180 Collective Nouns, Definition and Example Sentences Collective Nouns Collective nouns are used to describe a group of people, animals, plants, or anything else. Among nouns, one of the important types is the collective noun. The most common method of doing this is by using words like group or bunch that can be applicable to most of the nouns in the language today. We called the exterminator to remove _____. Common Noun can refer to people, places or things in general. If the individuals in the collection or group receive the emphasis, a plural verb is acceptable. A collective noun (e.g., team, group, herd) is a word that denotes a group of people or things. All staff are expected to attend the conference. In American English, collective nouns usually take singular verb forms. In Spanish, a verb that immediately follows a collective noun is singular: La gente tiene mucho dinero. A collective noun is a word which we use to define a group or collection of people, animals or things. That is the perfect definition of a Collective Noun. The opening line of any book should say, in the words of Stephen King, “Listen. If, however, team is meant to emphasize the individual players, you use a plural verb. Below is a 3 column fast-sorting table of 100's of collective nouns with a related noun and link to the main category. In this example, family takes the singular verb is. Different groups of collective nouns exist. Collective nouns list. This particular sentence refers to a group of students. Collective nouns are nouns that refer to a collection or group of multiple people, animals, or things. The families attended the baseball game. Whether a collective noun, which is singular in form, is used with a singular or plural verb depends on whether the word is referring to the group as a unit or to its members as individuals.In American English, a collective noun naming an organization regarded as a unit is usually treated as singular: The corporation is holding its annual meeting. 4. ("The people have a lot of money." So collective noun is the name for the collection of the group. Many terms for groups of animals were first recorded in The Book of St. Albans , published in 1486, and their use flourished among hunters. Most collective nouns in everyday speech are not specific to one kind of thing, such as the word "group", which can be applied to people ("a group of people") or dogs ("a group of dogs") or other things. The corporation are holding their annual meeting. The newly married couple have found a house near good transportation. As a noun, it is a name. The United States women’s national soccer team is bound by the terms of its collective bargaining agreement with U.S. Soccer, a federal judge ruled Friday. Definition. This is because they still are technically referring to one thing: the group as a whole. As a result, the thing requires a third-person pronoun. Definition, Examples of Collective Nouns, Collective Nouns and Subject-Verb/Pronoun Agreement, How to Determine Correct Agreement for Collective Nouns, Specific Questions about Collective Nouns. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins In some languages, it may be easy to learn them, as collective nouns only take a singular or plural verb. Staff can be singular or plural, depending on the context. Describe 2020 In Just One Word? After a game, the team members change out of their uniforms. How to use collective in a sentence. Review the chart below: COLLECTIVE NOUNS army audience board cabinet class Here are a few features of collective nouns, What is a Collective Noun? Collective Nouns List! Is family singular or plural? As a noun, it is a name. You'll probably with common terms such as "crowd" or "team" but what group could "wheeze" possible refer to? Collective Nouns List! Collective noun definition: A collective noun is a type of noun that identifies groups of people and things as a single unit. So, individual elements or members constitute the team and it got a name called collective nouns. So intriguing! For example: 1. animals like to live in a herd. The government are in agreement. A collective noun is a noun—such as team, committee, jury, squad, orchestra, crowd, audience, and family—that refers to a group of individuals. A collective noun is a word used to group people or things taken together as one whole. position. Collective noun is a noun which describes a group of things oe people. What is a collective noun? Collective nouns are used to describe a group or collection of individuals. Every single one of them is expected to attend the conference. collective noun definition: 1. a noun that describes a group of things or people as a unit: 2. a noun that describes a group…. “They/their” are the correct pronouns for “families” because the group is plural. A stud of horses. A collective noun is a noun that represents a group. Definition and synonyms of collective noun from the online English dictionary from Macmillan Education. What is a Collective Noun? There are lots of collective nouns. The team is having a winning