Is Parliament a Collective Noun? (Explained with Examples)

Last Modified: 2025-06-18

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

Welcome, students! When we talk about a country's highest legislature, we use the word 'parliament'. The word parliament is a collective noun because it names a group of elected members as a single unit. It is also a common noun as it refers to a general type of governing body. Let's explore these ideas.

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

The word 'parliament' is a collective noun because it names a group of individual lawmakers as a single entity. Collective nouns represent a whole made of parts.

  • In the sentence, "The parliament debated the new law for weeks," the word 'parliament' stands for the entire group of members.
  • 'Parliament' is also a common noun because it's a general term. If we name a specific parliament, like the "Parliament of India," that becomes a proper noun.
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Functions of 'Parliament' in a Sentence

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

  • As a Subject: The parliament passed the budget.
  • As a Direct Object: The Prime Minister addressed the parliament.
  • As an Object of a Preposition: The new members were sworn into parliament.
  • As a Subject Complement: The highest law-making body is the parliament.

Different Uses of the Noun 'Parliament'

The word 'parliament' is a specific collective noun used for a legislative body, but it has another interesting use.

  • For People: It refers to the group of elected officials who make laws for a country.
    Examples: The Indian Parliament, a democratically elected parliament.
  • For Animals: It is also the specific collective noun for a group of owls.
    Example: A parliament of owls.

'Parliament' (Common Noun) vs. Specific Parliaments (Proper Nouns)

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

Common NounProper Noun (Specific Name)Example Sentence
parliament The Sansad (Parliament of India) The Indian parliament, known as the Sansad, has two houses.
parliament The Houses of Parliament (UK) The Houses of Parliament is the meeting place of the UK's parliament.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is parliament a collective noun?

Yes, parliament is a collective noun as it refers to a group of lawmakers as a single governing body. It is also the collective noun for a group of owls.

Is parliament a common noun?

Yes, 'parliament' is also a common noun because it's a general term for any country's legislative body.

Is parliament a concrete noun?

Yes, 'parliament' is a concrete noun because it refers to a physical group of people and often a specific building where they meet.

Is parliament a proper noun?

No, the word 'parliament' itself is not a proper noun. However, the official names of specific parliaments (e.g., "The Parliament of Canada") are proper nouns and are capitalized.

Is parliament a countable noun?

Yes, 'parliament' is a countable noun. You can have one parliament or many parliaments.

Practice Exercises on Collective Nouns

Worksheet on Nouns: Identify the Noun Type

Identify the nouns as Collective, Common, or Proper.

  1. The parliament debated the new budget.
  2. A committee was formed by the parliament.
  3. The government is accountable to the parliament.
  4. The cabinet presented the bill to parliament.
  5. A council of ministers is part of the executive branch.
  6. A panel of experts testified before the parliament.
  7. The audience in the gallery watched the parliament session.
  8. The board of a company is different from a parliament.
  9. A flock of birds sat on the roof of the parliament building.
  10. The team of advisors drafted the speech for the minister.

Worksheet on Nouns: Fill in the Blanks

Fill in the blank with an appropriate collective noun.

  1. The _______ is the supreme legislative body of a country.
  2. A _______ of judges delivered the verdict.
  3. The _______ of ministers met with the President.
  4. A _______ of people protested outside the parliament.
  5. A _______ of directors runs a company.
  6. A _______ of sheep was grazing near the building.
  7. The _______ of experts advised the government.
  8. The _______ of players represented the country.
  9. A _______ of sailors serves in the navy.
  10. A _______ of owls is sometimes called a parliament.

Quizzes on Nouns

Quiz 1: True or False on Nouns

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

  1. 'Parliament' is a proper noun.
  2. 'Parliament' is a collective noun for lawmakers.
  3. A collective noun always refers to a group of animals.
  4. In "A parliament of owls," 'parliament' is a collective noun.
  5. 'Lawmaker' is a collective noun.

Quiz 2: Multiple Choice Question on Nouns

Choose the correct option for each question.

  1. Which of the following is a collective noun?
    (a) representative (b) minister (c) congress
  2. In "The parliament voted," 'parliament' is the:
    (a) Subject (b) Verb (c) Direct Object
  3. Which of these is a proper noun?
    (a) government (b) legislature (c) The House of Commons
  4. A 'cabinet' is a group of:
    (a) ministers (b) judges (c) lawmakers
  5. An 'assembly' refers to a group of:
    (a) people gathered for a purpose (b) soldiers (c) directors

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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