a/an + quantity noun + of + nounUse a quantity noun to count something uncountable. The main noun after of stays singular.
Nouns of Quantity
A2Use quantity nouns like a piece of, a glass of, and a pair of to count uncountable nouns and plural-only things.
What you'll learn
- Say one unit of an uncountable noun with a piece of.
- Use a glass of to talk about one container of a drink.
- Use a pair of for things that come as two linked parts.
- Choose is or are from the quantity noun, not the last noun.
- Recognize common quantity words before another noun.
Structure
a/an + container noun + of + nounUse a container noun to show one serving or amount of a drink.
a/an + pair + of + plural nounUse pair of before a plural noun when the item has two linked parts.
quantity noun + of + noun + is/areThe verb matches piece/pieces/pair/pairs, not the noun after of.
Build a sentence
Quantity phrase
Noun
apieceofadvice
Anna gave me a piece of advice.
Use a piece of with uncountable nouns like advice.
When to use
Uncountable nouns
Use a quantity noun when the main noun does not normally take a/an. Say a piece of advice, not an advice.
Drinks and liquids
Use container nouns to show amount: a glass of water, a bottle of juice, a cup of coffee.
Two-part items
Use a pair of for things with two matching parts used together: a pair of shoes, a pair of socks, a pair of scissors.
Markers
piece ofglass ofpair ofbottle ofcup of
Common mistakes
Wrong
Tom gave me an advice.
Correct
Tom gave me a piece of advice.
Advice does not normally take a/an. Use a quantity noun before it.
Wrong
Maria shared two pieces of advices.
Correct
Maria shared two pieces of advice.
The noun after piece of stays uncountable, even after two pieces of.
Wrong
Can I get a water?
Correct
Can I get a glass of water?
When you mean one serving of a drink, use a container phrase like a glass of.
Wrong
Lisa bought a shoes.
Correct
Lisa bought a pair of shoes.
Shoes come as two linked parts. Use a pair of, not a before shoes.
Wrong
I need a pair of sock.
Correct
I need a pair of socks.
After pair of, use the plural noun: socks, shoes, scissors.
Wrong
A pair of shoes are under the bed.
Correct
A pair of shoes is under the bed.
The verb matches pair, which is singular.
Common misconceptions
❝ The verb follows the noun after of, so a pair of shoes are is correct. ❞
The verb follows the quantity noun. Pair is singular, so a pair of shoes is is correct.
❝ If I say two pieces of, the noun after it must be plural too. ❞
No. The noun after piece of stays uncountable: two pieces of advice, two pieces of information.
Skills in this rule (5)
USE_A_PIECE_OF_WITH_UNCOUNTABLEw5Use a piece of with uncountable nouns
Use a piece of when you want one unit of something that does not normally take a/an or a plural form, like advice, furniture, or information.
USE_A_GLASS_OF_FOR_DRINKSw4Use a glass of for drinks
Use a glass of before liquids and drinks when you mean the container amount, like water, juice, or milk.
USE_A_PAIR_OF_FOR_TWO_LINKED_THINGSw5Use a pair of for two linked things
Use a pair of for items made of two matching parts that go together, like shoes, socks, or scissors.
MATCH_VERB_TO_QUANTITY_NOUNw5Match the verb to the quantity noun
The verb follows the quantity noun: a piece of is singular, two pieces of is plural, a pair of is singular, and two pairs of is plural.
PICK_COMMON_QUANTITY_PATTERNSw3Recognize common quantity patterns
Words like piece, glass, pair, bottle, and cup often signal a quantity phrase before another noun.