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Expressing length, weight, distance, temperature, volume and other measurements.
Practice: build the sentences →English expresses measurements using a number followed by a unit and can describe exact, approximate, comparative, and proportional quantities.
Examples include two metres, five kilograms, three litres, and twenty degrees.
The table is two metres long.
Стол длиной два метра.
A measurement uses a number followed by a unit.
The package weighs five kilograms.
Посылка весит пять килограммов.
A measurement can describe weight.
She drank three litres of water.
Она выпила три литра воды.
A measurement can describe volume.
It is twenty degrees outside.
На улице двадцать градусов.
A measurement can describe temperature.
The journey is approximately five kilometres.
Поездка составляет примерно пять километров.
Measurements can be approximate.
A measurement expression normally uses a singular unit after one or a quantity grammatically treated as one unit.
For example, one metre, one kilogram, and one hour.
The room is one metre wide.
Комната шириной один метр.
A singular unit follows "one".
She bought one kilogram of apples.
Она купила один килограмм яблок.
"Kilogram" is singular after "one".
The meeting lasted one hour.
Встреча длилась один час.
"Hour" is singular after "one".
The wall is one metre thick.
Стена толщиной один метр.
A singular unit after "one".
The bottle holds one litre.
Бутылка вмещает один литр.
Singular unit after "one".
A measurement expression normally uses a plural unit after numbers greater than one.
For example, two metres, five kilograms, and ten hours.
The table is two metres long.
Стол длиной два метра.
Plural unit "metres" after "two".
The package weighs five kilograms.
Посылка весит пять килограммов.
Plural unit "kilograms" after "five".
She waited ten hours.
Она ждала десять часов.
Plural unit "hours" after "ten".
The journey is five kilometres.
Поездка составляет пять километров.
Plural unit "kilometres" after "five".
The pool is two metres deep.
Бассейн глубиной два метра.
Plural unit after a number greater than one.
A number and unit used before another noun as a compound adjective normally use a singular unit.
For example, a two-metre wall, a five-kilometre walk, and a ten-year-old child.
a two-metre wall
двухметровая стена
Singular unit in a compound modifier.
a five-kilometre walk
пятикилометровая прогулка
Singular unit "kilometre" before a noun.
a ten-year-old child
десятилетний ребёнок
Singular "year" in a compound modifier.
a three-hour meeting
трёхчасовая встреча
Singular "hour" in a compound modifier.
a twenty-kilogram suitcase
двадцатикилограммовый чемодан
Singular unit in a compound adjective.
Number-unit combinations functioning as compound modifiers before nouns are commonly hyphenated.
For example, a three-year-old child and a twenty-kilometre journey.
a three-year-old child
трёхлетний ребёнок
Number-unit compound is hyphenated before a noun.
a twenty-kilometre journey
двадцатикилометровая поездка
Hyphenated compound modifier.
a five-kilogram bag
пятикилограммовая сумка
Hyphen connects number and unit.
a two-litre bottle
двухлитровая бутылка
Hyphenated measurement compound.
a ten-metre rope
десятиметровая верёвка
Hyphenated compound modifier before a noun.
When a measurement follows the noun or functions independently, the unit normally takes the appropriate plural form.
For example, The wall is two metres high and The journey is five kilometres.
The wall is two metres high.
Стена высотой два метра.
Plural unit after the noun phrase.
The journey is five kilometres.
Поездка составляет пять километров.
Plural unit when the measurement follows the noun.
The package weighs ten kilograms.
Посылка весит десять килограммов.
Plural unit after the verb "weighs".
The meeting lasted two hours.
Встреча длилась два часа.
Plural unit after the verb.
The bottle holds two litres.
Бутылка вмещает два литра.
Plural unit in predicate position.
Measurements of physical dimensions can be expressed with nouns such as metre, centimetre, foot, inch, kilometre, and mile.
For example, The table is two metres long and The room is five metres wide.
The table is two metres long.
Стол длиной два метра.
Length expressed with "long".
The room is five metres wide.
Комната шириной пять метров.
Width expressed with "wide".
The wall is three metres high.
Стена высотой три метра.
Height expressed with "high".
The building is very tall.
Здание очень высокое.
Height expressed with "tall".
The road is ten kilometres long.
Дорога длиной десять километров.
Length with "long".
Adjectives such as long, wide, high, and tall describe different types of physical dimensions.
For example, The road is ten kilometres long, The wall is three metres high, and The building is very tall.
