Containers and Quantities in English: Words, Examples and Quiz
A bottle of water, a loaf of bread, a pinch of salt: the words that help you count things you cannot count, with pronunciation, simple definitions, Turkish translations and real example sentences.
46 words · By LearnLingo Team · Updated
Tap to hear a word. Pronunciation is American English. Levels follow the CEFR scale. Turkish translations are given as a quick check.
Containers
Things that hold food, drink and other products. Use them with of: a bottle of oil, two boxes of cereal. Many of them are also words you will see on a shopping list.
| Word | Meaning and example | Turkish |
|---|---|---|
container ⁄kənˈteɪnɚ⁄ · noun B1 | anything you can keep things in, like a box, bottle or jar Put the leftover rice in a plastic container. | kap, kutu |
bottle ⁄ˈbɑːtəl⁄ · noun A1 | a glass or plastic container with a narrow top, for liquids Can I have a bottle of water, please? | şişe |
can ⁄kæn⁄ · noun A2 | a closed metal container for drinks or food He drank a can of cola after the game. | kutu, teneke kutu |
tin ⁄tɪn⁄ · noun A2 | the British word for a metal can of food; Americans say can There's a tin of tomatoes in the cupboard. | konserve kutusu |
jar ⁄dʒɑːr⁄ · noun A2 | a glass container with a wide top and a lid We need a new jar of honey. | kavanoz |
box ⁄bɑːks⁄ · noun A1 | a container with flat sides, often made of cardboard I bought a box of chocolates for my aunt. | kutu |
carton ⁄ˈkɑːrtən⁄ · noun A2 | a paper or cardboard box for liquids like milk and juice, or for eggs Get a carton of milk on your way home. | karton kutu |
packet ⁄ˈpækɪt⁄ · noun A2 | a small paper or plastic container for food, like chips or cookies; in American English often a pack or bag The kids ate a whole packet of biscuits. | paket |
bag ⁄bæɡ⁄ · noun A1 | a soft container made of paper, plastic or cloth We need a bag of rice and a bag of flour. | torba, poşet |
tube ⁄tuːb⁄ · noun B1 | a long, soft container that you squeeze, for toothpaste or cream There's a new tube of toothpaste in the bathroom. | tüp |
tub ⁄tʌb⁄ · noun B1 | a small round plastic container with a lid, for yogurt, ice cream or butter I ate a whole tub of ice cream. | plastik kap, kâse |
cup ⁄kʌp⁄ · noun A1 | a small container with a handle for hot drinks Would you like a cup of tea? | fincan |
mug ⁄mʌɡ⁄ · noun A2 | a big cup with straight sides and a handle He starts every day with a mug of coffee. | kupa |
glass ⁄ɡlæs⁄ · noun A1 | a container made of glass for cold drinks Can I have a glass of orange juice? | bardak |
bowl ⁄boʊl⁄ · noun A2 | a deep, round dish for soup, cereal or salad I had a bowl of soup for lunch. | kâse |
jug ⁄dʒʌɡ⁄ · noun B1 | a container with a handle and a lip for pouring liquids; in American English usually a pitcher Put a jug of water on the table. | sürahi |
basket ⁄ˈbæskɪt⁄ · noun A2 | a container made of thin wood or plastic, often with a handle She came back with a basket of apples. | sepet |
Pieces and portions
Words for a part or a small amount of something. Each one goes with certain nouns: a slice of bread, a bar of soap, a bunch of bananas.
