PE-79: Countable and Uncountable Revisited: Expressions of Quantity
The container words that let you count the uncountable — a piece of, a loaf of, a pair of — plus nouns that change meaning when they change side.
PE-79: Countable and Uncountable Revisited: Expressions of Quantity
Back in PE-2 you learned that you cannot say two breads. The solution was to count the container instead: two loaves of bread. Now let's build the full toolkit, because English has a surprisingly precise word for almost every kind of portion — and a set of nouns that quietly change meaning when they cross from uncountable to countable.
In this lesson you will learn
- The container and measure words, grouped by what they measure
- The a pair of family for always-plural nouns
- Nouns that exist on both sides — with different meanings
- How the verb agrees with these expressions
1. Food and drink
| Expression | Used with | Oʻzbekcha |
|---|---|---|
| a loaf of | bread | bir non |
| a slice of | bread, cheese, cake, meat | bir tilim |
| a piece of | cake, fruit, meat | bir boʻlak |
| a bottle / glass / cup of | water, milk, tea | bir shisha / stakan / piyola |
| a bowl of | soup, rice, salad | bir kosa |
| a bar of | chocolate, soap | bir plitka / bir dona |
| a packet / tin / jar of | biscuits, fish, jam | bir paket / banka |
| a kilo / spoonful of | rice, sugar | bir kilo / bir qoshiq |
Please buy two loaves of bread, a kilo of rice and three bottles of water.
Iltimos, ikkita non, bir kilo guruch va uchta shisha suv olib kel.
The container takes the plural, never the substance:
two loaves of bread, not two breads.
2. Other everyday measures
1a piece of
The universal one: advice, information, news, furniture, paper, music
2a sheet of
paper — Give me a sheet of paper.
3a bunch of
flowers, grapes, keys, bananas
4a drop / grain of
a drop of water, a grain of rice, a grain of sand
Let me give you a piece of advice — and could you pass me a sheet of paper?
Sizga bir maslahat beraman — va bir varaq qogʻoz uzatib yubora olasizmi?
A piece of rescues almost any uncountable noun. When you cannot remember the exact word, use it.
3. The a pair of family
Some things are always plural in English because they have two parts (PE-8). To count them, use a pair of.
a pair of trousers · a pair of jeans · a pair of glasses · two pairs of scissors · a pair of shoes
bir shim · bir jinsi · bir koʻzoynak · ikki qaychi · bir juft tufli
The verb agrees with pair: This pair of shoes is new, but These shoes are new.
4. Nouns that live on both sides
This is the elegant part. Some nouns are uncountable in one meaning and countable in another — and the difference is worth knowing precisely.
| Noun | Uncountable | Countable |
|---|---|---|
| glass | material — made of glass | a glass = a drinking vessel |
| paper | material — a sheet of paper | a paper = a newspaper / an essay |
| room | space — Is there room for me? | a room = in a house |
| time | the clock — I have no time | three times = occasions |
| hair | all of it — her hair is long | a hair = one single hair |
| work | labour — I have work to do | a work = a work of art |
| experience | skill — He has experience | an experience = an event |
Is there room in the car? — I've booked a room at the hotel.
Mashinada joy bormi? — Mehmonxonada xona band qildim.
5. Common mistakes
Please buy two breads and three waters.
Please buy two loaves of bread and three bottles of water.
He gave me two advices.
He gave me two pieces of advice.
I need a new trousers.
I need a new pair of trousers / some new trousers.
Can I have a paper to write on? (if you mean material)
Can I have a sheet of paper to write on?
Two slice of cake, please.
Two slices of cake, please.
Practice
1 Add the right expression: ___ chocolate · ___ paper · ___ scissors
Show answer
a bar of chocolate · a sheet of paper · a pair of scissors.
2 Correct it: She told me three informations about the trip.
Show answer
She told me three pieces of information about the trip.
A piece of is the rescue phrase for uncountable nouns.
3 What is the difference? (a) Is there room? (b) Is there a room?
Show answer
(a) Is there space? (b) Is there a bedroom available? One article, two different questions.
4 is or are: This pair of jeans ? too big.
Show answer
is — the subject is this pair, which is singular. But These jeans are too big ✓.
5 Write a short shopping list with four quantity expressions.
Show answer
Model: two loaves of bread, a kilo of rice, a bottle of oil, a bunch of grapes.
Key words — Kalit soʻzlar
- A loaf ofbir non
- A slice ofbir tilim
- A piece ofbir boʻlak / bir dona
- A bar ofbir plitka
- A bunch ofbir bogʻ / bir shoda
- A sheet ofbir varaq
- A pair ofbir juft
- A drop ofbir tomchi
- A grain ofbir dona (guruch)
- Room (space)joy
🎯 Remember this
- Count the container, not the substance: two loaves of bread.
- The plural goes on the container word: slices, bottles, pieces.
- a piece of rescues almost any uncountable noun.
- Always-plural things take a pair of — and the verb follows pair.
- Some nouns change meaning with the article: room, paper, time.