What Are Collective Nouns? Learn With Examples

A flock of birds. The team wins. A gaggle of geese. The murder of crows. 

All of these highlighted phrases use collective nouns – words that describe groups as a single unit. 

Initially, these words were used in the year 1486, where collective words appeared in The Book of Saint Albans, written by Dame Juliana Berners, a noblewoman turned nun. 

The book focused on popular gentlemanly pastimes of the time: hunting, hawking, and heraldry. 

In its appendix, Berners included a playful list of 165 collective nouns.

Some were practical terms hunters used—like a gaggle of geese. Others were used  humorously, like a melody of harpists or a blast of hunters.

Over time, these expressions evolved into what we now call collective nouns—a formal part of English grammar.

This blog covers everything you need to know about collective nouns. 

You’ll learn the definition of collective nouns, see over 100 real-world examples, and understand how they differ from regular plural nouns. 

We’ll also explain when to treat them as singular or plural—and how to use them correctly in your writing.

Let’s dive in.

---

Key Takeaways

• Collective nouns represent groups as single units. Words like team, flock, or committee represent multiple members as one unit.

• Grammar varies by region. American English treats collective nouns as singular, while British English may use singular or plural depending on context.

• Context determines verb choice. Use singular verbs when the group acts as one (The team wins), and plural when members act individually (The team are arguing—UK usage).

• Match pronouns to verbs. Singular verbs pair with it/its; plural verbs need they/their.

Not all group words are collective.  Words like employees and chairs are just plurals, not collectives.

---

What Are Collective Nouns? (Definition)

A collective noun is a single word that refers to a group of people, animals, or things acting as one unit.

Example:

• The team is winning.

Here, “team” includes multiple players but behaves like a single entity.

From a grammatical standpoint, collective nouns fall under countable nouns. A countable noun is something you can quantify:

• One committee, two committees
• A series of events
• Several families

But you’re not counting individuals, you’re counting the group as a whole.

Example:

• The family arrives at 8 PM.

“Family” is treated as one unit, hence the singular verb “arrives.”

In collective nouns, you’re not simply naming a cluster of items, you’re naming how they act together.

Think of it this way—if you listed out each member individually (player one, player two, player three…), you’d focus on individuals. 

But when you say “team”, you collapse all those identities into one functional unit.

+100 Examples of Collective Nouns

Here are some collective nouns examples organized by type:

1 – Collective Nouns for People

Basic

1. The team is practicing for the championship.
2. The crew boarded the ship early this morning.
3. A group of tourists visited the museum.
4. The staff meets every Monday to plan the week.
5. The class was quiet during the test.
6. Her family gathers every holiday.
7. The audience applauded the performers.
8. A crowd formed around the street performer.
9. The band played at the wedding reception.
10. The choir sings during Sunday service.

Intermediate
11. The committee agreed on the final proposal.
12. The jury reached a unanimous verdict.
13. A panel of judges evaluated the entries.
14. The faculty supports the curriculum change.
15. The company has launched a new product line.
16. The board meets quarterly to review performance.
17. The council voted in favor of the amendment.
18. The regiment marched through the city square.
19. The dance troupe performed across Europe.
20. The syndicate invested in real estate ventures.

Advanced
21. The congregation gathered for evening prayers.
22. A posse of sheriffs searched the area.
23. A delegation from France attended the summit.
24. A caravan of traders crossed the desert.
25. The assembly discussed pressing issues.
26. A party of climbers reached the summit.
27. The orchestra rehearsed before the concert.
28. The cast of the play took a final bow.
29. The task force addressed cybersecurity threats.
30. The fire brigade responded quickly.

2 – Collective Nouns for Animals

Basic
31. A flock of birds flew overhead.
32. The herd of cows grazed peacefully.
33. A pack of wolves howled in the distance.
34. A school of fish darted through the water.
35. A swarm of bees surrounded the hive.
36. A colony of ants built tunnels underground.
37. A litter of puppies played in the yard.
38. A gaggle of geese waddled across the road.
39. A pod of dolphins swam alongside the boat.
40. A nest of wasps hung from the tree branch.

Intermediate
41. A pride of lions rested in the shade.
42. A troop of monkeys climbed the trees.
43. A clowder of cats lounged in the sun.
44. A brood of chicks followed their mother.
45. A drove of pigs moved toward the barn.
46. A parliament of owls perched silently.
47. A leash of hounds was released for the hunt.
48. A raft of ducks floated across the lake.
49. A flight of swallows moved in formation.
50. A bevy of quails scattered at the sound.

