Skills

Levels

spacer 		spacer

Collective Nouns


Click for Audio

Some nouns can be considered either singular or plural, depending on whether the speaker is referring to them as a one group or individually.

Examples of collective nouns are:

    group

    family

    committee

    team

    management


The committee has not made a decision yet.

The committee have not made a decision yet.

The team is posing for a photograph.

The team are signing autographs.

(It will submit one conclusion as a group.)

They are still arguing among themselves.)

(as a group)

(as individuals)

Be careful when using collective nouns with pronouns.

    The Jones family is having a reunion this Sunday. It meets every summer.

    The Jones family are going home on Monday. They all live in different states.

spacer
Learn English Online