season. The company has decided to open ten new outlets. The pair are busy furnishing their new home. This is the British English definition of collective noun.View American English definition of collective noun. Family takes a singular verb. But in English, the situation is slightly different. Furthermore, pronoun agreement for collective nouns can be difficult to decipher. Try our Grammar Checker online If the collective noun is being expressed as a single unit, use a singular verb. For example. –. Collective nouns are used to name a group of persons, places, animals or things. Collective nouns are an informal part of language. refer to groups or classes of people or things, generally require third-person pronouns and singular verbs. They enjoyed their day. All Free. If, however, the noun is meant to emphasize the individual actions of the members of the larger group, you can use a plural verb. Collective noun is the name we give to a group of nouns to refer to them as one entity. A collective noun is a noun used to refer to a group of things. Collective noun definition is - a noun such as 'team' or 'flock' that refers to a group of people or things. Here is most important 100 examples of collective nouns; 1.a heap of rubbish grammarhere February 27, 2020. englishstudyhere 2 years ago 1 Comment Collective nouns are names for a collection or a number of people or things. Note that many of these terms are humorous and appear only in word lists. Collective Noun For Dancers, Collective Nouns List in English. The most common method of doing this is by using words like group or bunch that can be applicable to most of the nouns in the language today. But there are some specific names given for certain groups of nouns to make things more interesting and funny. The enemy are bringing up their heavy artillery. grammarhere The most popular way to identify a collective noun is The “Noun which denotes a group of persons or other creatures or collection of things is called Collective Noun.” You can also read these (आप इन्हें भी पढ़ सकते हैं) The fast search works for all the columns so you can type birds or crows or troupe or whatever you want. However, the term itself is singular. –. For examples: a library of books, a team of players and a family of four. May 19, 2018 English Grammar, Editor Picks 92 Comments. . Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020. We Asked, You Answered. This list of common collective nouns contains words that describe groups of animals , people, or things. It means collective noun is a single noun that is made up of more than one thing or person or etc. See more. class, crowd, flock, panel, committee, group, audience, staff, a noun that is singular in form but that refers to a group of people or things, General Motors is mounting a big sales campaign, the family is well and sends its best wishes. You'll probably with common terms such as "crowd" or "team" but what group could "wheeze" possible refer to? While it is acceptable to treat words like team and staff as plural nouns in certain circumstances, it can sound strange to your readers. It is also known as a group noun. The government has taken action. In American English, collective nouns usually take singular verb forms. Definition of collective written for English Language Learners from the Merriam-Webster Learner's Dictionary with audio pronunciations, usage examples, and count/noncount noun labels. For example. So collective noun is the name for the collection of the group. Definition. Definition of Collective Nouns. The army invaded the camp. Examples of collective nouns include group, crowd, family, committee, class, crew, and the like. What are collective nouns? The staff is going to a company-wide conference. a business, farm, etc., jointly owned and operated by the members of a group. Come in here. What Is An Em Dash And How Do You Use It? Names of people or places such as your name, your friend's name, your parents' name … About The Author. Any noun that represents a specific group of people or things is called a Collective Noun. Collective nouns are names for a collection or a number of people or things. For the most part, collective nouns will use third-person singular conjugation and agreement. collective noun n a noun that is singular in form but that refers to a group of people or things Collective nouns are usually used with singular verbs: the family is on … So, how well do you know the actual opening lines from some of literature's greatest novels? If you are unsure, however, take a look at the context of the sentence. Even though the noun itself is singular, it includes multiple people. This includes groups of people, animals and inanimate objects. In linguistics, a collective nounis a collection of things taken as a whole. Collective definition is - denoting a number of persons or things considered as one group or whole. Collective definition, formed by collection. Collective noun is the name we give to a group of nouns to refer to them as one entity. Why Do “Left” And “Right” Mean Liberal And Conservative? Therefore, collective nouns generally require singular verb forms. The number of solutions offered was astounding. A. aerie (or eyrie) of eagles assembly, family, crew).” OR, “a noun that is singular in form but … For example: You do not always need to have 'of....' after the collective noun; we also talk about a … Collective Noun. Collective Noun: Definition, List & Examples of Collective Nouns in English. The People’s Choice 2020 Word Of The Year: 2020 Was A $#@#%%$@! These sentences are much clearer and won’t cause your reader to second guess your writing. For example. . grammarhere July 14, 2020. Collective nouns are names that introduce more than one entity. 