A Noun is a naming word.
- Every person, place or thing is identified with a name, without which we would not be able to communicate or understand one another.
- There are four types of nouns: Common Nouns, Proper Nouns, Abstract Nouns and Collective Nouns.
Collective Nouns
A Collective Noun is the name of a collection or a group of objects, people or creatures:
a flight of stairs
a gaggle of geese
a string of pearls
- A collective noun is a descriptive way of saying 'lots of...' (Avoid saying 'lots of' as this is slang.)
- We may use the collective noun without the noun to which it refers:
The Staff (of teachers) was unanimous in its decision. - Many accepted lists of collective nouns are available, but it is exciting to try to create your own. These will not be found in books e.g. a chatter of staff members, a bumble of bees, a waddle of ducks.
Some Collective nouns
- an academy of performers/students
- an anthology of poems
- an aquarium/catch/school/shoal of fish
- an archpelago of islands
- an arrangement/bunch/bouquet/vase of flowers
- an array/rainbow of colours
- an audience of spectators
- an aviary of birds