The road is ten kilometres long.
Дорога длиной десять километров.
"Long" describes length.
The wall is three metres high.
Стена высотой три метра.
"High" describes height.
The river is twenty metres wide.
Река шириной двадцать метров.
"Wide" describes width.
The building is very tall.
Здание очень высокое.
"Tall" describes height of a person or building.
The table is two metres long.
Стол длиной два метра.
"Long" with a measurement.
Deep describes vertical distance into a space or substance, while thick describes the distance between opposite surfaces of a solid layer.
For example, The pool is two metres deep and The wall is twenty centimetres thick.
The pool is two metres deep.
Бассейн глубиной два метра.
"Deep" describes vertical distance.
The wall is twenty centimetres thick.
Стена толщиной двадцать сантиметров.
"Thick" describes distance between surfaces.
The hole is one metre deep.
Яма глубиной один метр.
"Deep" for depth.
The book is five centimetres thick.
Книга толщиной пять сантиметров.
"Thick" for thickness.
The snow is thirty centimetres deep.
Снег глубиной тридцать сантиметров.
"Deep" for depth of snow.
Weight and mass can be expressed with units such as kilogram, gram, pound, and ounce.
For example, The package weighs five kilograms.
The package weighs five kilograms.
Посылка весит пять килограммов.
Weight expressed with "kilograms".
She bought two pounds of sugar.
Она купила два фунта сахара.
Weight expressed with "pounds".
The letter weighs fifty grams.
Письмо весит пятьдесят граммов.
Weight expressed with "grams".
The baby weighed three kilograms.
Ребёнок весил три килограмма.
Weight with "kilograms".
The recipe needs eight ounces of cheese.
Для рецепта нужно восемь унций сыра.
Weight with "ounces".
Weigh can be used as a verb followed by a measurement or used with how much to ask about mass.
For example, The box weighs ten kilograms and How much does it weigh?
The box weighs ten kilograms.
Коробка весит десять килограммов.
"Weigh" is followed by a measurement.
How much does it weigh?
Сколько это весит?
"How much" asks about weight.
She weighs fifty kilograms.
Она весит пятьдесят килограммов.
"Weighs" with a measurement.
The baby weighed three kilograms at birth.
Ребёнок весил три килограмма при рождении.
Past tense "weighed".
How much does the package weigh?
Сколько весит посылка?
"How much" + "weigh".
Height can be expressed with a measurement noun or with an adjective plus measurement.
For example, The building has a height of 100 metres and The building is 100 metres high.
The building has a height of 100 metres.
Здание имеет высоту 100 метров.
"Height of" + measurement.
The building is 100 metres high.
Здание высотой 100 метров.
"High" + measurement.
What is the height of the wall?
Какова высота стены?
"Height" as a noun.
The tree has a height of twenty metres.
Дерево имеет высоту двадцать метров.
"Height of" structure.
She is 170 centimetres tall.
Её рост 170 сантиметров.
"Tall" for a person.
Age can be expressed with a number of years or an age compound.
For example, She is ten years old and a ten-year-old child.
She is ten years old.
Ей десять лет.
Age expressed with "years old".
He is a ten-year-old boy.
Он десятилетний мальчик.
Age compound modifier.
The child is five years old.
Ребёнку пять лет.
Age with "years old".
They have a five-year-old daughter.
У них пятилетняя дочь.
Age compound modifier.
How old is she?
Сколько ей лет?
"How old" asks about age.
When years functions as part of the predicate expressing age, it normally appears in the plural, while the corresponding compound modifier uses singular year.
For example, He is ten years old but He is a ten-year-old boy.
He is ten years old.
Ему десять лет.
Plural "years" in the predicate.
He is a ten-year-old boy.
Он десятилетний мальчик.
Singular "year" in a compound modifier.
She is five years old.
Ей пять лет.
Plural "years" after a number.
She has a five-year-old son.
У неё пятилетний сын.
Singular "year" in compound.
The building is ten years old.
Зданию десять лет.
Plural "years" for age.
Distance can be expressed using units such as metre, kilometre, mile, foot, and inch.
For example, The station is two kilometres away.
The station is two kilometres away.
Станция находится в двух километрах.
Distance with "away".
The journey is five miles long.
Поездка длиной пять миль.
Distance with "long".
The school is 500 metres from here.
Школа в 500 метрах отсюда.
Distance with "from".