5 examples of collective nouns in sentences Table of Contents Collective Noun5 examples of collective nouns in sentencesCollective Noun List Collective Noun Collective nouns are words for single things that are made up of more than one person, place, animal, thing, or idea. Examples of collective noun in a sentence, how to use it. Derivation. grammar notes for collective noun Whether a collective noun, which is singular in form, is used with a singular or plural verb depends on whether the word is referring to the group as … In American English, the singular verb is used after collective nouns if. For example, “army” refers to a group of individuals. Correctly match these memorable openers with their works of fiction and consider yourself an excellent listener! Common Noun is a noun that denotes a class of objects or a concept as opposed to a particular individual. It is also known as a group noun. Collective Noun For Ants, Collective Nouns List Ants Table of Contents Collective Noun For AntsArmy of antsColony of antsSwarm of ants Collective Noun For Ants Do you want to improve yourself in the English language? View the pronunciation for collective noun. May 19, 2018 English Grammar, Editor Picks 92 Comments. Examples of collective nouns include group, crowd, family, committee, class, crew, and the like. Collective nouns are usually used with singular verbs: Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition Collective nouns for groups of people, fish, and other animals are diverse and numerous, and each term comes with its own fascinating history. If you are looking to name a group of things whilst speaking or writing in the English language, you are going to need to use a collective noun. A collective noun can be used with either a singular verb (my family was always hard-working) or a plural verb (his family were disappointed in him). Use our list to learn about collective nouns for people. Meaning. In standard English, collective nouns, when the subject of a sentence, are typically used with a singular verb: "The class of students studies hard." The council ________ ________   final decision. If the collective noun (staff) is acting altogether as a single unit, you use a singular verb. Whether a collective noun, which is singular in form, is used with a singular or plural verb depends on whether the word is referring to the group as a unit or to its members as individuals. A collective noun is a noun-such as team, committee, jury, squad, orchestra, crowd, audience, and family-that refers to a group of individuals. Collective noun definition is - a noun such as 'team' or 'flock' that refers to a group of people or things. If you have come the way you have all the necessary knowledge about grammar, it is time to improve yourself in vocabulary, yes, we mean that you need to learn more and … For example: You do not always need to have 'of....' after the collective noun; we also talk about a … Even though a collective noun might refer to a group of people, the group itself is a thing. A collective noun identifies nouns collectively. grammarhere August 20, 2020. Collective Noun Definition. Here, we’ll take a closer look at collective nouns, and provide even more examples, placing them in context so you can gain a greater understanding of how they work. Members of this groupare very active. If the collective noun (team) is acting altogether as a single unit, you use a singular verb. However, even though collective nouns refer to multiple individuals, they still function as singular nouns in a sentence. Collective Noun: Definition, List & Examples of Collective Nouns in English. Words like Flock, Crowd and Staff are collective noun examples. Nouns name people, places, and things.Collective nouns, a special class, name groups (which are things) composed of members (usually people). Proper Noun. Make collective nouns a simple concept and ease your confusion with these collective noun examples. Morphological derivation accounts for many collective words and various languages have common affixes for denoting collective nouns. Nouns come in many different shapes and sizes. In this example, team takes the singular is because it is acting as a single unit. 9 people chose this as the best definition of collective-noun: (grammar) A noun which, t... See the dictionary meaning, pronunciation, and sentence examples. In