Flock of sheep vs. flock of cows

[Gabi]

English Grammar Tests, Elementary Level

ESL/EFL Test #89 "Common Quantity Nouns", question 5

The flock of ......... stayed together.

(a) sheep
(b) blankets
(c) ships
(d) cows

English Grammar Tests, Elementary Level

ESL/EFL Test #89 "Common Quantity Nouns", answer 5

The flock of sheep stayed together.

Correct answer: (a) sheep

Your answer was: incorrect
The flock of cows stayed together.
_________________________

Why flock of sheep, not cows?

gabi

[Mister Micawber]

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Collective nouns for animals are notoriously arbitrary, Gabi. We have flocks of sheep, herds of cattle, gaggles of geese, and tintinnabulations of starlings.

Both flock and herd come from earlier words meaning 'group', flock from early German, and herd (presumably) all the way from Indo-European.

Rather odd in this particular instance, since flocks of sheep are supervised by shepherds ('sheep-herders')!
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_________________
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who teaches English for a living at Mister Micawber's
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