How to Learn the Animal Collective Nouns
A group of lions is a pride; a group of crows is a murder. English has a wonderful (and weird) collective noun for almost every animal, and they are trivia and quiz favourites. This deck teaches the most famous ones.
There are 14 cards in the deck below. You can read through them, practise them right here with the flip-card player, and then save the deck to study properly with spaced repetition — the method that makes them stick for months, not minutes.
Why the collective nouns for animals is hard to memorize (and the fix)
They are arbitrary and unpredictable — there is no rule, so each one must simply be learned. The vivid ones (a "murder" of crows) stick; the ordinary ones (a "herd") need practice.
The fix is active recall plus spaced repetition. Instead of re-reading the list (which feels productive but barely works), you test yourself — pull each answer out of memory — and you review each card on a schedule that stretches over time. Every time you successfully recall a fact, the memory gets stronger and the next review is pushed further out. That's how you go from "I saw it once" to "I just know it."
The fastest way to learn the collective nouns for animals
- Break it into small batches. Learn the vivid, famous ones first (pride, murder, murmuration), then the everyday ones (herd, flock, pack).
- Test, don't re-read. Look at the question, say the answer out loud before flipping the card. The little struggle to recall is what builds the memory — a smooth re-read does almost nothing.
- Review on a schedule. Spaced repetition shows you each card right before you'd forget it. Get one right and it comes back in a few days, then a week, then a month. Miss one and it comes back sooner.
- Keep sessions short and daily. Five to ten minutes a day beats a two-hour cram every time. Consistency is the whole game.
One fact per card. Some animals have several accepted collective nouns — the deck gives the most common.
The full deck: the Animal Collective Nouns
Here's every card in the set. Practise them above, or save the deck and let spaced repetition schedule your reviews automatically.
| Animal group | Collective noun |
|---|---|
| What is a group of lions called? | A pride |
| What is a group of wolves called? | A pack |
| What is a group of crows called? | A murder |
| What is a group of fish called? | A school (or shoal) |
| What is a group of geese (on the ground) called? | A gaggle |
| What is a group of owls called? | A parliament |
| What is a group of dolphins called? | A pod |
| What is a group of bees called? | A swarm (or hive) |
| What is a group of ants called? | A colony |
| What is a group of sheep called? | A flock |
| What is a group of cattle called? | A herd |
| What is a group of starlings in flight called? | A murmuration |
| What is a group of monkeys called? | A troop |
| What is a group of kangaroos called? | A mob |
Save this deck and actually remember it
Create a free account, keep this 14-card deck, and we'll schedule every review at the perfect moment. First deck free forever — no credit card.
Study this deck free →FAQ: learning the collective nouns for animals
How long does it take to learn the collective nouns for animals?
Most people can lock in the collective nouns for animals within one to three weeks of short daily sessions. With spaced repetition doing 10–14 cards a day, you'll recognise them within days and recall them reliably within a couple of weeks.
What's the best way to memorize the collective nouns for animals?
Active recall plus spaced repetition. Test yourself instead of re-reading, and review on a schedule that spaces the cards out over time. Flashcards are built for exactly this — which is why the deck above is the fastest path.
Is this deck free?
Yes. You can practise all 14 cards on this page for free with no account. Sign up (also free) to save the deck and let spaced repetition schedule your reviews so it sticks long-term.