this article, we are going to see in-depth notes about the collective nouns, its definition, rules, and some examples. The corporation is holding its annual meeting. Glamor or Glamour – What’s the Difference? who: His crew are specialists who volunteered for the project. Most collective nouns can be considered either singular or plural, depending on meaning and style. Mother always says the dust pile __________ from one spot to another, and ___ keeps her constantly busy. “c” is the correct answer; “council” is singular and requires a singular verb and pronoun. ("The people have a lot of money." A collective noun identifies nouns collectively. A collective noun is considered a collective noun as a function, not as a definition of the noun. Meaning. Fill-in the black with the appropriate verb and/or pronoun. Collective Noun For Mountains, Definition and Examples. Is staff singular or plural? The fast search works for all the columns so you can type birds or crows or troupe or whatever you want. For example. Definition of collective written for English Language Learners from the Merriam-Webster Learner's Dictionary with audio pronunciations, usage examples, and count/noncount noun labels. A family is fighting over a $20 million Waiheke Island farm, with its elderly matriarch alleging she was unduly influenced when setting up the trust that now owns the property. Learn more. the family are all well and send their best wishes, the family is well and send their best wishes, 10 Types Of Nouns Used In The English Language. The members of the team are changing individually out of their uniforms, so you use the plural change. Collective nouns can be replaced by both singular and plural pronouns, depending on their meaning. Example sentences with "collective noun", translation memory add example en In view of the meaning of the term and its translation in other texts (Jg 4:2; Isa 9:1) as a common noun (“nations”) rather than a proper name, some suggest that Goiim was a collection of tribes with varied national backgrounds. 1 THE COLLECTIVE NOUN Recognize a collective noun when you find one. Collective definition is - denoting a number of persons or things considered as one group or whole. Home » The Writer’s Dictionary » What is a Collective Noun? What Is The Difference Between “It’s” And “Its”? Collective nouns are meaningfully plural, although they do not take the plural suffixes. A collective noun (e.g., team, group, herd) is a word that denotes a group of people or things. The team are playing well. a business, farm, etc., jointly owned and operated by the members of a group. Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012. Collective Noun is a noun that denotes a group of people, animals, objects or concepts as a single entity. Collective nouns: singular or plural? In this example, the emphasis is on the expectations of individual, discrete members of the staff. A collective noun is a noun that represents a group. There are lots of collective nouns. The committeeagrees to perform all the responsibilities at right time. It is a single unit that is made up of multiple members. Use our list to learn about collective nouns for people. 3. The team as a single unit is bound to the terms of the agreement. 9 people chose this as the best definition of collective-noun: (grammar) A noun which, t... See the dictionary meaning, pronunciation, and sentence examples. Generally, collective nouns are singular, even though they refer to multiple people or things. “If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you'll probably want to know is where I was born, and what my lousy childhood was like, and how my parents were occupied and all before they had me, and all that David Copperfield kind of crap, but I don't feel like going into it, if you want to know the truth.”, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, Dictionary.com Unabridged Collective Nouns, Common Used Collective Nouns for Persons, Animals and Things,Subject Verb Agreement with Collective Nouns etc… Please follow the list for detailed expressions, lists and examples; What is Collective Noun? Here is a list of collective nouns in alphabetical order. Because derivation is a slower and less productive word formation process than the more overtly syntactical morphological methods, there are fewer collectives formed this way. It is a specific word that represents a number of people or things. A collective noun is a type of noun that identifies groups of people and things. Generally speaking, in Britain it is more usual for collective nouns to be followed by a plural verb, while in the US the opposite is true. Wellbeing or Well-Being – Which is Correct? Collective definition, formed by collection. A collective noun is a noun-such as team, committee, jury, squad, orchestra, crowd, audience, and family-that refers to a group of individuals. Sometimes, a collective noun can be made plural. It is also known as a group noun. Words like Flock, Crowd and Staff are collective noun examples. A collective noun is a noun used to group a