Question

Identify the noun/nouns and choose its/their type in the following sentence:
Our team is better than theirs.
A) Team – Collective
B) Team – Abstract; theirs – Collective
C) Team – Collective; theirs – Collective
D) Theirs – Common

Answer 1

Hint: Noun is a word that names something such as person, place, an animal or thing. In a sentence noun can play the role of subject, adjective, direct and indirect object, subject complement. For example: John, Mary, table, car, banana and etc.

Complete answer:
Let us analyze the given options:
Option A) Team – Collective – is the correct answer because team is a noun and noun type are collective nouns. Collective noun is a noun that represents a collection of individuals. Such as: Team – Football player; Family – mother, father and children; Crew – 20 sailors. Thus, this is the correct answer.
Option B) Team – Abstract; theirs – Collective – is an incorrect answer because team is a noun but it is not an abstract noun. Abstract noun is a noun denoting an idea, quality or state rather than a concrete object. For example: truth, lie, danger, happiness. And there is used for the plural then the collective noun should also take the plural verb. Thus, this is an incorrect answer.
Option C) Team – Collective; theirs – Collective – is an incorrect answer because as explained above. Team is a noun and theirs is not a noun. Thus, this is an incorrect answer.
Option D) Theirs – Common – is an incorrect answer because Common noun is a type of noun that is generally not specific. common nouns are not capitalized unless they begin a sentence. For example: stage, sleep, repeat and etc. thus, this is an incorrect answer because theirs is not a noun.

Thus the correct answer is option ‘A’.

Note: The name given to a collection of persons or things taken together and spoken of as one whole is a collective noun. Team describes a group of people working together, hence it's a collective noun.