Grammar
Collective nouns: names for groups and verb agreement
Sign in to saveDo you say the team is ready or the team are ready? Both can work in daily speech. You only need to know which one fits.
A collective noun names a group. Choose your verb by the group word, how you view the group, and the variety of English you are using.
Read and practice
Read the examples and try the written questions in this guide. Listening recordings are not available for this lesson yet.
Try the written questions
collective nouns kuh-LEK-tiv-NOWNZ
The short answer
Singular group nouns usually take singular verbs in American English. British English also uses plural verbs when the focus is on the members.
Our team is playing in the final this year.
Why it works: Here the writer treats the team as one unit.
4 more examples
-
Planning a home move
My family is moving to a new flat next month.
The singular verb presents the family as one household.
Not this:My
family aremoving to a new flat next month. What changes: This plural version is also possible in British English, with the family members in mind. -
Reporting local news
The police are looking into the broken window.
Use a plural verb for police when you mean police officers.
Not this:The
police islooking into the broken window. What changes: In standard English, the police takes a plural verb when it refers to officers. -
Walking by a lake
A flock of birds flew over the quiet lake.
The phrase flock of birds treats the animals as one group.
Not this:A
herd of birdsflew over the quiet lake. What changes: Flock is the usual group word for birds in this scene. -
Reading an email update
The company has changed its return policy.
Has and its present the company as one organization.
Not this:The company
have changed their return policy. What changes: This version can work in British English when the company is viewed as its people.
Quick check
Use singular agreement: the committee ___ approved the plan.
A committee meeting at work
Answer: has
Show the answer
Answer: has
The prompt asks you to treat the committee as one unit, so choose has.
Read the full guide
You sit in a meeting and hear someone say the staff is ready. A moment later, another person says the staff are arguing. Both speakers sound natural, but they see the group in two different ways.
Match the verb to meaning
The problem: I know words like team and family describe many people, so I never know whether to use is or are with them.
Ask whether you mean one team or its members. The rows below show common group words. You can make the people explicit with phrases such as team members; this works in both English varieties.
| Group noun | Typical use | Example sentence |
|---|---|---|
| team | Players or people working together | Our team is leading the competition. |
| family | People related to one another | My family lives in a small town. |
| class | Students taught as a group | The class is listening to the teacher. |
| crowd | Many people in a public place | A large crowd was waiting outside. |
| audience | People watching a show | The audience clapped after the show. |
| staff | People working for the same business | The hotel staff is very helpful. |
| committee | People making choices | The committee has approved the plan. |
| crew | Workers on a plane or ship | The flight crew is ready to board. |
| jury | Group hearing a court case | The jury reached a verdict. |
| band | Group of singers or players | The band is playing at the park. |
| choir | Group of singers | The church choir sings every Sunday. |
| panel | People chosen to discuss or judge | The panel was talking about new rules. |
| flock | Birds or sheep together | A flock of birds flew across the sky. |
| herd | Cows, deer, or sheep | A herd of cows was grazing in the field. |
| pack | Wolves or wild dogs | A pack of wolves hunted in the snow. |
| swarm | Bees or flies together | A swarm of bees flew near the garden. |
| school | Fish swimming together | We saw a school of fish in the sea. |
| pride | Lions living together | A pride of lions rested in the grass. |
| bunch | Keys, flowers, or grapes | She bought a bunch of sweet grapes. |
| set | Tools, plates, or keys | I found a full set of old keys. |
Your turn
Use singular agreement: the audience ___ larger than expected last night.
Answer: was
Show the answer
Answer: was
The prompt treats the audience as one group in the past, so choose was.
Police, cattle and people
The problem: I said the police is investigating the crime, and my teacher said is was wrong even though police looks like a regular group word.
Use plural verbs with police and cattle. People also takes a plural verb when it means persons. These words do not follow the team is pattern.
| Plural group word | Correct verb | Example |
|---|---|---|
| police | are / were / have | The police are asking questions. |
| people | are / were / have | Many people are waiting for the bus. |
| cattle | are / were / have | Twenty cattle are grazing by the river. |
Your turn
Fill in the correct present form of be for the sentence.
