Collective nouns / Собирательные существительные

Collective noun (Коллективное или собирательное существительное) - это слово, обозначающее группу предметов или лиц, например, команда, рой, стадо.

Collective nouns are used to describe a group of the same things.

a group of people (small group)

a crowd of people (large number)
a gang of football fans (rather negative)

Collective Nouns For Kids And Beginners

Words associated with certain animals 
A flock of sheep or birds, e.g. geese / pigeons;  

a herd of cows, deer, goats;  
a school of fish (or any particular fish, e.g. a school of herring / mackerel - note the use of singular here);  
a swarm of insects (or any particular insect, most typically flying ones, e.g. a swarm of bees / gnats)

Note: a pack of ... can be used for dogs or hyenas, wolves, etc. as well as for (playing) cards.


Advanced English Grammar: Collective Nouns

People involved in the same job / activity:

A team of surgeons / doctors / experts / reporters / scientists / rescue-workers / detectives arrived at the scene of the disaster.

The crew were all saved when the ship sank. [workers on a ship]
The company are rehearsing a new production. [group of actors]
The cast were all amateurs. [actors in a particular production]
The staff are on strike. [general word for groups who share a place of work, e.g. teachers in a school, people in an office]

Physical features of landscapes

In the picture we can see a row of cottages near a clump of trees with a range of hills in the background. Out on the lake there is a small group of islands.

Things in general

a pile / heap of papers (or clothes, dishes, toys, etc.)
a bunch of flowers (or grapes, bananas, berries, etc.)
a stack of chairs (or tables, boxes, logs, etc.)
a set of tools (or pots and pans, etc.)

Exercises

Fill each gap with a suitable collective noun.

1) There are ................................. of mosquitoes in the forests in Scandinavia in the summer.
2) As we looked over the side of the boat, we saw a ................................. of brightly coloured fish swimming just below the surface.
3) There was a ................................. of youths standing on the corner; they didn't look at all friendly.
4) You'll see a .................................of cards on the bookshelf. Will you fetch them for me, please?
5) The government has appointed a ................................. of biologists to look into the problem.

In each case, one of the examples is wrong. Which one?

1) Company is often used for: actors, opera singers, swimmers
2) Cast is often used for people in: a play, a book, a film
3) Crew is often used for the staff of: an ambulance, a plane, a hospital
4) Pack is often used for: cats, hyenas, wolves
5) Flock is often used for: sheep, starlings, pigs

Rewrite these sentences using collective words. Don't forget to make the verb singular where necessary.

1) There are some tables on top of one another in the next room.
2) There are a large number of people waiting outside.
3) The people who work there are very well-paid.
4) A large number of sheep had escaped from a field.
5) She gave me six identical sherrv glasses.
6) She gave me five or six beautiful roses.