English divides nouns into countable (a cup, two cups) and uncountable (water, bread, advice), a distinction set out in reference works such as Oxford Learner's Dictionaries. You cannot say two breads or three advices, because uncountable nouns have no plural and take no number directly. To count or measure them, English uses a partitive — a small phrase ending in of that picks out a unit or portion: a loaf of bread, a piece of advice, a glass of water.
Partitives are essential for shopping, cooking, ordering food and everyday conversation. They turn something uncountable into a countable unit, so you can then use numbers and plurals on the partitive itself: two glasses of water, three pieces of cake.
How Partitives Work
The pattern is number/article + partitive + of + uncountable noun. The number and plural go on the partitive word, never on the uncountable noun.
| Phrase | Partitive | Uncountable noun |
|---|---|---|
a piece of advice | piece | advice |
two slices of bread | slices | bread |
a glass of water | glass | water |
three bars of chocolate | bars | chocolate |
Common Partitives by Type
Different uncountable nouns take different partitives. Choosing the right one is partly fixed collocation and partly logic about shape and container.
| Partitive | Typical nouns |
|---|---|
a piece of | advice, information, news, furniture, music, cake |
a slice of | bread, cheese, pizza, cake, ham |
a bit of | luck, fun, paper, sugar (informal, general) |
a glass / cup of | water, milk, juice / tea, coffee |
a loaf of | bread |
a bar of | chocolate, soap, gold |
a drop of | water, oil, rain, blood |
a grain of | rice, sand, salt, truth |
The plural rule: make the partitive plural, not the uncountable noun. Say two pieces of advice, never two advices. The word advice, information and news never take a plural -s.
The Versatile a piece of
A piece of is the most flexible partitive and rescues many abstract uncountable nouns that have no special container word:
- a piece of advice, a piece of information, a piece of news
- a piece of furniture, a piece of equipment, a piece of luggage
- a piece of music, a piece of art, a piece of paper
Common Mistakes
- Pluralising the noun: say two pieces of news, not two news.
- Dropping of: the partitive needs of: a cup of coffee, not a cup coffee.
- Wrong partitive: use a slice of bread, not a piece of bread for a cut slice (though both can occur).
- a furniture: furniture is uncountable; say a piece of furniture.
Practice Exercises
Grammar Quiz
Choose the right partitive for each uncountable noun.
Cloze Dropdown
Pick piece, slice or glass to complete each line.
Complete the Sentence
Add a partitive to measure each uncountable noun.
Matching Pairs
Match partitives with the nouns they go with.
Unjumble
Reorder words into a correct partitive phrase.
Flash Cards
Drill partitive collocations and plurals.
Master English Nouns
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is a partitive?
A partitive is a phrase ending in of that lets you count or measure an uncountable noun, such as a piece of advice, a slice of bread or a glass of water. It turns something uncountable into a countable unit.
Why do we need partitives?
Uncountable nouns like water, bread and advice have no plural and cannot take a number directly, so you cannot say two breads. A partitive provides a countable unit: two slices of bread. The number and plural attach to the partitive, not the noun.
How do you make a partitive plural?
Make the partitive word plural and leave the uncountable noun unchanged: two pieces of advice, three glasses of water, four slices of cake. Never add -s to the uncountable noun, so two advices is wrong.
What is the most useful partitive?
A piece of is the most flexible partitive. It works with many abstract uncountable nouns that have no special unit word: a piece of advice, a piece of information, a piece of news, a piece of furniture and a piece of music.
What is the difference between a slice and a piece?
A slice is a thin, flat portion cut from something, like a slice of bread or a slice of pizza. A piece is a more general portion of any shape, like a piece of cake. For abstract nouns such as advice, only piece works.
Can I say a furniture or an information?
No. Furniture and information are uncountable, so they take no a or plural. Use a partitive: a piece of furniture, a piece of information. Other words like news, advice and luggage behave the same way.
What partitives do drinks take?
Drinks use container partitives: a glass of water, a cup of tea, a mug of coffee, a bottle of juice and a can of cola. The choice depends on the usual container, so we say a cup of tea but a glass of milk.
Is a bit of formal or informal?
A bit of is informal and very common in speech: a bit of luck, a bit of fun, a bit of sugar. In formal writing, prefer a more specific partitive or quantifier, such as a little or a small amount of.
Do partitives always use of?
Yes. The structure is partitive + of + noun, so the of is required: a cup of coffee, not a cup coffee. Leaving out of is a frequent error, especially with food and drink phrases.
Can partitives be used figuratively?
Yes. Some partitives appear in fixed expressions: a grain of truth, a flash of inspiration, a stroke of luck and a ray of hope. Here the partitive measures an abstract idea rather than a physical substance, but the grammar is the same.