A collective noun is a noun used to refer to a group of things, animals, or persons (that can be counted). Take a look at the underlined words in the examples below. They are collective nouns used in place of countable nouns. Note that the verbs used are always in their singular form as the nouns (although more than one in quantity) are referred to as one unit.

• The class was still in the exam hall when the incident happened.
• The flock of chicken has been injected with vaccine.
• The jury listens to the facts of a case in a court of law and decides whether the accused is guilty of the crime.
• The committee meets every Saturday to discuss their progress.

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