Knowledge of at least some fixed expressions from this category will help to make your speech more natural. Often, trying to find the equivalents of such expressions in the English language, we translate each word separately, which does not always bring the desired results, as many of them are stable in the English language, and combined with words alone can not completely be combined with others. Unfortunately, it is practically impossible to «guess» what is an expression is used, for this reason, like all English words, they should at least try to remember. There are several groups of expressions that are used for quantification. Most of them are used with uncountable nouns, but not only with them. These expressions are:
- Word calling capacity.
- Words used with uncountable nouns.
- Words used with abstract nouns.
- Words used with groups of objects or people.
Food and substances
tub of butter |
pack of butter |
can of Coke |
can of Coke |
packet of crisps |
a packet of crisps |
ounce of gold |
an ounce of gold |
loaf of bread |
a loaf of bread |
jar of jam |
jar of jam |
joint of meat |
piece of meat |
roll of cloth |
roll of cloth |
bunch of bananas / grapes |
a bunch of bananas / grapes |
carton of yogurt |
cup of yogurt |
keg of beer |
keg of beer |
ball of string |
hank of gum |
slice of ham / bread |
a slice of ham / bread |
sack of potatoes |
a sack of potatoes |
lump of sugar |
cube of sugar |
sheet of paper |
paper |
bar of chocolate |
chocolate bar |
cube of ice |
ice Cube |
Food and substances 2
pile of magazines |
stack of magazines |
bundle of banknotes |
stack of bills |
pile of sand |
Sand Mountain |
dozen of eggs |
a dozen eggs |
goblet of wine |
goblet of wine |
bale of hay |
a stack of hay |
bar of soap |
soap bar |
pad of paper |
notebook |
bottle of champagne |
a bottle of champagne |
tin of dog’s food |
Bank of dog food |
string of pearls |
rope of pearls |
barrel oil |
barrel |
crate of bottles |
Box with bottles |
box of matches |
Matchbox |
Small quantities
drop of water / blood / oil |
a drop of water / blood / oil |
scrap of paper |
a piece of paper |
ray of sunshine |
a ray of sunshine |
pinch of salt |
a pinch of salt |
speck of dust |
speck, speck |
hint of pepper / garlic |
little pepper / garlic |
breath of air |
breath of air |
gust of wind |
wind gust |
splinter of glass / wood |
shard of glass / Sliver |
pat of butter |
pat of butter |
grain of sand / rice |
grain / risinka |
crumb of bread |
baby |
shred of cloth / truth |
Shred, klaptik / drop of truth |
puff of smoke |
puff |
item of news |
news |
segment of orange |
orange slice |
clod of earth |
clod of earth |
square of chocolate |
«Cube» of chocolate |
flake of snow |
snowflake |
rasher of bacon / ham |
rasher / ham |
People
band of musicians |
a group of musicians |
team of hockey players |
Team players |
horde of nomads |
a horde of nomads |
panel of advisers |
team of specialists |
patrol of scouts |
Boy Scout troop |
gang of criminals |
a gang of criminals |
platoon of infantry soldiers |
detachment of marines |
assembly of worshippers |
a group of admirers |
circle of close friends |
close friends |
staff of teachers |
Teaching Staff |
squadron of bomber pilots |
squadron |
crowd of spectators |
crowd of spectators |
cavalry of horse riders |
cavalry |
cast of actors in a film |
cast |
mob of hooligans |
a crowd of hooligans |
party of holidaymakers |
a crowd of tourists |
crew of sailors |
crew |
troupe of travelling actors |
wandering troupe of actors |
cabinet of ministers |
cabinet |
board of directors |
board of directors |
Things
set of cutlery |
cutlery set |
bunch of flowers / keys |
Bouquet / keychain |
pack of playing cards |
deck of playing cards |
clump of grass |
tuffet |
quiver of arrows |
quiver of arrows |
tuft of hair |
topknot |
cluster of stars |
cluster of stars |
block of flats |
multi-storey building |
network of TV stations |
Network television stations |
plot of land |
land |
pile of books |
stack of books |
chain of restaurants |
restaurant chain |
row of chairs |
a row of chairs |
make of a car |
car brand |
Abstract nouns
fit of anger |
fit of anger |
piece of advice |
advice |
act of courage |
courageous act |
flurry of excitement |
the rush of excitement |
spot of trouble / bother |
quandary |
stroke of bad weather |
«Seizure» of bad weather |
branch of science / knowledge |
discipline |
wave of panic |
wave of panic |
pangs of conscience |
remorse |
pang of regret / anxiety |
attack of remorse / alarm |
shred of evidence |
the slightest evidence |
state of emergency |
state of emergency |
stroke of good / bad luck |
success / failure; happy / unhappy accident |
bout of drinking / flu |
binge / bout of flu |
stream of abuse |
the flow of battle |
pack of lies |
pack of lies |
Animals
brood of chickens |
brood of chickens |
flock of birds |
a flock of birds |
herd of elephants |
herd of elephants |
pack of wolves |
pack of wolves |
swarm of hornets |
a swarm of wasps |
herd of cattle |
herd (cattle) |
plague of locusts |
Swarms of locusts |
shoal of fish |
school of fish |
cloud / swarm of flies |
a cloud of flies |
stable of horses |
stall horse |
colony of ants |
Family ants |
hive of bees |
hive |
herd of sheep |
flock of sheep |
school of sharks / whales |
pack of sharks / Whales |
litter of puppies |
litter of puppies |
kennel of dogs |
enclosure (box) with dogs |
Of course, this list is not complete, but I hope that it will help you better understand these expressions, and a small test will help consolidate the material.
1790
Grammar