Collective nouns are for things that are grouped together. They are used for a group of people, animals, or things, and we use them every day in conversations. There are hundreds of collective nouns but we listed the top 5 and most commonly used words for you below!
Examples of Collective Nouns
Bunch
(Meaning) The collective noun “bunch” can be used on several occasions. It can be used for a group of people, animals, or things and is one of the most used general terms as a collective noun today.
Example 1: A bunch of people outside has been waiting for hours for the new store to open.
Example 2: There is a bunch of dirt on the ground next to our front door.
Collection
(Meaning) The word “collection” is a general term for a group of things of the same kind that is collected and displayed by a person. If you have several things of the same kind, you can call them a collection.
Example 1: I have a collection of toy animals that are from all the places I’ve traveled.
Example 2: We need to clean my collection of vases because it has gathered dust from the years it sat on the shelf.
Pack
(Meaning) Pack is another collective noun used for a group of small items inside a container. Some items sold in stores usually come in packs and have more than 10 pieces of the items inside. Pack can also be used as a collective noun for animals that form a group to live, hunt and travel together.
Example 1: My dad asked me to buy a pack of cigarettes but he didn’t tell me which brand.
Example 2: I live near the forest and I heard a pack of wolves howling the other night.
Pod
(Meaning) The word “pod” refers to a small group of people, mostly students. The word is also used for a group of animals like dolphins and whales. It is one of the most commonly used collective nouns today.
Example 1: There is a pod of 12th graders by the field and they are not in their class.
Example 2: I witnessed a pod of whales while we were on a boat last summer.
Set
(Meaning) Set is a collective noun for a number of things that are used together. Set is a common collective noun used today, and there are plenty of things that are bought as a set.
Example 1: I got a complete set of plates that are vintage from a thrift store in town.
Example 2: We need a new set of silverware since our families will be joining us for the holidays.