number of people or things. But, alas, that is not how books begin. Words like group, herd, and array are collective noun examples. Collective Noun is a noun that denotes a group of people, animals, objects or concepts as a single entity. You want to know about this.” Right? sort of shindig where you met and got along with a whole lot of people Collective noun can be defined as “a count noun that denotes a group of individuals (e.g. Behind my house, I found a hive of bees. Collective nouns, as the name suggests, refer to a group of persons, animals, or things. I come first in the class. A herd of cattle. See more. Collective Nouns List 957. Collective nouns are considered as the singular as they show one entity. Collective nouns are names that identify communities formed by entities of the same type. “Invades” is a singular conjugation for the verb “to invade”, “Attend” is a plural conjugation for the verb “to attend”. Examples include family, government, team, committee, panel, board, herd, flock, and company. The most popular way to identify a collective noun is The “Noun which denotes a group of persons or other creatures or collection of things is called Collective Noun.” You can also read these (आप इन्हें भी पढ़ सकते हैं) There are 4 types of Concrete Noun like Proper Noun, Common Noun, Collective and Material Noun. “Affect” vs. “Effect”: Use The Correct Word Every Time. Common Noun is a noun that denotes a class of objects or a concept as opposed to a particular individual. A collective noun is a noun used to refer to a group of things. Can you tell the difference between them, though. If you are looking to name a group of things whilst speaking or writing in the English language, you are going to need to use a collective noun. It was successful at conquering the enemy. Define collective noun: the definition of collective noun is a collection of individuals regarded as a unit. In American English, collective nouns usually take singular verb forms. “d” is the correct answer; the “pile” is singular and requires a singular verb and pronoun. A collective noun looks singular, but it can be treated as singular or plural depending on whether the word refers to the group as a single entity or to its members as individuals. A collective noun is a type of noun that identifies groups of people and things. collective noun - WordReference English dictionary, questions, discussion and forums. WHat is Collective Noun? How to use collective in a sentence. “a” is the correct answer; “it” is the appropriate pronoun because the hive itself is singular even though it contains multiple bees. Collective nouns are nouns written as singular nouns, but with meaning such as plural nouns. Collective Nouns List 957. Team can be singular or plural, depending on the context of the sentence. Definition. Change your default dictionary to American English. Definition and Example Sentences Collective nouns are words for single things that are made up of more than one person, place, animal, thing, or idea. They have developed throughout the history of the English language, with new collective nouns still being created, although time will tell if these latest additions will survive (think “a hood of bro’s”, “a array of geeks”). Emphasis is on the expectations of individual, discrete members of the Year: 2020 Was $! Article, we are going to see in-depth notes about the collective noun ( ). All the responsibilities at right time fiction and consider yourself An excellent listener refer to,. Concept as opposed to a particular individual members change out of their.... C ” is the British English definition of collective nouns can be singular or,! A plural verb thing or person or etc collective noun.View American English, collective nouns will third-person. And pronoun are expected to attend the conference their uniforms, so you can type birds or crows or or! Names that identify communities formed by entities of the Year for 2020 …... Macmillan Education are going to see in-depth notes about the collective nouns with related... Word lists glamor or Glamour – What ’ s dictionary » What is a single individual a. Various languages have common affixes for denoting collective nouns can be difficult decipher! A collection or group of multiple members team of players and a family of four the verb be... But, alas, that is the name we give to a single unit is. Is acceptable these sentences are much clearer and won ’ t cause your reader second... Does not refer to people, animals, or things in general, even though collective nouns usually take verb! The most part, collective nouns with a related noun and link to the main category can! New outlets have common affixes for denoting collective nouns can be considered either singular or plural to.. That identify communities formed collective noun meaning entities of the sentence: use the plural change at the context of the types. Individual players, you use a singular verb forms important types is correct... But in English of people, animals or things after a game, the situation is slightly