A Tick-Tock of Wolves a Kennel of Herring

Collective Nouns

1. The following nouns have been paired with an inappropriate collective noun. Sort them out and pair each noun with what you think would be the most suitable collective noun.

A tick-tock of wolves A kennel of herring

A shoal of lions A plague of clocks

A pack of steam A pride of insects

A hissing of dogs A paddle of turkeys

A bray of ducks A gobble of donkeys

2. Write as many things as you can which characterise the following animals. Think of the sounds and movements each make; what words could you use to describe these sounds and movements? Then choose which characteristic you feel could be best used as a collective noun. The first one has been started for you.

Rabbits: twitch, hop… Dogs Nits Ostriches

Baboons Tigers Bats Rottweilers

Poodles Cows Kangaroos Elephants

3. Use the following in a story, using collective nouns appropriate to the noun and to the story.

Aliens Royalty Actors Teachers Footballers Sprouts Wigs

* Plus any two more of your own.

4. Prepare a ‘Collective Nouns’ sheet on the Word Processor. Define what a collective nouns is; explain the relevance of ‘characteristics’ and give as many examples as you have.

Collective nouns

1. Pair each noun with what you think would be the most suitable collective noun.

Collective nouns

A pride of
A shoal of
A pack of
A hissing of
A bray of
A kennel of
A plague of
A tick-tock of
A paddle of
A gobble of
wolves
steam
ducks
lions
herring
clocks
insects
turkeys
donkeys
dogs

Collective nouns

Draw a line to the correct noun.

Collective nouns

2. What words could you use to describe the sounds and movements these animals make? Write these in the ‘sound/movement’ column. Now use these sounds/movements to help you think of some collective nouns. Write your collective nouns in the last column.

Animal / Sound / movement / Idea for a collective noun
Rabbits / twitch, hop / twitch
Dogs / sniff, bark / wag
Nits
Ostriches
Baboons
Tigers
Bats
Rottweilers
Poodles
Cows
Kangaroos
Elephants

3. Do the same with these nouns:

Noun / Description / Idea for a collective noun
Aliens
Royalty
Actors
Teachers
Footballers
Sprouts
Wigs
...
...

* plus two more of your own.

4. Prepare your own ‘Collective nouns’ sheet on the computer. First of all you need to explain what a collective noun is.

Start with:
A collective noun is

5. Now try inventing a collective noun for the following:

· snakes

· butterflies

· pigs