Here's a breakdown:
What it does:
* Represents a group: It acts as a single entity, even though it's made up of multiple individuals or items.
* Singular form: Collective nouns are typically used in the singular form, even when referring to many things.
Examples:
* People: A team of players, a flock of birds, a class of students, a crowd of people
* Animals: A herd of cattle, a pack of wolves, a school of fish
* Things: A fleet of ships, a bouquet of flowers, a set of tools
Important Notes:
* Agreement: The verb used with a collective noun depends on whether you're emphasizing the group as a whole or the individual members.
* Whole group: The team *is* practicing.
* Individual members: The team *are* arguing about strategy.
* Context matters: The meaning of a collective noun can vary depending on the context. For example, "The audience was quiet" refers to the whole group, while "The audience were clapping and cheering" emphasizes the individual members.
Let me know if you'd like more examples or want to explore a specific type of collective noun!