Partitives
Partitives are used to refer to an amount or number of something. Follow the article to learn more about them.
What Are Partitives?
Partitives are phrases that are used to refer to a definite or an indefinite amount of something.
Types of Partitives
We have two types of partitives:
- Definite partitives
- Indefinite partitives
Definite Partitives
'Definite partitives' are used to refer to an exact amount or number of something. Definite partitives can be used before an uncountable or countable noun. Here are the examples of the most common definite partitives:
- Spoon of
- Bunch of
- Flock of
- Bottle of
- Piece of
- Slice of
- Glass of
These partitives are always followed by the preposition 'of' and we can use articles before them. Check out these examples for more clarification:
Add two
They bought six
The girl had only one
Indefinite Partitives
'Indefinite partitives' are used to refer to an indefinite, or unexact number or amount of something. Here are the most important indefinite partitives on the list:
using the partitive 'piece of' in a sentence
Take a look at the examples with the indefinite partitives:
Pour
Concrete or Abstract Nouns?
'Partitives' can define the amount or number of a concrete noun that is easy to touch or an abstract idea which you cannot touch at all. Here are the examples:
We have watched
He was suffering from
I have cut
Partitives: Structure
Here are the common rules of using partitives in English. Learning the rules helps you understand them better.
1- Pre-determiners
One of the important points is that the partitive phrases are always used as 'pre-determiners.' This is why we are able to use articles or other determiners after them. For example:
Tip!
Some of the indefinite partitives can be used alone and not followed by the preposition of. In this case, they turn into indefinite quantifiers that are used as post-determiners. Here are the examples:
Those
2- Plurality
Countable nouns are always used in plural form after the partitives. However uncountable nouns are always used in singular form after partitives. Check out the examples:
Some of the
Use a spoonful of
3- Plural Partitives
You can use 'plural partitives' if it is possible based on the meaning of the sentence. Check out the examples:
We have bought two
Review
Partitives are words that are used before a noun to refer to only a part of the particular noun. There are two types of partitives as follows.
- Definite partitives
- Indefinite partitives
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