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English Quiz - Nouns (Collective) 01 (Questions)

Collective nouns name groups of people, animals, or things. In this KS3 English quiz, learn common groups and choose verbs that agree with them.

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Fascinating Fact:

Pack often names hunting animals or dogs, a pack of eight sled dogs can pull more than 100 kilograms.

In KS3 English, you’ll study collective nouns, words that describe groups, like pack, team, or flock. In British English, these can take a singular verb when the group is acting as one (The team is winning) or a plural verb when focusing on individuals (The team are arguing). Choose the verb form that matches the meaning.

Key Terms

Collective noun: A noun that names a group acting as one unit (e.g., pack, class, crowd).
Verb agreement: Matching the verb (singular/plural) to what the subject means in the sentence.
Noun phrase: A group of words built round a noun, e.g., a pack of wolves.

Frequently Asked Questions (Click to see answers)

What is a collective noun with examples?

A collective noun names a group, such as a pack of dogs, a team of players, a flock of birds, or a herd of cattle.

Do collective nouns take singular or plural verbs in British English?

Both are possible. Use singular for a group acting as one (The class is quiet) and plural for individuals within the group (The class are chatting).

What are common collective nouns for animals?

Examples include pack (wolves/dogs), flock (sheep/birds), herd (cattle), swarm (bees), and school (fish).

Try These Related Quizzes

1.

Find the correct collective noun for the following.
An ....... of ants.

[ ]	army
[ ]	cluster
[ ]	hive
[ ]	navy

2.

Find the correct collective noun for the following.
A ....... of geese.

[ ]	gaggle
[ ]	goggle
[ ]	hiss
[ ]	quack

3.

Find the correct collective noun for the following.
A ....... of bees.

[ ]	army
[ ]	hive
[ ]	navy
[ ]	nest

4.

Find the correct collective noun for the following.
A ....... of fish.

[ ]	net
[ ]	form
[ ]	sea
[ ]	shoal

5.

Find the correct collective noun for the following.
A ....... of porpoises.

[ ]	army
[ ]	pod
[ ]	sea
[ ]	shoal

6.

Find the correct collective noun for the following.
A ....... of sheep.

[ ]	flock
[ ]	herd
[ ]	pen
[ ]	stable

7.

Find the correct collective noun for the following.
A ....... of elephants.

[ ]	flock
[ ]	group
[ ]	herd
[ ]	school

8.

Find the correct collective noun for the following.
A ....... of penguins.

[ ]	colony
[ ]	flock
[ ]	herd
[ ]	school

9.

Find the correct collective noun for the following.
A ....... of birds.

[ ]	aviary
[ ]	colony
[ ]	flock
[ ]	nest

10.

Find the correct collective noun for the following.
A ....... of flies.

[ ]	buzz
[ ]	flock
[ ]	hive
[ ]	swarm

You can find more about this topic by visiting BBC Bitesize - What is a noun?

English Quiz - Nouns (Collective) 01 (Answers)

1.

Find the correct collective noun for the following.
An ....... of ants.

[x]	army
[ ]	cluster
[ ]	hive
[ ]	navy

The collective noun here is "army"

2.

Find the correct collective noun for the following.
A ....... of geese.

[x]	gaggle
[ ]	goggle
[ ]	hiss
[ ]	quack

"Gaggle" is the collective noun

3.

Find the correct collective noun for the following.
A ....... of bees.

[ ]	army
[x]	hive
[ ]	navy
[ ]	nest

A "swarm" of bees could also be used as a collective noun phrase

4.

Find the correct collective noun for the following.
A ....... of fish.

[ ]	net
[ ]	form
[ ]	sea
[x]	shoal

A "school" of fish would also be a collective noun phrase

5.

Find the correct collective noun for the following.
A ....... of porpoises.

[ ]	army
[x]	pod
[ ]	sea
[ ]	shoal

"Pod" is the collective noun here

6.

Find the correct collective noun for the following.
A ....... of sheep.

[x]	flock
[ ]	herd
[ ]	pen
[ ]	stable

"A flock of sheep" is a collective noun phrase

7.

Find the correct collective noun for the following.
A ....... of elephants.

[ ]	flock
[ ]	group
[x]	herd
[ ]	school

"Herd" is also used for cows

8.

Find the correct collective noun for the following.
A ....... of penguins.

[x]	colony
[ ]	flock
[ ]	herd
[ ]	school

The collective noun, e.g. "flock", is always singular. In a sentence, it takes a verb with a third-person singular conjugation, i.e. The flock of geese is flying south

9.

Find the correct collective noun for the following.
A ....... of birds.

[ ]	aviary
[ ]	colony
[x]	flock
[ ]	nest

Although "flock" and "colony" are singular, the concrete nouns "birds" and "penguins" are plural

10.

Find the correct collective noun for the following.
A ....... of flies.

[ ]	buzz
[ ]	flock
[ ]	hive
[x]	swarm

Although made up of many flies, the "swarm" itself is singular