Advanced / Rare
51. Murder – A murder of crows circled the treetops.
52. Skulk – A skulk of foxes crept through the underbrush.
53. Crash – A crash of rhinos charged across the plains.
54. An ambush of tigers lurked nearby.
55. A bale of turtles basked on the rock.
56. A knot of toads gathered by the pond.
57. An army of frogs emerged after the rain.
58. A sleuth of bears wandered through the forest.
59. A shiver of sharks swam beneath the surface.
60. A scurry of squirrels dashed up the trees.

3 – Collective Nouns for Objects

Basic
61. A pile of clothes lay on the floor.
62. A stack of books blocked the window.
63. A bunch of grapes hung from the vine.
64. A pair of shoes sat by the door.
65. A set of tools was missing a hammer.
66. A group of keys was found on the counter.
67. A bundle of sticks was tied with twine.
68. A pack of cards lay on the table.
69. A batch of cookies cooled on the rack.
70. A collection of stamps filled the drawer.

Intermediate
71. A fleet of trucks left the depot.
72. A series of events unfolded rapidly.
73. A deck of cards was shuffled.
74. A chest of drawers stood in the corner.
75. A crate of bottles broke in transit.
76. A roll of paper was torn in half.
77. A range of appliances was displayed in the showroom.
78. A queue of emails waited to be answered.
79. A cluster of balloons floated to the ceiling.
80. A chain of stores extended across the region.

Advanced
81. A cache of weapons was discovered underground.
82. A suite of programs was installed.
83. An anthology of poems was published.
84. A tranche of funding was released.
85. A quiver of arrows hung on the wall.
86. A bale of hay sat in the field.
87. A stack of logs was prepared for winter.
88. A load of laundry tumbled in the dryer.
89. An array of tools was neatly arranged.
90. A chest of gold was buried on the island.

4 – Collective Nouns for Abstract Concepts

Basic
91. A series of questions followed the announcement.
92. A group of ideas formed the strategy.
93. A set of instructions was emailed to the team.
94. A batch of errors slowed down production.

Intermediate
95. A range of opinions was expressed.
96. A collection of memories flooded her mind.
97. His repertoire of skills impressed the panel.
98. A list of priorities guided the project.
99. An agenda of topics was distributed beforehand.

Advanced
100. A constellation of ideas shaped innovation.
101. A pantheon of thinkers changed the world.
102. An array of options was laid out before her.
103. A cascade of thoughts filled his mind.
104. A succession of leaders led the nation.

Collective Nouns vs Plural Nouns

Collective nouns and plural nouns behave very differently in grammar and meaning.

Here’s the difference:

1 – Grammar Structure

• Collective Nouns use a singular form to represent multiple entities acting as one unit. Example: Team, family, committee
  
• Plural Nouns are simply more than one of a noun, and they appear in plural form. Example: Players, employees, families

2 – Verb Agreement

This is where the distinction becomes functional:

• In collective nouns, singular verbs are used as the group acts as one unit. Example:  The team is winning.

• In plural nouns, plural verbs are used as individuals are emphasized. Example: The players are winning.

3 – Conceptual Difference: Unity vs. Individuality

• Collective nouns emphasize unity. Like a group acting together.
  
• Plural nouns emphasize individuality. Like several entities acting separately or independently.

Feature	Collective Noun	Plural Noun
Form	Singular word	Plural word
Entities represented	Multiple (as a single unit)	Multiple (as separate units)
Verb Agreement	Usually singular	Always plural
Example	The staff is helpful	The employees are helpful

Singular or Plural? How Collective Nouns Behave

Are collective nouns singular or plural? The answer doesn’t just depend on grammar, but on geography as well.

Let’s break it down.

1 – American English Approach

In American English, collective nouns are treated as singular, almost without exception. As a result, subject-verb agreement follows singular form.

Examples:

• The team is playing well.
• The committee has made its decision.
• The family is moving to Texas.

2 – British English Approach

British English takes a contextual approach. As a result, subject-verb agreement can be singular or plural depending on the context.

Examples:

• The team is winning. (acting as one unit)
• The team are arguing about tactics. (individual actions)

So when to use singular or plural? 

Use singular (Both American & British) when the group acts as one unified entity:

• The jury has reached a verdict.
• The band is performing tonight.
• The family owns three cars.

Use Plural (Mainly British Usage) when group members act individually or separately:

• The jury are disagreeing among themselves.
• The band are arriving separately.
• The family are scattered across the country.