The bridge is one kilometre long.
Мост длиной один километр.
Distance with "long".
We walked three kilometres.
Мы прошли три километра.
Distance as an object.
Away expresses distance from a reference point, commonly after a measurement.
For example, The station is five kilometres away.
The station is five kilometres away.
Станция находится в пяти километрах.
"Away" after a measurement.
The school is 500 metres away.
Школа находится в 500 метрах.
"Away" expresses distance from a point.
The beach is two miles away.
Пляж находится в двух милях.
"Away" with miles.
The airport is twenty kilometres away.
Аэропорт находится в двадцати километрах.
"Away" with kilometres.
How far away is it?
Как далеко это находится?
"Away" in a question.
Temperature is commonly expressed with degrees followed by a temperature scale or by the temperature value alone when context is clear.
For example, twenty degrees Celsius and It is twenty degrees outside.
It is twenty degrees outside.
На улице двадцать градусов.
Temperature with "degrees".
The temperature is twenty degrees Celsius.
Температура двадцать градусов Цельсия.
Temperature with scale.
Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius.
Вода кипит при 100 градусах Цельсия.
Temperature with scale.
It is five degrees below zero.
Пять градусов ниже нуля.
Negative temperature.
The temperature is ten degrees above zero.
Температура десять градусов выше нуля.
Positive temperature.
English uses degrees Celsius and degrees Fahrenheit to identify temperature scales explicitly.
For example, 20°C is twenty degrees Celsius and 68°F is sixty-eight degrees Fahrenheit.
20°C is twenty degrees Celsius.
20°C — это двадцать градусов Цельсия.
"Celsius" identifies the scale.
68°F is sixty-eight degrees Fahrenheit.
68°F — это шестьдесят восемь градусов по Фаренгейту.
"Fahrenheit" identifies the scale.
The temperature is thirty degrees Celsius.
Температура тридцать градусов Цельсия.
Celsius scale.
The temperature is eighty degrees Fahrenheit.
Температура восемьдесят градусов по Фаренгейту.
Fahrenheit scale.
0°C is thirty-two degrees Fahrenheit.
0°C — это тридцать два градуса по Фаренгейту.
Conversion between scales.
Negative and positive temperatures can be described relative to zero.
For example, five degrees below zero and ten degrees above zero.
It is five degrees below zero.
Пять градусов ниже нуля.
"Below zero" for negative temperatures.
The temperature is ten degrees above zero.
Температура десять градусов выше нуля.
"Above zero" for positive temperatures.
It was twenty degrees below zero last night.
Прошлой ночью было двадцать градусов ниже нуля.
"Below zero" with past.
The water is five degrees above zero.
Вода на пять градусов выше нуля.
"Above zero" for water temperature.
Temperatures can drop to ten degrees below zero.
Температура может опуститься до десяти градусов ниже нуля.
"Below zero" with "drop to".
Volume can be expressed with units such as litre, millilitre, gallon, and pint.
For example, two litres of water and 500 millilitres of milk.
She drank two litres of water.
Она выпила два литра воды.
Volume with "litres".
The recipe needs 500 millilitres of milk.
Для рецепта нужно 500 миллилитров молока.
Volume with "millilitres".
He bought a gallon of paint.
Он купил галлон краски.
Volume with "gallon".
She ordered a pint of beer.
Она заказала пинту пива.
Volume with "pint".
The bottle holds one litre.
Бутылка вмещает один литр.
Volume with "litre".
Area is commonly expressed with square units.
For example, fifty square metres and ten square kilometres.
The room is fifty square metres.
Комната площадью пятьдесят квадратных метров.
Area with "square metres".
The park covers ten square kilometres.
Парк занимает десять квадратных километров.
Area with "square kilometres".
The field is 100 square metres.
Поле площадью 100 квадратных метров.
Area measurement.
The house has an area of 200 square metres.
Площадь дома составляет 200 квадратных метров.
"Area of" structure.
The garden is about 50 square metres.
Сад около 50 квадратных метров.
Approximate area.
Square units measure area, while cubic units measure volume.
For example, square metres measure surface area and cubic metres measure volume.
Square metres measure surface area.
Квадратные метры измеряют площадь поверхности.
Square units for area.
Cubic metres measure volume.
Кубические метры измеряют объём.
Cubic units for volume.
The room is 50 square metres.
Комната площадью 50 квадратных метров.
Area with square metres.