| Word | Meaning and example | Turkish |
|---|---|---|
piece ⁄piːs⁄ · noun A1 | a part of something; the most general word for counting uncountable things Would you like a piece of cake? | parça, dilim |
slice ⁄slaɪs⁄ · noun A2 | a thin, flat piece cut from bread, meat, cheese or pizza I had two slices of toast for breakfast. | dilim |
loaf ⁄loʊf⁄ · noun A2 | bread baked in one big piece; the plural is loaves Can you buy a loaf of bread? | somun |
bar ⁄bɑːr⁄ · noun A2 | a long or flat block of chocolate or soap There's a bar of soap next to the sink. | kalıp, tablet |
bunch ⁄bʌntʃ⁄ · noun B1 | a group of things joined together, like bananas, grapes or flowers He gave her a bunch of flowers. | demet, salkım |
portion ⁄ˈpɔːrʃən⁄ · noun B1 | the amount of food for one person The portions at this restaurant are huge. | porsiyon |
pinch ⁄pɪntʃ⁄ · noun B1 | a very small amount you can hold between your finger and thumb Add a pinch of salt to the water. | tutam |
spoonful ⁄ˈspuːnfʊl⁄ · noun B1 | the amount a spoon holds I take one spoonful of sugar in my coffee. | kaşık dolusu |
handful ⁄ˈhændfʊl⁄ · noun B1 | the amount you can hold in one hand; also, a small number of people or things She ate a handful of nuts. | avuç dolusu |
scoop ⁄skuːp⁄ · noun B1 | a round amount of ice cream or another soft food Two scoops of chocolate ice cream, please. | top (dondurma), kepçe |
drop ⁄drɑːp⁄ · noun A2 | a very small round amount of liquid Just a drop of milk in my tea, please. | damla |
roll ⁄roʊl⁄ · noun B1 | a long piece of paper or material turned around itself many times We need a roll of toilet paper. | rulo |
sheet ⁄ʃiːt⁄ · noun A2 | one flat piece of paper Can I have a sheet of paper? | yaprak (kâğıt) |
Weights and measures
Units for shopping and recipes. Most countries use grams, kilos and liters. In the US, people mostly use pounds, ounces and cups; in the UK, milk and beer are still sold in pints.
| Word | Meaning and example | Turkish |
|---|---|---|
gram ⁄ɡræm⁄ · noun A2 | a small unit of weight; there are a thousand in a kilo Add two hundred grams of flour. | gram |
kilo ⁄ˈkiːloʊ⁄ · noun A2 | a kilogram, a unit of weight of a thousand grams A kilo of tomatoes, please. | kilo |
liter ⁄ˈliːtɚ⁄ · noun A2 | a unit for measuring liquids; spelled litre in British English We drink about two liters of water a day. | litre |
pound ⁄paʊnd⁄ · noun A2 | a unit of weight used in the US and UK, a little less than half a kilo I bought a pound of cheese. | libre (yaklaşık 450 gram) |
ounce ⁄aʊns⁄ · noun B1 | a small unit of weight used in the US, about 28 grams The recipe needs eight ounces of butter. | ons |
pint ⁄paɪnt⁄ · noun B1 | a unit for liquids such as milk and beer, a little more than half a liter in the UK Could we have two pints of milk? | pint (yaklaşık yarım litre) |
dozen ⁄ˈdʌzən⁄ · noun A2 | a group of twelve I bought a dozen eggs at the market. | düzine |
half ⁄hæf⁄ · noun A1 | one of two equal parts of something Can I have half a kilo of cherries? | yarım |
Quantity words
General words for how much or how many. Some go only with countable nouns (a few apples), some only with uncountable nouns (a little milk), and some with both (a lot of apples, a lot of milk). Grammar notes are in a few and a little.
| Word | Meaning and example | Turkish |
|---|---|---|
a lot of ⁄ə ˈlɑːt əv⁄ · phrase A1 | a large number or amount; used with countable and uncountable nouns There are a lot of people here today. | çok, bir sürü |
plenty of ⁄ˈplenti əv⁄ · phrase B1 | more than enough Don't worry, we have plenty of time. | bolca, fazlasıyla |
a few ⁄ə ˈfjuː⁄ · phrase A2 | a small number of; used with plural countable nouns I need a few eggs for the cake. | birkaç |
a little ⁄ə ˈlɪtəl⁄ · phrase A2 | a small amount of; used with uncountable nouns Add a little water if the sauce is too thick. | biraz |
a couple of ⁄ə ˈkʌpəl əv⁄ · phrase A2 | two, or a small number of Can you get a couple of lemons? | birkaç, iki tane |
several ⁄ˈsevrəl⁄ · adjective B1 | more than two but not many I've been to that cafe several times. | birkaç, çeşitli |
enough ⁄ɪˈnʌf⁄ · adjective A2 | as much or as many as you need Do we have enough chairs for everyone? | yeterli, yeterince |
hardly any ⁄ˈhɑːrdli ˈeni⁄ · phrase B1 | almost none There's hardly any milk left. | neredeyse hiç |
Useful phrases and collocations
a bottle of water
I always carry a bottle of water in my bag.
a cup of tea
Let's sit down and have a cup of tea.
a glass of milk
She drinks a glass of milk before bed.
a carton of eggs
One carton of eggs is broken. Can I change it?
a can of soda
There's a can of soda in the fridge for you.
a jar of jam
Can you open this jar of jam? The lid is stuck.
a loaf of bread
We eat a loaf of bread every two days.
a slice of pizza
I'll just have one slice of pizza, thanks.
a piece of advice
Can I give you a piece of advice?
a bar of chocolate
He bought a bar of chocolate at the station.
a bunch of grapes
There's a bunch of grapes in the fruit bowl.
a pinch of salt
Add a pinch of salt and stir.
a tube of toothpaste
Don't forget a tube of toothpaste for the trip.
run out of
We've run out of coffee. Can you buy some?
