Corps is a Collective Noun for a Body of People like Soldiers, Reporters, or Diplomats

Last Modified: 2025-06-29

Is corps a collective noun? Is corps a common noun? Is corps a concrete noun? Which type of noun is corps?

Welcome, students! When we talk about a body of people engaged in a particular activity, we use the word 'corps'. The word corps is a collective noun because it names a group of people as a single unit. It is also a common noun as it refers to a general type of group or organization. Let's explore these ideas.

Corps is a Collective Noun. Corps is not a Proper Noun. Corps is a common noun as well as a concrete noun.

The word 'corps' is a collective noun because it names a group of individual people working together in a specific activity, especially an organized one, as a single entity. Collective nouns represent a whole made of parts.

  • In the sentence, "The press corps followed the Prime Minister," the word 'corps' stands for the entire group of journalists.
  • 'Corps' is also a common noun because it's a general term. If we name a specific corps, like the "United States Marine Corps," that becomes a proper noun.
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Functions of 'Corps' in a Sentence

As a noun, 'corps' can serve various functions in a sentence:

  • As a Subject: The diplomatic corps attended the official dinner.
  • As a Direct Object: The army formed a new medical corps.
  • As an Object of a preposition: She joined the Peace Corps after college.
  • As a Subject Complement: The most elite unit is the marine corps.

Different Uses of the Noun 'Corps'

The word 'corps' is a specific collective noun used for organized bodies of people.

  • For People: It refers to a group of people involved in a particular job or activity.
    Examples: A press corps, a diplomatic corps, a corps of volunteers.
  • For Military: It is used for a main subdivision of an army in the field.
    Example: The Army Corps of Engineers.

'Corps' (Common Noun) vs. Specific Corps (Proper Nouns)

It is important to understand the difference between the common noun 'corps' and the proper nouns that are the names of specific organizations.

Common NounProper Noun (Specific Name)Example Sentence
corps Peace Corps The Peace Corps is a famous volunteer corps run by the United States.
corps National Cadet Corps (NCC) Many students in India join the National Cadet Corps, a youth development corps.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is corps a collective noun?

Yes, corps is a collective noun as it refers to an organized group of people as a single body.

Is corps a common noun?

Yes, 'corps' is also a common noun because it's a general term for any such organized group.

Is corps a concrete noun?

Yes, 'corps' is a concrete noun because it refers to a physical group of people.

Is corps a proper noun?

No, the word 'corps' itself is not a proper noun. However, the names of specific organizations (e.g., "United States Marine Corps") are proper nouns.

Is corps a countable noun?

Yes, 'corps' is a countable noun. Its singular and plural forms are the same (one corps, two corps).

Practice Exercises on Collective Nouns

Worksheet on Collective Nouns: Identify the Noun Type

Identify the nouns as Collective, Common, or Proper.

  1. The army corps of engineers built the bridge.
  2. A corps of volunteers helped after the earthquake.
  3. He joined the National Cadet Corps in college.
  4. A team of reporters formed the press corps.
  5. A panel of doctors makes up the medical corps.
  6. The government has a diplomatic corps.
  7. A company of soldiers is smaller than a battalion.
  8. The staff of the embassy is part of the diplomatic corps.
  9. A class of cadets was training for the corps.
  10. The board of directors met with the press corps.

Worksheet on Collective Nouns: Fill in the Blanks

Fill in the blank with an appropriate collective noun.

  1. A _______ of journalists waited for the press conference.
  2. He enlisted in the army _______.
  3. A _______ of diplomats represented their countries.
  4. The _______ of musicians played the national anthem.
  5. The _______ of players was ready for the match.
  6. The _______ of directors made a decision.
  7. A _______ of volunteers distributed aid.
  8. The _______ of students listened to the general.
  9. The _______ of sailors was on the naval ship.
  10. The _______ of the company includes all the employees.

Quizzes on Collective Nouns

Quiz 1: True or False on Collective Nouns

Read the statements and decide if they are True or False.

  1. 'Corps' is a proper noun.
  2. 'Corps' is a collective noun for a body of people.
  3. The plural of 'corps' is 'corpses'.
  4. In "The diplomatic corps," 'corps' is a collective noun.
  5. 'Journalist' is a collective noun.

Quiz 2: Multiple Choice Question on Collective Nouns

Choose the correct option for each question.

  1. Which of the following is a collective noun?
    (a) soldier (b) officer (c) regiment
  2. In "She joined the press corps," 'corps' is the:
    (a) Subject (b) Direct Object (c) Verb
  3. Which of these is a proper noun?
    (a) army (b) military (c) The Marine Corps
  4. A 'brigade' is a group of:
    (a) soldiers (b) reporters (c) diplomats
  5. A 'panel' refers to a group of:
    (a) experts (b) volunteers (c) musicians

Discover More Collective Nouns

Curious about other fascinating names for groups? Dive into our collection!

Ambush Anthology Archipelago Army Array Assembly Atlas Audience Aurora Babble Badling Bale Band Barony Barren Bask Batch Battalion Battery Bellowing Belt Bench Bevy Bloat Block Bloom Board Bouquet Brace Brethren Brigade Brood Bunch Bundle Cabinet Cackle Cadre Caravan Carillon Cartload Cast Catalogue Cauldron Cavalcade Century Cete Chain Charm Chest Chine Chirm Choir Clan Class Clattering Clew Clowder Club Clump Cluster Clutch Coalition Cohort Coil Collection Colony Committee Community Company Congregation Congress Conspiracy Constellation Convocation Corps Council Couple Court Coven Covey Crew Crowd Deck Delegation Drift Drove Dule Dynasty Ensemble Faculty Family Fesnyng File Fleet Flight Flock Fluffle Flush Fluther Fold Force Formation Fry Fusillade Gaggle Galaxy Gam Gang Gathering Generation Government Group Grove Guild Harras Haul Head Heap Herd Hive Hoard Horde Host Huddle Infestation Institution Inventory Jam Jumble Jury Kindle Kine Knesset Knot Library Line Litter Lock Mass Meeting Melee Menagerie Mess Mews Ministry Mission Mob Multitude Murder Murmuration Muster Network Nobility Number Nye Oodles Orchestra Order Organisation Outfit Pack Pair Panel Parade Parliament Party Passel Patrol Peal Pile Plague Platoon Pod Posse Pride Procession Quartet Queue Quire Quiver Rabble Raft Ramuda Ream Regiment Ring Rookery Roster Rout Row Salvo School Senate Series Set Sheaf Shiver Shoal Shock Shower Skein Smack Smeath Society Sord Sounder Spring Squad Squadron Stack Staff Stand String Stud Suite Summit Swarm Syndicate Team Thicket Throng Tower Train Tribe Troop Troupe Union Unit Unkindness Volary Volley Wake Wardrobe Warren Watch Web Wing Youth Zillion Zip Zombification Zone Zoo
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