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Tough Humanities Trivia: Collective Nouns | 10 Questions

Collective nouns are thought only to exist for animals, but in fact there are many groups (of humans) that also have collective nouns, based often on their gender or their occupation. Test your knowledge of these collectives in this quiz.

A multiple-choice quiz by jglane. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
jglane

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
331,247

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
6 / 10

Plays
1475

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. Men, women, boys and girls are all groups that have collective nouns. Which combination below is the correct sequence for these groups? Hint

Band, Gaggle, Blush, Giggle

Team, Impatience, Troop, Expectation

Gang, Chatter, Team, Group

Banner, Becy, Rascal, Troupe

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Question 2 of 10

2. Many collective nouns that are used for occupations derive from the occupations they encircle. Whilst there are a balance of accountants, a shower of meteorologists, a galaxy of cosmologists and a flush of plumbers, what is the collective noun for midwives? Hint

A patience

An expectation

A virtue

A summoning

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Question 3 of 10

3. Most elections see a large number of candidates trying to get elected to a certain position. But what is the correct collective noun for a group of candidates? Hint

A speech

A paper

A slate

A ballot

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Question 4 of 10

4. True or False: Both police and sheriffs share a collective noun - posse.

True

False

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Question 5 of 10

5. A neverthriving is the collective noun for which of these Medieval groups? Hint

Cesspit cleaners

Jousters

Jugglers

Highway gangs

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Question 6 of 10

6. Soldiers have multiple collective nouns accorded to them. Which of the following is NOT a collective noun that is commonly used in this context? Hint

Army

Blast

Muster

Division

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Question 7 of 10

7. For some reason, hermits also have a collective noun accorded to them, although hermits tend to live in isolation. Which of the following is the correct collective noun for a group of hermits? Hint

Observance

Wandering

Gathering

Loneliness

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Question 8 of 10

8. True or false: the correct collective noun for nuns is a convent.

True

False

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Question 9 of 10

9. Whilst it is a congregation of church goers, what is the correct collective noun for a group of vicars? Hint

Tabernacle

Chapter

Prudence

Diligence

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Question 10 of 10

10. Which of these is not a collective noun for "people"? Hint

Mob

Audience

Congregation

Group

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Men, women, boys and girls are all groups that have collective nouns. Which combination below is the correct sequence for these groups?

Answer: Band, Gaggle, Blush, Giggle

The correct answers are a band of men, a gaggle of women, a blush of boys and a giggle of girls. However, some of the other collective nouns were also used but not in this context. These include a banner of knights, a gang of workmen/labourers, a bevy of ladies, a team of athletes, an troop of boy scouts and an impatience of wives.

Answer: An expectation

As it says in the question - many collective nouns are derived from their respective occupations, and this is no exception. Whilst patience, virtue and summoning are all collective nouns in their own right, it is expectant women who need a midwife, and therefore it is an expectation of midwives.

3. Most elections see a large number of candidates trying to get elected to a certain position. But what is the correct collective noun for a group of candidates?

Answer: A slate

Although it seems that a ballot (paper) should be the correct answer, it is in fact a slate of candidates. Of course, whichever candidate is elected generally enters a subsequent group with different collective nouns. Often this group is that of politicians, for which every collective noun always seems to be negative.

4. True or False: Both police and sheriffs share a collective noun - posse.

Answer: True

A posse has a number of correct definitions, the most common of which is a group of people that are summoned by a sheriff to aid in the process of law enforcement. However, it can also refer to a search party, a group of associates or even a crime gang.

5. A neverthriving is the collective noun for which of these Medieval groups?

Answer: Jugglers

The correct answer is jugglers, as there are no collective nouns for the other three, although the possibilities with some of the answers do seem rather intriguing.

6. Soldiers have multiple collective nouns accorded to them. Which of the following is NOT a collective noun that is commonly used in this context?

Answer: Blast

Although "a blast" is a collective noun, it is not used for soldiers, but rather for hunters. Army, muster and division are all collective nouns that may be used for soldiers, along with brigade, company, platoon and troop.

7. For some reason, hermits also have a collective noun accorded to them, although hermits tend to live in isolation. Which of the following is the correct collective noun for a group of hermits?

Answer: Observance

It is an observance of hermits. The others are not used for any specific group of people, although some are used to describe groups of animals or objects.

8. True or false: the correct collective noun for nuns is a convent.

Answer: False

A convent is the place where nuns reside and not the collective noun to describe them. The correct collective noun in this situation is a superfluity of nuns.

9. Whilst it is a congregation of church goers, what is the correct collective noun for a group of vicars?

Answer: Prudence

It is a prudence of vicars that address the congregations of church goers. However, each of the others is a true collective nouns for canons, messengers and bakers respectively.

10. Which of these is not a collective noun for "people"?

Answer: Group

Although many people say a "group of people", this is not the correct collective noun to use. To be grammatically correct, they should say a "mob of people", a "congregation of people", an "audience of people" or even a "crowd of people".

Source: Author jglane

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor looney_tunes before going online.
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