Answer: The police are searching the park for the missing dog.
Show the answer
Answer: are
Police refers to officers here, so the present form is are.
Group nouns and mass nouns
The problem: I confuse collective group nouns with uncountable nouns and say things like a furniture or the furnitures are arriving today.
Furniture and luggage are uncountable in their usual meanings. Use singular verbs and no a or an directly before them. For a number, name the items or use phrases such as two pieces of furniture.
You can count them and make them plural.
We formed three new teams.
Use furniture without a/an or a plural ending in this meaning.
The new furniture looks great.
-
Two pieces of furniture were damaged during the move.
Why it works: Pieces is plural, so it takes were.
Your turn
Choose the sentence that uses the correct noun form and verb.
Answer: The new furniture is arriving this afternoon.
Show the answer
Answer: The new furniture is arriving this afternoon.
Use furniture with a singular verb. To count items, use pieces of furniture.
Refer to a group
The problem: I am unsure whether its refers to the whole group or their refers to its members.
For one group, has with its is a clear pattern. British English also lets you use plural verbs for the members. Their can refer to those people; you can use it after a group noun.
- Elena
Has the marketing committee shared its report yet?
- Marcus
Yes, the committee's posted its findings on the shared drive.
Your turn
Use the possessive form of it: the bank has changed ___ fees.
Answer: its
Show the answer
Answer: its
It refers to one bank here. Use its for something that belongs to the bank.
Before you go
Question 1 of 2
Put the words into the correct order to make a sentence about a flock of sheep.
Answer: A flock of sheep was grazing quietly on the hill.
Show the answer
Answer: A flock of sheep was grazing quietly on the hill.
This sentence presents the flock as one unit and uses was.
Question 2 of 2 · One new sentence
For an American English report, keep the research team singular throughout. Choose the sentence.
Answer: The research team has sent its final project report to the university.
Show the answer
Answer: The research team has sent its final project report to the university.
Has and its consistently present the research team as one organization.
Remember this
Check the group word and the English variety. Team can take different patterns, but police refers to officers and takes a plural verb. Keep your intended meaning clear.
Practice with the written examples
You can practice with the written questions in the Learn tab. Each answer includes an explanation.
Try the written questionsListening test not available yet
This lesson does not have the recordings needed for a listening test. Use the written questions in the guide to check your understanding.
Try the written questionsQuestions about "Collective nouns: names for groups and verb agreement"
Should I write the team is or the team are?
Both patterns occur. American English usually uses a singular verb with team. British English also allows a plural verb when you focus on the members. If you want that focus to be clear in either variety, write team members and use a plural verb.
The team is ready for the next round.
The team members are putting on their boots.
How do I choose between flock, herd and group?
Learn the group word together with the noun that follows it. Flock commonly goes with birds or sheep; herd goes with cattle and some other animals, including sheep. More than one combination can be valid. Group is useful when you do not need a more specific word.
A flock of geese landed beside the pond.
A herd of sheep moved through the gate.
Is furniture a collective noun like team?
Furniture is usually taught as an uncountable noun. You can count teams, but you do not normally count furniture by adding a plural ending. Name the objects, or use pieces of furniture. The verb matches furniture or pieces, depending on which is the subject.
The furniture was delivered before lunch.
Four pieces of furniture were missing.
Why do police and cattle take plural verbs?
Police, when it means officers, and cattle are plural nouns even though they do not end in s. They use are or were. They do not follow the usual singular team pattern. To refer to one person or animal, use a more specific singular noun.
The police were checking the side entrance.
The cattle are drinking beside the fence.
One officer was waiting near the gate.
Should a group noun be followed by its or their?
Its presents the group as one unit. Their can refer to the people in it, especially with British plural agreement. Make clear what the pronoun refers to. If the shift feels confusing, name the members directly; a plural pronoun then has a clear reference.
The club has changed its opening hours.
The club members have collected their new passes.