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Cup cake Posted 11 years ago
Grammar

Collective Nouns

Hi Everyone,

I have a question about collective nouns. I know what they are, but I would like clarity on these examples:

1. A carton of eggs.
2. A barrel of beer.
3. A tank of petrol.

I know that carton, barrel and tank are collective in these sentences, but aren't 'eggs, beer, and petrol' collective should you choose not to say a carton, or a barrel, or a tank?

In other words, if you choose to say, 'I'm eating eggs for breakfast', are eggs a collective noun in this sentence?

Thanks and happy Sunday Emotion: smile
  

Top answer

Cup cake collective nouns. I know what they are Are you sure you know? They are singular countable nouns that represent more than one entity.

— CalifJim

  • Cup cake collective nouns.
  • I know what they are Are you sure you know?
  • They are singular countable nouns that represent more than one entity.
  • 'eggs', for example, is a plural, not a collective noun, so 'eggs' can't be a collective noun in any sentence.
  • Uncountable nouns can't be collective nouns either, so 'beer' and 'petrol' are not collective nouns.
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3 Answers
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Cup cakecollective nouns. I know what they are
Are you sure you know? They are singular countable nouns that represent more than one entity. 'eggs', for example, is a plural, not a collective noun, so 'eggs' can't be a collective noun in any sentence. Uncountable nouns can't be collective nouns either, so 'beer' and 'petrol' are not collective
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Hi CJ,

Yes, I know that family, herd, flock etc are collective but wasn't 100% sure about 'a carton of eggs' etc.

I'll have to research partitive constructions. That's a new term I've not heard of before.

Thanks for your great explanation.
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Cup cakeYes, I know that family, herd, flock etc are collective but wasn't 100% sure about 'a carton of eggs' etc.
Well, of course, "a carton of eggs" is a collection composed of eggs, but neither of the nouns that make up that expression (carton, eggs) are collective nouns. The term "collective" (or "collection") applied to "a carton of eggs" is more
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