1.5
Collective Nouns
OBJECTIVE • To identify and use collective nouns
DAILY MAINTENANCE Assign Practice Book page 3, Section 1.5. After students finish, 1. Give immediate feedback. 2. Review concepts as needed. 3. Model the correct answer. Pages 4–5 of the Answer Key contain tips for Daily Maintenance.
PRACTICE EXERCISE 1 Read aloud the example and complete the first item with the class. As you discuss the collective nouns, point out that each term represents a group of people or things treated as a single unit. Have students complete the exercise independently. When students have finished the exercise, invite volunteers to write their sentences on the board.
EXERCISE 2 Read each sentence aloud and call on a volunteer to identify the collective noun. If students have difficulty identifying the nouns, ask which word names a group of people, animals, places, or things that can be considered a unit. EXERCISE 3 Have students complete this exercise independently. When students have finished, invite volunteers to read their answers aloud. Discuss alternative answers for each sentence.
WARM-UP Write the following on the board: school of fish
Have small groups create a list of other nouns that name groups of animals (flock of sheep, colony of ants, swarm of bees, pride of lions). Tell students that the group with the most nouns on their list after two minutes wins.
1.5
Collective Nouns A collective noun names a group of people, animals, places, or things that are considered a unit. A collective noun usually, but not always, acts as a singular noun.
Read from a piece of writing that the class is currently reading. Emphasize the collective nouns.
The public likes stories of impossible victories. An international committee organizes the Olympics.
Here is a list of some common collective nouns.
TEACH Ask a volunteer to read aloud the definition of a collective noun. Then ask volunteers to write on the board their examples from the Warm-Up and to underline the collective nouns. Emphasize that in addition to groups of animals, collective nouns also name groups of people, places, and things. Read aloud the list of common collective nouns. Read aloud the rest of the text. Point out that collective nouns generally are treated as singular nouns, meaning that all members are doing the same thing at the same time. Explain that a singular verb should match a singular collective noun (The audience claps. Claps is singular.)
committee
group
audience
council
herd
bunch
crowd
jury
chorus
faculty
orchestra
cast
family
staff
class
flock
swarm
club
government
team
When a collective noun is singular, it agrees with a singular verb. When the group is viewed as acting as a unit, the verb form is singular. Note that singular verbs in the present tense end in -s. A crew cleans the ice at the hockey rink at intermission. The team spends hours practicing together on the ice.
EXERCISE 1 Write a collective noun for each word. Use it in a sentence. EXAMPLE
1. 2. 3. 4.
10
10 • Section 1.5
army
•
students grapes sheep soldiers
Section 1.5
players
5. 6. 7. 8.
team
teachers spectators relatives actors
I am on the soccer team.
9. 10. 11. 12.
musicians cows bees singers