Introduction

Collective nouns are singular words that usually refer to groups of people. In
British English they can be used with both singular and plural verbs but in
American English they are normally used with singular verbs.
This evening, my family have decided to go to a concert. Tonight the band is playing
with an orchestra.
The band have just performed their most popular song and the members of
the crowd are going wild.
Next week the orchestra are performing at the opera house. They are very good, Id like
to see them again.

Collective Nouns
British English
In British English, the verb can be conjugated in either the singular or the plural
form when used with collective nouns (except for police, see below).
If the emphasis is on the unit (in impersonal expressions), we use the verb
in the singular.
Example:
The band is playing with an orchestra.

The band is a unit.

However, if the emphasis is on the individual members of this group, we
use the verb in the plural.
Example:
My family have decided to go to a concert.
The individual members of the family have decided.

American English
In American English, collective nouns are almost always used with the verb in
the singular. But we can useplural pronouns (whereas in British English we have
to use singular pronouns with singular verbs).
Example:
The orchestra is going on tour. They are very good, Id like to see them
again.
If we want to put the emphasis on the individual members of the group, we have
to mention them in some way.
Example:
The members of the crowd are going wild.

Common Collective Nouns

Some common collective nouns are: audience, band, choir, class, company,
crew, family, government, group,orchestra, party, public, staff, team
Example:
a class refers to all the pupils who study in this collective group
a team refers to all members who are part of this collective group

To Note
Police is always used with the verb in the plural form.
Beispiel:
The police have caught the thief.
(not: The police has caught the thief.)

Quantifying Expressions

English has a lot of quantifying expressions which are used for a particular group
of animals, people or things. We make these expressions with a collective
noun + of + plural noun. Some of the most common collective nouns and
quantifying expressions are listed below.

Animals
Collective Noun

Example

a flock

a flock of sheep/seagulls

a herd

a herd of cows/elephants/giraffes

a pack

a pack of wolves

a swarm

a swarm of bees/butterflies

People
Collective Noun

Example

a gang

a gang of criminals/youths

a panel

a panel of experts/judges

a board

a board of directors

Other Things
Collective Noun

Example

a bunch

a bunch of bananas/keys/flowers

a fleet

a fleet of aircraft/cars/lorries/ships

a pack

a pack of cards/gum/lies/cigarettes

a pile

a pile of rubbish/washing/books