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Nouns #14: Special Names for Groups (#2), by Dennis Oliver
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Nouns #14:
Special
Names for Groups (#2)
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English also has many special
quantifiers that are used
with
specific
countable nouns. Some of
these are very
common, while
others (even though they are interesting)
are not very
well-known and
are also
not used very
often.
Following are a few examples
of quantifiers
which are
commonly used. This group is for specific
animals
and
insects.
|
| |
quantifier |
|
used
with |
| |
a
bed of _____ |
|
clams,
oysters |
| |
a
covey
[kúh-vij]
of _____
|
|
quail |
| |
a
litter of _____ |
|
a
group
of piglets
(baby pigs),
puppies (baby dogs), and kittens
(baby cats)
born at the same
time. |
| |
a
pack of _____ |
|
dogs,
wolves,
coyotes |
| |
a
pod of _____ |
|
whales |
| |
a
pride of _____ |
|
lions |
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a
school of
_____ |
|
fish |
| |
a
swarm of _____ |
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bees,
termites, locusts,
any
insect that travels in
large
groups |
| |
a
troop of _____ |
|
monkeys,
baboons |
_________________________________________________
Special Notes:
| 1. |
|
All of the quantifiers above
may be singular or plural.
When
a quantifier is plural,
it refers to
more than
one
group:
three packs of wolves = three
groups of wolves
two swarms of bees = two groups
of bees
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| |
|
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| 2. |
|
There are many
more special quantifiers used for groups
of animals
and insects. There
are also special quantifiers
which are
used for
things. |
|
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