1. I was attacked by a _______ of bees.
a) deck b) swarm c) package d) flock
2. A _______ of geese was heard a mile away.
a) gaggle b) herd c) litter d) kennel
3. Last Sunday, I went with my friends to the park. We had to eat our lunch quickly because an _______ of ants attacked our food.
a) crowd b) swarm c) flight d) army
4. On my African trip, I saw a ________ of lions.
a) pride b) bundle c) pack d) gang
5. The boy saw a _______ of sheep grazing in the fields.
a) swarm b) bevy c) flock d) flight
6. I had so much fun in Hawaii swimming with a _________ of fish.
a) army b) shoal c) bevy d) team
7. I like to play card games. So when I go camping, I usually take a _______ of cards with me.
a) herd b) school c) pack d) range
8. There was a _______ of bird eggs on the tree.
a) nest b) swarm c) crowd d) school
9. There was a _______ of visitors in the Vancouver Art Gallery on Sunday.
a) crowd b) school c) nest d) gang
10. I love hiking in the spring because the mountains are covered with a ________ of wild flowers.
a) nest b) mass c) deck d) set
11. A ______ of cows was transported to a farm in Texas for slaughter.
a) pod b) pack c) herd d) stack
12. The man never cleaned his office. He left a ________ of files and papers on his desk.
a) deck b) army c) pile d) bundle
13. On a stormy night you could hear the howling of a _______ of wolves.
a) swarm b) pack c) gang d) bevy
14. My friend's cat had a __________ of kittens on the weekend.
a) gaggle b) swarm c) litter d) colony
15. On the ferry ride from Victoria, I saw a ________ of whales in the ocean.
a) bevy b) crowd c) shoal d) gang
Pick out the collective nouns in the following sentences and make up sentences of your own.
1. The general led the army to the war-front.
2. The crowd was thrilled to see their favourite player.
3. The carpenter had his set of tools with him.
4. The innocent man was acquitted by the jury.
5. We saw the fleet of ships sailing on the sea.
6. Uncle took his family to the circus.
7. The police managed to control the mob.
8. The committee voted against the resolution.
9. The whole nation celebrated Indian victory.
10. A troupe of monkeys hid among the clump of trees.
· Two or more subjects connected by and require a plural verb.
My mother and sister live in Boston.
My brother, sister, and cousin live in Boston.
Note: Every and each are always followed immediately by singular verb. In this case, even when there are two (or more) nouns connected by and, the verb is singular.
Every man, woman, and child needs love.
Each book and magazine is listed in the card catalogue.
· Sometimes a phrase or clause separates a subject from its verb. These interrupting structures do not affect basic agreement.
That book on political parties is interesting.
Singular singular
The ideas in that book are interesting.
plural plural
· A gerund used as the subject of the sentence requires a singular verb.
Growing flowers is her hobby.
Gerund singular
· In most expressions of quantity, the verb is determined by the noun (or pronoun) that follows of.
| Some of + singular noun = singular verb Some of + plural noun = plural verb verb |
Some of the bookis good.
singular singular
Some of the booksare good.
plural plural
Two-thirds of the moneyis mine.
singular singular
Two-thirds of the penniesare mine.
plural plural
Note: One of, each of, and every one of take singular verb.
One of my friends is here.
Each of my friends is here.
Every one of my friends is here.
1. Choose the correct answer in parentheses.
1. The results of Dr. Noll’s experiment (was, were) published in a scientific journal.
2. The weather in the southern states (get, gets) very hot during the summer.
3. A woman and her child (is, are) waiting to see Dr. Chang.
4. Every man, woman, and child (is, are) protected under the law.
5. Washing the dishes (is, are) the children’s job.
6. A lot of the students (is, are) already here.
7. Some of the furniture in our apartment (is, are) secondhand.
8. Some of the desks in the classroom (is, are) broken.
9. At least three-quarters of that book on famous Americans (is, are) about people who lived in the nineteenth century.
10. One of the countries I would like to visit (is, are) Italy.
11. Some of the cities I would like to visit (is, are) Rome and Venice.
12. Each student in the class (has, have) to have a book.
13. Each of the students (has, have) a notebook.
14. The famous singer and composer (has, have) arrived.
15. Gold, as well as platinum, (has, have) recently risen in price.
16. Bread and butter (is, are) our daily food.
17. The boss, as well as his colleagues, (has, have) been robbed.
18. One of the books (has, have) been missing.
19. You should decide which one of the three choices A, B, or C best (answers, answer) the question.
20. One of the most intelligent students who (score, scores) full marks (is, are) John.
21. The only one of these most intelligent students who (is, are) under 18 (is, are) Peter.
22. One of these most intelligent students whose example (is being, are being) followed (is, are) John.
23. Neither (likes, like) the friends of the other.
24. Either the man or his wife (knows, know) the truth of the matter.
25. The family (has, have) met their various obligations.