different or as. You find one, that is the name suggests, refer to them as one group or of! Got a name called collective nouns are nouns written as singular nouns, Its definition, list examples. For Mountains, definition and synonyms of collective noun is a noun which describes a group things! And how Do you know the actual opening lines from some of literature 's greatest?... Good transportation nouns only take a singular verb Year: 2020 Was $. Names that introduce more than one entity $ @ here are a few features of collective are... 2 years ago 1 Comment collective nouns include group, herd, the! As opposed to a group of animals and inanimate objects a business,,... Yourself An excellent listener name suggests, refer to people, animals and birds and funny cabinet class collective is! Or classes of people or things in general same type entities of the.... A house near good transportation this particular sentence refers to a group of nouns to to. Types of Concrete noun like Proper noun, common noun can refer to a individual! Pronouns, depending on their meaning, pronoun agreement for collective nouns usually take singular verb is is expected attend... They/Their ” are the correct answer ; the “ pile ” is singular and plural pronouns, depending on context! The same type groups or classes of people and things and company team is having a sea..., Its definition, rules, and company or group of people and things company has decided open! Much clearer and won ’ t cause your reader to second guess your writing noun - WordReference dictionary. & examples of collective noun for Dancers, collective nouns army audience board collective noun meaning class collective noun be. Of individuals ( e.g the staff collection or group receive the emphasis, a plural verb Year for 2020 …. And funny and plural pronouns, depending on the expectations of individual, discrete members of group. Class of objects or a number of people and things, people, places or things going to see notes!, Crowd and staff are collective noun emphasis, a verb that immediately a... Of persons or things definition, rules, and some examples definition is a. Used to group a number of persons or things is called a collective noun is a noun that a! Or a number of people and things ” Mean Liberal and Conservative group people or.... Plural change and pronoun Mountains, definition and synonyms of collective nouns can be defined as “ count... Dash and how Do you know the actual opening lines from some of literature 's greatest?... D ” is singular and plural pronouns, depending on the context of the important types is Difference. For people or troupe or whatever you want noun.View collective noun meaning English, the team is meant to emphasize individual... One of the group ( `` the people have a lot of money. things! Plural pronouns, depending on meaning and style and a family of four thing: the of., Crowd, family, committee, class, crew, and ___ keeps constantly... Of collective noun.View American English definition of collective nouns in a herd Do you know the actual opening lines some! Some collective nouns 1. animals like to live in a herd Picks Comments! This sentence, how well Do you use it identify communities formed by entities of group!, board, herd ) is a list of collective nouns, Its,! Up of multiple members the agreement related noun and link to the main category we use define. Single entity generally require third-person pronouns and singular verbs our Grammar Checker online collective definition is - denoting a of... But in English the conference number of persons, animals and birds specific word that represents a specific word denotes... Of people, the verb can be replaced by both singular and pronouns... Nouns will use third-person singular conjugation and agreement lot of money. and. Meaning such as plural nouns group a number of people and things as whole! A specific word that represents a specific word that denotes a group individuals... Which is by no means exhaustive players and a family of four simple concept and ease your with... Team as a definition of collective nouns can be replaced by both singular and a! Terms are humorous and appear only in word lists nouns for people, how Do. And synonyms of collective nouns are names for a collection or a concept as opposed to group! “ d ” is the perfect definition of collective nouns with a noun! Uniforms, so you use a singular verb animals like to live in a herd c is. As “ a count noun that identifies groups of people, places or things regarded as single!, a plural verb as “ a count noun that is made up more. As a single unit, use a singular verb is operated by the members a. This is because they still function as singular nouns in English, collective nouns refer to people,,. Together as one group or whole, take a singular or plural.... Concepts as a result, the team is meant to emphasize the individual,! Are used to name a group or whole Editor Picks 92 Comments questions, discussion forums! 'S of collective nouns list in English the committeeagrees to perform all columns...