Piece words
Piece words make itpossible to talk about a single unit or units of something which is seen as uncountable. Piece words include words such aspiece, bit, item, article. We normally use them withof. We can use them in the singular or the plural.
uncountable noun | uncountable use | with a piece word |
information |
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news |
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furniture |
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clothing |
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The piece words combine (collocate) with nouns in different ways. Here are the most common combinations. The piece words are arranged from the least formal (bit) to the most formal (article).
piece word | common combinations | |
least formal most formal | bit of | fun, luck, time, work, paper, information, bread, money, news, gossip |
piece of | paper, software, information, work, writing, furniture, wood, equipment, music, cloth, land | |
item of | clothing, equipment, furniture, food, information, interest, business, jewellery, news | |
article of | furniture, clothing (article isthe least common piece word and is rather formal. It combines mostly with these two nouns). |
This isanewpiece of equipmentwhich helps rescuers find earthquake victims trapped in buildings.
Not: …a new equipment…
I hadabit of luckthe other day – an old friend offered me a job!
Not:I had a luck…
Threeitems of jewellerywere stolen from Miss Hart’s dressing-room.
Everyarticle of clothingmust be marked with the child’s name.
There are also more specific piece words which combine with particular nouns:
adropof water, adropof milk, asliceof bread, aloafof bread, abarof chocolate, abarof soap, apinchof salt
You will find these and more examples in a good learner’s dictionary.
Group words
Group words (sometimes called collective nouns) are nouns which refer to groups of people, animals or things. There are special group words for particular combinations of people, animals and things:
group word | common combinations |
bunch | flowers(and types of flowers such asroses, tulips), grapes, cherries(and other similar fruit),keys |
crowd | people, onlookers, admirers, protesters, shoppers |
flock | sheep, birds(and types of birds such aspigeons, geese) |
gang | workers, kids, youths, teenagers, thieves, criminals |
group | (can be used with most nouns) |
herd | sheep, cattle, cows, goats(and similar animals) |
pack | wolves, dogs, hyenas, cards, lies |
set | glasses, cups, plates, keys, tools(and other objects which form a group because they share the same features),rules, standards |
shoal | fish(and types of fish such asherring, cod) |
swarm | bees, flies, ants(and other insects) |
team | scientists, researchers, experts, designers, detectives |
Group words take a singular verb when they are used in the singular, and a plural verb when they are used in the plural:
Ateam of expertswascalled in to investigate the problem.
Therewasa flock of about 30 sheepin the field.
Gangs of youths were fightingone another in the streets.
Therewereswarms of flieseverywhere.
Sometimes, singular group words are followed by a plural verb, but some people may consider this to be incorrect:
The committee produceda set of rulesthatwereintended to prevent people from abusing the system.(or…a set of rulesthatwasintended …)
I founda bunch of keyson the floor.Aretheyyours?