👨👩👧👦 Lesson 5: Common vs Collective Nouns
Common nouns = general names for a single person, animal, place, or thing.
Examples: dog 🐶, student 👩🎓, park 🌳, cat 🐱, book 📖, toy 🧸.
Collective nouns = names for a group of people, animals, or things.
Examples: A colony of ants 🐜, A bunch of grapes 🍇, chess club 👩🎓, football team.Interactive: Think of a group you belong to (club, team, class, family, or hobby group)🎨🎾👯. That word can be a collective noun!
NOTE: Please refer the examples only, from the following table, to make it simpler for kids.
\| Collective Noun | General Meaning | Examples (with sentences) |
|---|---|---|
| team | a group working or playing together | The team won the match 🏆 (players) Our team finished the project 💻 (workers) |
| class | a group of learners (collective) or a school lesson (common) | Our class went on a trip 🏫 (students) I enjoyed my maths class ➗ (lesson) |
| crew | a group operating a ship, aircraft, or project | The crew set sail ⛵ (sailors) The airline crew served food ✈️ (air staff) |
| choir | a group of singers | A choir sang beautifully 🎶 |
| band | a group of musicians or performers | A band played on stage 🎸 |
| army | a large organised group like soldiers, ants, helpers, or fans | An army of soldiers 🪖 marched An army of ants 🐜 marched across the ground An army of helpers 🙋 worked together An army of fans 📣 cheered loudly |
| troop | a group of soldiers, scouts, or animals | A troop of soldiers 🪖 camped A troop of scouts 🎖️ hiked A troop of monkeys 🐒 played in the trees |
| crowd | a large number of people together | A crowd gathered in the street 👥 |
| gang | a group of friends, or people often with a bad purpose like thieves or criminals | A gang of robbers 💰 was caught A gang of kids 🚲 played outside |
| committee | a group of people making decisions | The committee met to decide 📋 |
| family | a group of related people | A family had dinner together 👨👩👧👦 |
| herd | a group of large animals like cattle (cows and bulls), elephants, or deer | A herd of elephants 🐘 walked A herd of cattle 🐄 grazed in the field |
| flock | a group moving together like birds or sheep | A flock of birds 🐦 flew away A flock of sheep 🐑 grazed |
| pack | a group of animals like wolves and dogs or items bundled like cards | A pack of wolves 🐺 howled A pack of cards 🃏 lay on the table |
| swarm | a large number of insects moving together like bees, flies, or locusts | A swarm of bees 🐝 buzzed A swarm of flies 🪰 gathered |
| pride | a group of lions | A pride of lions 🦁 rested |
| school | an institution for educating children, a group of sea creatures swimming together like fish or dolphins | A school of fish 🐠 swam by A school of dolphins 🐬 leapt |
| gaggle | a noisy group like a group of geese; a group of noisy or silly people | A gaggle of geese 🦢 crossed the road A gaggle of tourists 📸 took photos |
| litter | young born at the same time to the same mother, like puppies or kittens | A litter of puppies 🐶 played A litter of kittens 🐱 slept |
| nest |
Collective noun: group sharing a home or hiding place (like snakes or mice) Common noun: a bird’s home made of twigs or grass |
A nest of snakes 🐍 hid in the rocks A nest of mice 🐭 scurried away A bird built a nest 🐦 in the tree |
| colony | a group living together but not necessarily in a single hinding spot (ants, penguins, or seals) | A colony of ants 🐜 worked hard A colony of penguins 🐧 huddled |
| bunch | group tied or growing together like flowers, grapes, or keys | A bunch of grapes 🍇 hung A bunch of keys 🔑 jingled |
| bouquet | a decorative bunch of flowers | A bouquet of roses 🌹 |
| pair | two matching items (shoes, socks, trousers, scissors, twins) | A pair of shoes 👟 |
| set | a collection belonging together like tools, plates, books, or rules | A set of plates 🍽️ A set of tools 🔧 |
| bundle | a group tied together like sticks, hay, or papers | A bundle of sticks 🌿 |
| stack | a neatly arranged pile like books, chairs, or boxes | a stack of books 📚 |
| pile | a group of things placed together, often on top of each other. | A pile of clothes 👕. |
| heap | an untidy pile like clothes, papers, or objects | A heap of rubbish 🗑️. |
| range | a line of similar things like mountains or hills | A range of mountains ⛰️. |
| galaxy | group of stars | A galaxy of stars ✨. |
| series | things happening one after another like events, lessons, or shows | A series of lessons 📚. |
| chain | connected group of islands, mountains, or shops | A chain of islands 🏝️. |
| collection | a group gathered together like stamps, coins, books, or objects | A collection of coins 💰. A collection of stamps ✉️. |
| batch | items made at the same time (cakes, biscuits, goods) | A batch of biscuits 🍪. |
| array | a wide variety/group of options, lights, or choices | An array of colours 🎨. |
| fleet | group of vehicles moving together (ships, cars, or planes) | A fleet of ships 🚢. A fleet of planes ✈️. |
😅 Tricky collective nouns:
– team: can be a common noun because it’s just “any group”("I joined a team") or collective because it’s talking about that whole group together("The team won").
Collective Nouns poem: 🎵
A team works or plays together,
Winning matches, stormy weather. 🏆💻
A class of learners, here and there,
Trips or lessons, fun to share. 🏫➗
The crew sails ships and planes so high, ⛵✈️
Keeping everything safe as they fly.
A choir sings in perfect tune, 🎶
A band plays music in the afternoon. 🎸
An army marches, strong and bold, 🪖🐜🙋📣
Soldiers, ants, or helpers, all told.
A troop of scouts or monkeys too, 🎖️🐒
Hiking, camping, swinging through.
A crowd gathers, loud and near, 👥
While a gang of kids or robbers appear. 🚲💰
The committee meets to make a choice, 📋
A family laughs, raising their voice. 👨👩👧👦
A herd of elephants or cattle roam, 🐘🐄
A flock of birds or sheep calls home. 🐦🐑
A pack of wolves howls at night, 🐺
A swarm of bees gives a little fright. 🐝
A pride of lions rests in the sun, 🦁
A school of fish and dolphins have fun. 🐠🐬
A gaggle of geese honks on the street, 🦢
A litter of puppies or kittens is sweet. 🐶🐱
A nest of snakes or mice hides, 🐍🐭
A colony of ants or penguins strides. 🐜🐧
A bunch of grapes or keys in a line, 🍇🔑
A bouquet of roses looks divine. 🌹
A pair of shoes or socks you wear, 👟
A set of plates or tools to share. 🍽️🔧
A bundle of sticks tied with care, 🌿
A stack of books piled in the air. 📚
A pile of clothes, a heap of trash, 👕🗑️
A range of mountains, tall and brash. ⛰️
A galaxy of stars shines bright, ✨
A series of lessons goes day and night. 📚
A chain of islands, shops, or peaks, 🏝️
A collection of coins or stamps one seeks. 💰✉️
A batch of biscuits baked just right, 🍪
An array of colours, oh so bright! 🎨
A fleet of ships or planes in line, 🚢✈️
Groups are everywhere, all so fine!
Nouns Poem: 🎵
A noun is a naming word. 🎈
Proper nouns are special, common nouns are plain. 🖋️
Count if you can, measure if you can't. 🔢
If five senses find it, concrete is right. If only mind feels it, abstract’s in sight. 👀💭
Common names for one, collective for a bunch, remember both for a learning punch! 💪