What is a Group of Sheep Called?

In English grammar, a 'Collective Noun' is a special word used to describe a large group of animals, people, or things acting together as one single unit (like an 'army' of soldiers or a 'bunch' of grapes). For animals, the collective noun changes depending on the specific animal you are talking about.

Question (Click to Flip)

What is the collective noun for goats?

Answer

Since goats are very similar to sheep, they share the exact same collective nouns. You call a group of goats a 'Flock' or a 'Herd'.

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Key Facts

A baby sheep is called a Lamb. An adult female sheep is called an Ewe, and an adult male sheep (with big horns) is called a Ram.

The phrase 'Black Sheep of the family' is a famous English idiom. It refers to the one person in a family who is considered a complete failure, a rebel, or an embarrassment compared to everyone else.

1. The Correct Answer

The most common and grammatically correct collective noun for a group of sheep is a Flock.

You say: "A flock of sheep."
Example Sentence: "The shepherd led his massive flock of sheep across the green mountain to find fresh grass."

2. Other Acceptable Words

While 'Flock' is the standard answer for exams, farmers and shepherds also use two other words:

A Herd of sheep: This is also correct, though 'herd' is more commonly used for cows or elephants.
A Fold of sheep: This is an old-fashioned term. It refers to a group of sheep that have been safely locked inside a wooden pen (a sheepfold) for the night to protect them from wolves.

3. The Grammar Trap: Plural of Sheep

There is a massive grammatical trap regarding the word 'sheep'.

The word 'Sheep' is exactly the same in both singular and plural forms. You NEVER add an 's'.
Correct (Singular): Look at that one white sheep.
Correct (Plural): Look at those fifty white sheep.
Incorrect: Look at those fifty white sheeps.

Questions and Answers

What is the collective noun for goats?+

Since goats are very similar to sheep, they share the exact same collective nouns. You call a group of goats a 'Flock' or a 'Herd'.

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