20 Examples of Collective Nouns with Meanings

20 examples of collective nouns: Collective Nouns can be understood as a collection of several people or things. Words such as herd, array, and collection are examples of collective nouns. To better understand collective nouns, we have curated multiple examples of collective nouns following a practice exercise. 

What is a Collective Noun? 

Collective nouns are words that you may not encounter that fluently or often. They are words that are made up of singular things such as a person, animal, place, thing or idea. However, you can have a group or team without individual members. So, we discuss collective nouns as a single entity. 

Also Read: Plural Nouns: Definition, Rules, Examples & Exercises

20+ Examples of Collective Nouns

Collective nouns are naming places, things, animals and people. Collective nouns are a type of their own. Read the examples given below to recognize collective nouns with the help of examples. 

• The herd of elephants lumbered through the dense jungle, creating a mesmerizing sight.
• A flock of seagulls circled above, searching for scraps of food near the beach.
• The pack of wolves moved silently through the moonlit forest, their eyes gleaming in the darkness.
• A pride of lions basked in the sun, their majestic manes shimmering in the golden light.
• The swarm of bees buzzed around the colourful flowers, collecting nectar for their hive.
• A murder of crows gathered on the old oak tree, creating an ominous atmosphere.
• The pod of dolphins gracefully leapt in and out of the ocean waves.
• A school of fish darted through the clear water, creating a dazzling display of colours.
• The colony of ants worked tirelessly to gather food for their underground nest.
• A fleet of ships sailed across the vast ocean, their sails billowing in the wind.
• The congress of owls huddled together in the treetops, their wise eyes surveying the surroundings.
• A team of horses pulled the heavy carriage up the steep hill with remarkable strength.
• The troop of monkeys swung from branch to branch, chattering and playing in the lush jungle.
• A pack of cards lay scattered on the table after the intense game of poker.
• The gaggle of geese honked loudly as they flew in formation across the autumn sky.
• A flight of stairs led to the grand entrance of the historic mansion.
• The ensemble of musicians created a symphony of beautiful melodies during the concert.
• A clutch of eggs awaited patiently for the warmth of the mother bird’s wings.
• The bevvy of swans glided gracefully across the calm lake, creating ripples in the water.
• A committee of experts gathered to discuss the pressing issues facing the community.

Also Read: Improve your English Speaking and Listening Skills by Watching Series and Movies

List of Common Collective Nouns

Below is a table presenting some common collective nouns along with their meanings:

Gaggle	A group of geese.
Flock	A group of birds, especially when feeding, resting, or in flight.
Swarm	A large number of insects, often in motion.
Congress	A group of owls.
Flight	A group of stairs or steps.
Bevy	A group of birds, especially quails or swans.
Murder	A group of crows.
Herd	A group of large animals, such as cows or elephants.
Colony	A group of organisms, often referring to ants or bees.
Ensemble	A group of musicians, actors, or dancers performing together.
Committee	A group of people appointed for a specific task or duty.
School	A group of fish swimming together, often in a coordinated manner.
Pack	A group of animals, often predators like wolves or dogs, hunting or traveling together.

Also Read: What are Material Nouns?

How to Use Collective Noun?

Many of you may encounter trouble using sentence agreement with collective nouns. This is understandable as collective nouns can be singular or plural depending upon the situation. For example, every day, the herd follows its leader to the well. Here, the herd is used as a singular collective noun. An example of plural collective noun, After completing the test, the class prepared for the next session. Here, class is used as a plural collective noun. 

Also Read: What are Possessive Nouns?

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FAQs

Give some examples of collective nouns.

Some common examples of collective nouns are group, team, committee, herd, flock, swarm etc. 

What are collective nouns? 

Collective nouns are words that you may not encounter that fluently or often. They are words made up of singular things such as a person, animal, place, thing idea etc. 

What is a collective noun for kids? 

A collective noun is a type of noun which is used to show a group of people, objects or animals. 

We hope these 20 examples of collective nouns helped you to advance your grammar knowledge. Check out our Learn English page and don’t forget to follow Leverage Edu.