The tank holds 10 cubic metres.
Резервуар вмещает 10 кубических метров.
Volume with cubic metres.
The area is 20 square centimetres.
Площадь составляет 20 квадратных сантиметров.
Area with square centimetres.
Per expresses a rate calculated relative to another unit.
For example, 60 kilometres per hour, five dollars per kilogram, and twice per day.
The car travels at 60 kilometres per hour.
Машина едет со скоростью 60 километров в час.
"Per" expresses a rate.
The apples cost five dollars per kilogram.
Яблоки стоят пять долларов за килограмм.
"Per" with price.
Take the medicine twice per day.
Принимайте лекарство дважды в день.
"Per" with frequency.
The speed limit is 50 miles per hour.
Ограничение скорости — 50 миль в час.
"Per" with speed.
She earns 20 dollars per hour.
Она зарабатывает 20 долларов в час.
"Per" with wage.
Per cent describes a proportion out of one hundred, while percentage is the corresponding noun.
For example, ten percent of the population and What percentage of users responded?
Ten percent of the population agreed.
Десять процентов населения согласились.
"Percent" follows a number.
What percentage of users responded?
Какой процент пользователей ответил?
"Percentage" is a noun.
Twenty percent of the students were absent.
Двадцать процентов студентов отсутствовали.
"Percent" after a number.
A high percentage of people agreed.
Высокий процент людей согласился.
"Percentage" as a noun.
What percentage of the total is that?
Какой это процент от общего числа?
"Percentage" in a question.
Words such as about, around, approximately, nearly, and roughly can indicate that a measurement is not exact.
For example, about five metres, roughly ten kilograms, and approximately two hours.
The room is about five metres wide.
Комната шириной около пяти метров.
"About" indicates approximation.
The package weighs roughly ten kilograms.
Посылка весит примерно десять килограммов.
"Roughly" indicates approximation.
The journey takes approximately two hours.
Поездка занимает примерно два часа.
"Approximately" indicates approximation.
The wall is around three metres high.
Стена высотой около трёх метров.
"Around" indicates approximation.
It is nearly five kilometres away.
Это почти пять километров отсюда.
"Nearly" indicates approximation.
Nearly and almost indicate that a quantity or measurement is close to but does not reach a specified value.
For example, nearly two metres tall and almost five kilometres away.
She is nearly two metres tall.
Она почти два метра ростом.
"Nearly" means close to but not reaching.
The station is almost five kilometres away.
Станция почти в пяти километрах.
"Almost" means close to but not reaching.
The package weighs nearly ten kilograms.
Посылка весит почти десять килограммов.
"Nearly" with weight.
The pool is almost two metres deep.
Бассейн почти два метра глубиной.
"Almost" with depth.
The meeting lasted nearly two hours.
Встреча длилась почти два часа.
"Nearly" with duration.
More than, less than, over, and under can express approximate or bounded measurements.
For example, more than two metres, under five kilograms, and over ten kilometres.
The wall is more than two metres high.
Стена высотой более двух метров.
"More than" indicates a bounded measurement.
The package weighs less than five kilograms.
Посылка весит менее пяти килограммов.
"Less than" indicates a bounded measurement.
The journey is over ten kilometres.
Поездка составляет более десяти километров.
"Over" with distance.
The bottle holds under two litres.
Бутылка вмещает менее двух литров.
"Under" with volume.
She waited more than an hour.
Она ждала более часа.
"More than" with duration.
As much as is used with uncountable quantities, while as many as is used with countable plural quantities.
For example, as much as ten litres and as many as one hundred people.
The bottle holds as much as ten litres.
Бутылка вмещает целых десять литров.
"As much as" with uncountable quantity.
As many as one hundred people attended.
Присутствовало целых сто человек.
"As many as" with countable quantity.
The tank can hold as much as 500 litres.
Резервуар может вместить целых 500 литров.
"As much as" with volume.
As many as fifty students passed.
Целых пятьдесят студентов сдали.
"As many as" with people.
She can eat as much as two kilograms of fruit.
Она может съесть целых два килограмма фруктов.
"As much as" with weight.
Up to indicates a maximum quantity, distance, duration, or limit.
For example, up to ten people, up to five kilometres, and up to two hours.
The room can hold up to ten people.
Комната может вместить до десяти человек.
"Up to" indicates a maximum.
The journey takes up to two hours.
Поездка занимает до двух часов.
"Up to" with duration.
