A collective noun is a noun that
is singular in form but refers to a group of people or things.
Sometimes they refer to a group
of specific things:-
Desks, chairs, cupboards etc. are
grouped under the collective noun furniture.
Plates, spoons, cups and bowls are grouped under the collective noun crockery.
Plates, spoons, cups and bowls are grouped under the collective noun crockery.
These collective nouns are often uncountable.
Sometimes they are more general:-
These are the examples:-
Groups of people - soldier, viewer, band, choir, class, committee, crew, family,
gang, jury, orchestra, police, staff, team, trio
Groups of animals - colony, flock, herd, pack, pod, school, swarm
Groups of things - bunch, bundle, clump, pair, set, stack
When such a group is considered
as a single unit, the collective noun is used with a singular verb and singular
pronouns.
For example - The
committee has reached its decision.
But when the focus is on the
individual members of the group, British English uses a plural verb and plural
pronouns.
For example - "The
committee have been arguing all morning." This is the same as
saying "The people in
the committe have been ...."
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