A collective noun names a group of persons, things, or animals.

Read and analyze the following sentences:

• The orchestra presented a concert at the Cultural Center of the Philippines.
• The class went on a field trip to Tagaytay.

The orchestra is made up of several musicians playing different musical instruments together to perform one musical piece.

The class, which is made up of different people, went on one activity - the field trip.

Orchestra and class are examples of collective nouns.

Other examples of collective nouns are:

audience, club, government, team, band, company, choir, herd, crew, gang, troop, staff, baggage, furniture, equipment, luggage, cattle, police, folk

A collective noun takes a singular verb if the members of the group act as a single unit.

A collective noun takes a plural verb if the members of the group act separately or as individual members.

Read and analyze the following sentences:

• The board of judges was unanimous in giving the top award to Vincent.
• The board of judges were not one in their decision. One of them wanted to give it to Katrina.

In the first sentence, the word board refers to a group of people that has a common decision. The collective noun, board, takes a singular verb because it refers to the group of judges as a whole.

When acting together, the collective noun takes a singular verb.

In the second sentence, the word board refers to a group of people that has members with different decisions.

The collective noun, board, takes a plural verb because it refers to judges as individual persons.

When the members of the group are acting individually, the collective noun takes a plural verb.