. All the animals in the herd arrive at the watering hole at the same time.

• • Today, Ms. Kennedy’s class takes its SOL test.

→ Class is a singular collective noun. Takes is a singular verb, and the word its is a singular pronoun. All the students in Ms. Kennedy’s class are taking the same test at the same time.

• • The committee agrees that people are misusing their cell phones, so its verdict is that phones must not be used during working hours.

→ Committee is a singular collective noun. Agrees is a singular verb, and the word its is a singular pronoun. All the members of the committee are thinking alike.

Now imagine three teenagers in the living room. Are they all doing the same thing at once? Not likely! One is watching TV intently. Another is reading a book and listening to music. The third has one eye on the TV and the other on his computer. There is a single group of teenagers, but the members of the group are doing different things.

Members of collective nouns can act the same way, as individuals doing their own thing. When members of a collective noun act as individuals, that collective noun is plural and must be paired with plural pronouns and plural verbs. As you read the following examples, you’ll notice that members of the collective noun are not functioning in unison.

• • After eight hours sitting in the stuffy courtroom, the jury stretch, look at their watches, and head to their cars for the commute home.

    → Jury is a plural collective noun in this instance. Stretch, look, and head are plural verbs, and their is a plural pronoun. The members of the jury are stretching and looking at their individual watches before they head to different cars to go to their own homes.

  • After taking a test, the class start their papers on Shakespeare’s sonnets.

→ Class is a plural collective noun in this instance. Start is a plural verb, and their is a plural pronoun. Although the students are in the same class, they are beginning their own papers on different sonnets written by Shakespeare.

Here are some examples of collective nouns.

Collective Nouns for Animals

• Collective noun for bees – Swarm
• Collective noun for fish – Shoal or School
• Collective noun for sheep – Herd
• Collective noun for ships – Fleet
• Collective noun for birds – Flock
• Collective noun for lions – Pride
• Collective noun for wolves – Pack
• Collective noun for ants – Colony

Collective Nouns for People

• Collective noun for actors – Troupe, Company or Cast
• Collective noun for soldiers – Army
• Collective noun for musicians – Band
• Collective noun for warriors – Troop
• Collective noun for directors – Board
• Collective noun for sailors – Crew
• Collective noun for singers – Choir
• Collective noun for dancers – Group
• Collective noun for thieves – Pack
• Collective noun for players – Team
• Collective noun for delegates – Delegation
• Collective noun for judges – Panel or Bench

Collective Nouns for Objects/Things

• Collective noun for cards – Deck/Pack
• Collective noun for cigarettes – Packet
• Collective noun for mountains – Range
• Collective noun for apples – Bushel
• Collective noun for bananas – Comb
• Collective noun for grapes – Bunch
• Collective noun for flowers – Bunch or Bouquet
• Collective noun for trees – Grove or Forest