Collective Nouns

NOUNS:

COLLECTIVE

&

ABSTRACT

NOUNS

by Natasha Azani

Multiple Choice

What is noun?

• Words that refer to things, places, animals & people

• Words that refer to the action done by a subject (ex: A girl)

• Words that describe someone or something

• Words that modify the verb in a sentence

Multiple Select

In the choices below, which are the nouns? ( There are more than ONE choice)

• sand

• planet

• jump

• building

• build

Poll

Have you ever heard about the collective nouns? Have you learned about it?

• Yes, I have heard and learned about them.

• Yes, I have heard about it but I haven't learned it yet.

• No, i haven't heard OR learned about it yet.

​What is the meaning of the collective nouns?

• ​Collective nouns are words used to represent a group of people, animals or things.

For example:

​crowd

​team

​flock

​school

​herd

​Collective nouns are words for single things that are made up of more than one person, animal, place, thing, or idea.

For example, you CAN'T have a team without individual members; even so, we discuss a team as a single entity.

​HERD

​- A group of herbivore animals.

​A herd of elephants was just passing by the road just now.

​Pack

-A group of canine animals such as wolves or dogs; also used to describe playing cards and packages containing multiple objects

​There are several packs of wolves that live up that mountain.

​Flock

– A group of birds; also used to discuss small hooved animals such as sheep or goats

​You can see several flocks of birds that are flying north for migration.

​Swarm

– A group of insects

​Mellisa loves to look at a swarm of butterflies that lives in her garden.

​Shoal

– A group of fish

​When my friends and I went diving yesterday, we saw a shoal of fish.

​* plural for fish is fish.

​Crew 

– Usually used to denote a group of workers; also used to describe aircraft and ships personnel

​That crew of sailors looked very dashing and disciplined when they went marching by.

​Stack 

– A group of items neatly laid one on top of another; i.e., a stack of books

​Nasuha accidently forgot her stack of novels when she packed up her stuff.

​Collective nouns can use either singular or plural verbs.

If all members of the collective noun are doing the same thing at the same time, the noun needs a singular verb.

When the members of the collective are acting as individuals, the noun needs a plural verb.

​Singular collective noun

​ Today, Ms. Kennedy’s class takes its SOL test.

→ "Class" is a singular collective noun. "Takes" is a singular verb, and the word "its" is a singular pronoun. All the students in Ms. Kennedy’s class are taking the same test at the same time. ​

​Plural collective noun

After taking a test, the class start their papers on Shakespeare’s sonnets.

→ "Class" is a plural collective noun in this instance. "Start" is a plural verb, and "their" is a plural pronoun. Although the students are in the same class, they are beginning their own papers on different sonnets written by Shakespeare.

Multiple Choice

Choose the collective noun in the sentence below.

Keys, marbles, and rubber bands were just a few of the things in the pile of objects in his drawer.

• marbles

• things

• pile

Multiple Choice

Choose the collective noun in the sentence below.

The boys decided to join the navy after graduation.

• boys

• navy

• graduation

Multiple Choice

Choose the collective noun in the sentence below.

A flock of birds flies over the lake.

• flock

• birds

• lake

Multiple Choice

Choose the collective noun in the sentence.

The speaker faced the audience and began her presentation.

• speaker

• audience

• presentation

Multiple Choice

Choose the collective noun in the sentence.

 

A swarm of bees buzzed around the group of picnickers. 

• swarm

• bee

• group

• picnickers

• swarm, group

Multiple Choice

Q. 

Is the word hope abstract or concrete?

• abstract

• concrete

Multiple Choice

Q. 

Is the word mosque abstract or concrete?

• abstract

• concrete

Multiple Choice

Q. 

Is the word smile abstract or concrete?

• abstract

• concrete

Multiple Choice

Q. 

Is the word happiness abstract or concrete?

• abstract

• concrete