Dialect	Default Usage	When Plural Is Allowed
American English	Singular (always)	Rarely, if ever
British English	Singular or Plural	Plural when members act individually

Staff ≠ Employees because:

• Staff = a collective noun. It treats all employees as one team.
• Employees = a plural noun. It refers to each person as a separate unit.

✔ The staff is trained regularly. (As a team)
✔ The employees are trained regularly. (As individuals)

How to Use Collective Nouns in Sentences

Understanding how to use collective nouns correctly comes down to three core elements: 

1 – Subject-Verb Agreement

• Collective nouns usually take a singular verb when the group acts as a single unit. Example: The staff is working on a new project.

• But when you want to emphasize the individuals within the group, especially in British English, a plural verb can be more appropriate. Example: The staff are sharing their ideas.

2 – Pronoun Reference

Once the collective noun is established, your pronoun must align with your verb choice:

• Singular verb → it / its
  The jury reached its verdict.
• Plural verb → they / their
  The jury are divided in their opinions.

3 – Modifiers & Prepositions

• Modifier placement impacts tone and emphasis:
  • The entire class (focus on the whole group)
  • The class entirely ignored the rules (emphasizing the action)
    
• Structure matters when pairing a collective noun with a prepositional phrase:
  • A flock of birds
  • The group of students

Common Sentence Templates to Use:

Here are go-to structures that work across writing contexts:

• [Collective noun] + [singular verb] + [complement]
  → The committee meets every Monday.
  
• [Article] + [collective noun] + [prepositional phrase]
  → A herd of elephants moved silently.
  
• [Collective noun] + [possessive] + [noun]
  → The team’s strategy impressed the coach.

To guide your reader, transitions like “as a group,” “collectively,” or “individually” can clarify your intent. The panel, collectively, supports the motion.

To solidify your understanding, try writing five original sentences using collective nouns. 

Vary the context—formal, casual, or creative—and experiment with singular vs plural verb forms.

And if you need help fine-tuning your grammar or examples, you can ask AI for support with sentence construction, school projects, or grammar rules around collective nouns.

And if Ask AI gives you collective noun examples that sound robotic, you can refine them by using AI Humanizer.

It smooths out tone and flow while preserving your intent.

Common Mistakes With Collective Nouns

Below are the most common pitfalls of collective nouns, and how to avoid them.

1 – Subject–Verb Disagreement

Treating a singular collective noun as plural is a pitfall. Writers see a group of people and instinctively reach for a plural verb. But the noun is singular.

• Incorrect: The team are preparing their speech.
• Correct (American English): The team is preparing its speech.

2 – Pronoun Confusion

Writers mix singular nouns with plural pronouns. Match your pronoun to the grammatical number, not the perceived headcount.

• Incorrect: The committee reached a decision. They will announce it tomorrow.
• Correct: The committee reached a decision. It will announce it tomorrow.

3 – Overgeneralization

Using collective rules for nouns that are not collective is a mistake. Not all groups of things form a collective noun. Furniture, yes. Chairs, no.

• Incorrect: The chairs is in a row.
• Correct: The chairs are in a row.
  (“Chairs” is just a plural noun—not a collective noun.)

4 – Regional Rule Mixing

Sometimes, writers make mistakes by applying British usage in American writing (or vice versa) without consistency.

• Incorrect (American English): The staff are organizing the files.
• Correct (American English): The staff is organizing the files.
• Correct (British English): The staff are organizing the files. (if referring to individuals)

Know your audience. American English favors singular; British English allows context-based plural.

5 – Double Pluralization

You can’t add a plural ending to an already plural collective noun. 

• Incorrect: Many different peoples live in the city.
• Correct: Many different people live in the city.

“People” is already a plural noun. “Peoples” is used only in anthropological or geopolitical contexts (e.g., “the indigenous peoples of Australia”).

Try this Collective Nouns Worksheet to practice collective nouns.

Access our AI Detector and Humanizer directly through the widget below.

FAQs

Conclusion

Why does the English language need collective nouns when we could simply say “many people” or “several animals”? 

The answer lies in how our minds work.

We don’t just see groups as collections of individuals. 

Our brains naturally recognize when separate things become unified whole. 

Language follows this pattern. 

When we say “team,” we’re not counting players, we’re acknowledging that these individuals now share a purpose that changes everything about how they function together.

English uses collective nouns because they’re efficient and expressive. 

They let us talk about groups in ways that respect both the whole and its parts.

The next time you write or read a collective noun, notice the choice being made. 

Is the writer treating the group as one unit or emphasizing individual members?

Grammar is science. Style is art. Knowing collective nouns lets you master both.

Want your writing to sound polished and human? Try Undetectable AI today.