What is the difference between plural and collective nouns?
1 Answer
Collective nouns can be plural or singular. They are used to represent groups of individuals. Plural nouns are strictly plural.
Explanation:
Examples of plural nouns:
children (more than one child)
geese (more than one goose)
xylophones (more than one xylophone)
countries (more than one country)
Examples of collective nouns:
group (a group indicates more than one person, however, the word can be used as a singular noun)
flock
army
Collective nouns are singular when the individuals in the group are doing the same thing. They are plural when the individuals are acting independently.
Sentences with plural/collective nouns:
She has two children. (plural noun children)
They saw some mice. (plural noun mice)
The army fought well. (SINGULAR collective noun army because the army of soldiers fought well, they all fought)
The family did their chores. (PLURAL collective noun family because each individual is doing a different chore)
