Classifiers and measure words
Do we need another word to say what unit we are counting?
Significado
An extra word beside a number or amount can show what kind of item or unit is being counted. These words let us count portions or group things by features such as shape. Some languages require a counting word with ordinary nouns, while others use such words mainly for units like cups or kilos. Quantity tells us how much there is; Classifiers and measure words covers the words used to count or measure it.
Como identificar
Look between a number or amount and the thing being counted for a word that names a unit or kind of item, and check when that word is required.
Na tua língua materna
Portuguese counts ordinary items directly with a number and a noun, without a required counting word. Measure words, words naming units such as cups, slices or kilos, are used for portions and measured amounts. The unit is normally linked to what is measured by de.
Comprei dois cadernos.
The number combines directly with the noun.
A Ana preparou duas xícaras de café.
Xícaras supplies the unit, and de links it to café.
Separei três fatias de pão para o lanche.
Fatias counts portions rather than whole loaves.
Na tua língua de aprendizagem
English usually places a number directly before a noun for things counted one by one, as in three apples. To count amounts of water or individual items of advice, it uses units such as a bottle of or a piece of. The unit word takes the plural ending, as in two bottles of water.
We need two bottles of water.
The bottles provide countable units for the water; bottles is plural.
She gave me a piece of advice.
Advice is not normally counted directly, so piece supplies a unit.
I bought three apples.
No counting word is needed between the number and apples.
Learners whose language requires a counting word with ordinary nouns may add unnecessary unit words. Learners whose language can count nouns that English does not count directly may use forms such as two advices instead of two pieces of advice.