The car can travel up to five kilometres.
Машина может проехать до пяти километров.
"Up to" with distance.
The bag can hold up to twenty kilograms.
Сумка может вместить до двадцати килограммов.
"Up to" with weight.
You can stay up to three days.
Вы можете остаться до трёх дней.
"Up to" with time.
A total of emphasizes the complete numerical quantity of something.
For example, A total of 500 people attended the event.
A total of 500 people attended the event.
Всего мероприятие посетило 500 человек.
"A total of" emphasizes the complete number.
A total of 20 litres was used.
Всего было использовано 20 литров.
"A total of" with volume.
A total of 100 metres was covered.
Всего было пройдено 100 метров.
"A total of" with distance.
A total of 10 kilograms was lost.
Всего было потеряно 10 килограммов.
"A total of" with weight.
A total of 30 degrees was recorded.
Всего было зафиксировано 30 градусов.
"A total of" with temperature.
An average of introduces a mean quantity calculated across a set of measurements or observations.
For example, an average of 20 kilometres per day.
She walks an average of 20 kilometres per day.
Она проходит в среднем 20 километров в день.
"An average of" introduces a mean quantity.
The temperature is an average of 25 degrees.
Средняя температура составляет 25 градусов.
"An average of" with temperature.
He earns an average of 500 dollars per week.
Он зарабатывает в среднем 500 долларов в неделю.
"An average of" with money.
The package weighs an average of 5 kilograms.
Посылка весит в среднем 5 килограммов.
"An average of" with weight.
The journey takes an average of two hours.
Поездка занимает в среднем два часа.
"An average of" with duration.
Maximum of and minimum of express upper and lower numerical limits.
For example, a maximum of 100 people and a minimum of two hours.
The room can hold a maximum of 100 people.
Комната может вместить максимум 100 человек.
"A maximum of" expresses an upper limit.
The journey takes a minimum of two hours.
Поездка занимает минимум два часа.
"A minimum of" expresses a lower limit.
The tank holds a maximum of 50 litres.
Резервуар вмещает максимум 50 литров.
"A maximum of" with volume.
You need a minimum of five kilograms.
Вам нужно минимум пять килограммов.
"A minimum of" with weight.
The temperature should be a maximum of 30 degrees.
Температура должна быть максимум 30 градусов.
"A maximum of" with temperature.
Measurements can be expressed as ranges using from ... to, between ... and, or numerical range punctuation.
For example, from five to ten metres and between 20 and 30 kilograms.
The room is from five to ten metres wide.
Комната шириной от пяти до десяти метров.
"From ... to" expresses a range.
The package weighs between 20 and 30 kilograms.
Посылка весит от 20 до 30 килограммов.
"Between ... and" expresses a range.
The temperature is from 10 to 20 degrees.
Температура от 10 до 20 градусов.
"From ... to" with temperature.
The journey takes between two and three hours.
Поездка занимает от двух до трёх часов.
"Between ... and" with duration.
The distance is 5–10 kilometres.
Расстояние 5–10 километров.
En dash indicates range.
Common measurement units have standard written abbreviations, especially in technical, scientific, and tabular contexts.
For example, km, kg, cm, mL, L, and °C.
The distance is 5 km.
Расстояние составляет 5 км.
"km" is the abbreviation for kilometres.
The package weighs 10 kg.
Посылка весит 10 кг.
"kg" is the abbreviation for kilograms.
The bottle holds 500 mL.
Бутылка вмещает 500 мл.
"mL" is the abbreviation for millilitres.
The temperature is 20°C.
Температура 20°C.
"°C" is the abbreviation for degrees Celsius.
The length is 30 cm.
Длина составляет 30 см.
"cm" is the abbreviation for centimetres.
Use singular or plural units according to their grammatical position, choose the correct measurement unit, and distinguish exact quantities from approximate ranges.
Common mistakes include using plural units in compound modifiers, confusing metres with square metres, saying ten year old without the correct compound structure, and confusing per-unit rates with total quantities.
a two-metre wall
двухметровая стена
Correct: singular "metre" in a compound modifier.
a two-metres wall
двухметровая стена
Incorrect: plural unit in a compound modifier.
The wall is two metres high.
Стена высотой два метра.
Correct: plural unit after the noun.
a ten-year-old child
десятилетний ребёнок
Correct: singular "year" in the compound.
ten kilometres per hour
десять километров в час
Correct: "per" for a rate.