Page 181 - English Vocabualry In Use 3 (Upper Intermediate)

87 Collective nouns

A People

Collectivenounsareusedtodescribeagroupofthesamepeopleorthings.

agroupofpeople acrowdofpeople agangofthieves
(smallernumber) (largenumber) (rathernegative)

B Words associated with certain animals

Aflockofsheeporbirds,e.g.geese/pigeons;aherdofcows,deer,goats;ashoaloffish
(oranyparticularfish,e.g.ashoalofherring/mackerel-notetheuseofsingularhere);aswarm
/swO:m/ofinsects(typically flying ones, e.g. a swarm of bees/gnats).
Apackof…canbeusedfordogs,hyenas,wolves,etc.aswellasfor(playing)cards.

C People involved in the same job/activity

Thesenounsareusedwithsingularorpluralverbs,dependingonyourpointofview.
Ateamofreporters/rescueworkerswas/wereatthesceneofthedisaster.
Thecrewwas/weresavedwhentheshipsank.[workersonaship/ambulance/plane]
Thecompanyis/arerehearsinganewproduction.[groupofactors]

Thecastis/areallamateurs.[actorsinafilmortheatreproduction]
Thepublichas/havearighttoknowthetruth.[thepeopleasawhole]
Thestaffareonstrike.(normallyusedwithapluralverb;generalwordforgroupswhoshareaplaceofwork,
e.g. teachers in a school, people in an office)

D Physical features of landscapes

Inthepicturewecanseearowofcottagesnearaclumpoftreeswitharangeofhillsinthe
background.Outonthelakethereisasmallgroupofislands.

E Things in general

apairofbirdssittingonabranch[twoofanythingthatare
the same]

acoupleofstrawberries[vaguewayofsayingtwo,notnecessarily
exactly the same]
apile/heapofpapers(orclothes,dishes,toys,etc.)
abunchofflowers(orgrapes,bananas,etc.)
astackofchairs(ortables,boxes,logs,etc.)
asetoftools(orpotsandpans,dishes,etc.)

180 English Vocabulary in Use Upper-intermediate