Collective Nouns

English Vocabulary

A collective noun is a word that refers to a set or group of people, animals or things.

Collective Nouns are sometimes called Group Nouns.

Collective nouns are often followed by OF + PLURAL NOUN

e.g. a bunch of flowers, a flock of seagulls, a set of tools.

Groups of people working together

Staff: the people who work in a company or place of work.
Cast: the actors in a certain movie or play.
Company: a group of actors that usually perform together in different plays.
Crew: all the working members on a ship or plane.
Team: a group of individuals playing on the same side generally with the same objectives.
Platoon: a group of soldiers being commanded by a lieutenant.

Groups of people in general

Gang: a group of organized criminals
Crowd: a group of people, gathered together
Throng: a busy group of people or animals
Mob: A large disorderly crowd
Movement: a group of (generally young) people with similar tendencies for political/musical/social factors affecting them. For example The Punk Movement
Party: a group of political people that have been organized with an intention.

Groups of animals and insects

Herd: a herd of cows, a herd of goats, a herd of deer
Flock: A flock of sheep, a flock of birds
Shoal / School: a shoal of fish, a school of fish
Swarm: a swarm of bees (swarm is used for a group of flying insects)
Pack: a pack of wolves, a pack of dogs
Litter: a litter of kittens (usually of baby animals)
Gaggle: a gaggle of geese
Pride: a pride of lions

Groups of things

Stack: a stack of chairs, a stack of books, a stack of work, a stack of plates
Set: a set of tools, a set of underwear, a set of compasses, a set of cutlery
Pile / Heap: a pile of clothes, a heap of bodies.
Bunch: a bunch of flowers, a bunch of grapes, a bunch of bananas.
Bundle: a bundle of newspapers, a bundle of sticks, a bundle of nothing.
Batch: a batch of homebrew, a batch of letters, a batch of recruits.
Stash: a stash of cash, a stash of beer, a stash of weapons. (usually the things are hidden)
Fleet: a fleet of ships

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