“Noun + Of” Phrases in English

“Noun + Of” Phrases in English (Amounts, Groups & Quantities)

In English, we often need to talk about amounts, pieces, groups, and quantities.

Instead of saying:

• some chocolate
• some paper
• some people
• some sheep

Native speakers usually say:

• a bar of chocolate
• a sheet of paper
• a crowd of people
• a flock of sheep

These “noun + of + noun” expressions make your English more precise, more natural and much better for writing and exams (B2 First, C1 Advanced).

In this guide, you will learn the most useful phrases with of for talking about quantity, groups, containers, and small amounts, with clear examples you can use immediately.

Food, drink & everyday quantities

We often use special words to talk about how much food or drink we have.

a bar of chocolate / soap

• The shop is giving away a bar of chocolate to every customer.

a slice of bread

• He took two slices of bread and made a sandwich.

a piece of cake

• Help yourself to another piece of cake.

a lump of sugar

• I usually take a lump of sugar in my tea.

a pinch of salt

• Add a pinch of salt to the soup.

a spoonful of oil

• The recipe requires one spoonful of oil.

a kilo of flour

• She bought a kilo of flour for the cake.

a tin of tuna

• All I’ve got in the fridge is a tin of tuna.

a packet of biscuits

• We took a packet of biscuits on the trip.

a jar of honey

• There’s a jar of honey in the cupboard.

a cup of tea / coffee

• Can I have a cup of tea, please?

a pot of tea

• I’ll make us another pot of tea.

Containers, objects & everyday items

These expressions describe how things are stored or packaged.

a box of matches

• She took a box of matches from the drawer.

a tube of toothpaste

• Don’t forget to buy a tube of toothpaste.

a sheet of paper

• He wrote the address on a sheet of paper.

a pair of trousers / glasses

• I need a new pair of glasses.

an item of clothing

• What’s the most you’ve ever spent on an item of clothing?

a chest of drawers

• The room had a bed and a chest of drawers.

Groups of people, animals & things

English uses special collective nouns for groups.

a crowd of people

• He tried to get through the crowd of people.

a gang of thieves

• A gang of thieves robbed the house.

a pack of dogs

• A pack of dogs ran across the field.

a flock of sheep

• A flock of sheep blocked the road.

a chain of hotels

• The company owns a chain of hotels.

a block of flats

• They live in a modern block of flats.

both of us

• Both of us were interested in tennis.

a member of the party

• He is a member of the Labour Party.

Small amounts, short events & brief moments

These expressions describe tiny quantities or short periods.

a speck of dust

• There wasn’t a speck of dust in the room.

a flash of light

• The explosion was followed by a flash of light.

a shower of rain

• A shower of rain soaked the spectators.

a spell of thunder / bad weather

• A spell of heavy rain is expected this afternoon.

Abstract and more formal expressions

These are common in writing, news, and formal English.

a letter of resignation

• The minister wrote his letter of resignation.

a set of rules

• They published a set of rules for the building.

a range of numbers

• This chart shows a range of numbers.

a piece of art

• Girl with a Pearl Earring is a famous piece of art by Vermeer.

a bunch of flowers

• She received a bunch of flowers from her boyfriend.

Important learning tips

We say a pair of trousers / glasses because they have two parts.

We say a piece of for uncountable things (advice, furniture, cake, art).

Don’t say: an advice, a bread, a cake (when you mean quantity).

Using expressions like a range of, a set of, a piece of, a crowd of, a number of makes your writing more precise, more natural and more advanced.

Examiners love this kind of vocabulary.

These small words — piece, slice, bunch, flock, range — make a big difference to how natural and accurate your English sounds.

If you want to stop sounding vague and start sounding precise, these expressions are pure gold.

If you really want to learn English but don’t know how to do it and where to start, don’t hesitate to contact us. Book an online English lesson with one of our certified and experienced English teachers and take a test and consultation! Tap the banner to learn more!