A Collective Noun.

A collective noun is the name given to a group of (a collection of) people,animals and things taken as
one unit ( or taken as one whole)

Ex: A collection of players = team A collection of people = crowd.

A collection of soldiers = army. A collection of ships =fleet.

A collection of sheep = flock A group of workers = staff

Generally,the collective noun is treated as singular and takes a singular verb.Do you know why?

The collective noun is treated as singular because the collective noun acts as one unit.

(Rule:Subject and verb agreement: A singular verb takes a singular verb and a plural verb takes a
plural verb.)

Ex:The Jury was unanimous in its verdict.(Jury=a group of judges)

The staff is working very hard.(staff= group of workers)

If the members of a group stop acting together as one unit and act as individuals,then the collective
noun is treated as plural and takes a plural verb.

Ex: The staff are working on many projects.

The Jury were unable to come to a common agreement.

NOTE: everyone,everybody,none nobody …are always singular and take a singular verb.

Police,people ….. are always plural and take a plural verb.

If it is uncomfortable to treat a collective noun as singular or plural,use a term “a members of”to

force a plural verb and continue.

Ex: The members of the panel were divided in their opinion.

We have to memorize some of the most common collective nouns:

a bunch of keys,a fleet of ships,a galaxy of stars.a bouquet of flowers,a forest of trees,a pair of shoes

a range of mountains,a herd of cattle/deer/cows,a hive of bees,a litter of puppies,a school of fish,

a pack of wolves/dogs,a pride of lions/peacock,a band of musicians,a swarm of locusts,a board of

directors,a team of players,a panel of experts/judges, troupe of dancers,a crew of sailors,

class of students,a convoy of trucks,an army of soldiers,a murder of crows, a cloud of dust,a
parliament of owls,a cloud of insects,a clump of bushes,a battery of guns etc.

Choir,though composed of many people,is a singular unit.so,we use a singular verb “is” and the
pronoun “it”.Ex:The choir is singing a song for the third time.
Ex1):The heard is quietly grazing in the meadows.

2)The audience is happy.

3)The group is happy with its perfoemance.