How to learn these words
Learn each container together with the food or drink it usually holds: a carton of milk, a jar of honey, a loaf of bread. Write a shopping list with these phrases and read it out loud. Review the list again after a few days, and test yourself by covering the container word and saying it from memory.
These words are the main way English counts uncountable nouns. You cannot say two breads or a water, but you can say two loaves of bread and a bottle of water. Only the container word becomes plural: three cups of coffee, not three cups of coffees. Read more in countable and uncountable nouns and much, many and a lot of.
British and American English use some different words. British people say a tin of beans and a packet of crisps; Americans say a can of beans and a bag of chips. A jug in British English is usually a pitcher in American English. Liter is the American spelling and litre the British one.
In a cafe or shop, the container word is often dropped when the meaning is clear: Two coffees, please means two cups of coffee, and A water, please means a bottle or glass of water. This is natural in speech, but use the full phrase when you learn the words.
Use the words: speaking and writing tasks
- Open your fridge or kitchen cupboard and name ten things with a container word: a carton of milk, a jar of olives, a bag of rice.
- Write a shopping list for a family breakfast with at least eight items, using a container or piece word for each one.
- Tell someone a simple recipe you know, using quantities: two hundred grams of flour, a pinch of salt, a spoonful of honey.
- Describe what you ate and drank yesterday in five sentences: I had two cups of coffee and a slice of toast.
- Role-play ordering at a market: ask for half a kilo of cherries, a dozen eggs and a bunch of bananas, and ask how much it costs. Use the shopping phrases.
Common mistakes
Can I have two breads, please?
Can I have two loaves of bread, please?
Bread is uncountable in English, so it has no plural. Count it with a loaf of or a slice of.
I drank three cups of coffees.
I drank three cups of coffee.
Only the container word becomes plural. The uncountable noun after of stays singular.
Add a few sugar to the tea.
Add a little sugar to the tea.
A few goes with plural countable nouns (a few apples). With uncountable nouns like sugar, milk and water, use a little.
I bought a bottle milk.
I bought a bottle of milk.
Do not forget of between the container and the noun: a bottle of milk, a box of tea.
She gave me an advice.
She gave me a piece of advice.
Advice, information and news are uncountable in English, even if they are countable in your language. Use a piece of to talk about one.
Practice quiz
10 questions. Pick an answer to see if it is right and why.
1. Can you buy a ___ of bread on your way home?
2. Choose the correct sentence.
3. Toothpaste usually comes in a ___.
4. Add a ___ of salt. Just a very small amount.
5. How many eggs are in a dozen?
6. We have ___ milk left. Just a little in the bottom of the carton.
7. What is the British word for a can of tomatoes?
8. I need ___ apples for the pie. Four or five is fine.
9. Which phrase is NOT correct?
10. She gave me a useful ___ of advice.
0 of 10 answered
Show all answers
- loaf
- I'd like two glasses of water.
- tube
- pinch
- twelve
- hardly any
- a tin
- a few
- a slice of milk
- piece
See what the A2 English course covers, or test your level first.
People also ask
Why do we say a bottle of water and not a water?+
Water is uncountable in English, so it normally has no a and no plural. A container word like bottle or glass makes it countable: a bottle of water, two glasses of water. In a cafe, though, A water, please is common and natural.
What is the difference between a can and a tin?+
They mean the same thing: a closed metal container for food. Tin is more common in British English for food (a tin of beans), and can is used everywhere, especially for drinks (a can of cola) and in American English.
What is the difference between a few and a little?+
Use a few with plural countable nouns (a few eggs, a few friends) and a little with uncountable nouns (a little sugar, a little time). Both mean a small number or amount, but enough to be useful.
What is the difference between a cup and a glass?+
A cup is usually for hot drinks like tea and coffee and has a handle. A glass is made of glass and is for cold drinks like water, juice or wine. A mug is a big cup with straight sides.
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