Describing Imprecise Numbers, Quantities, Amounts, and Measurements in English 🧮🔢📊

Summary

This English lesson focuses on using imprecise language to describe measurements and quantities. The speaker introduces 10 common phrases such as 'give or take', 'just over/under', 'about', 'close to', and 'roughly' to help learners express approximate values in everyday conversations. By providing real-life examples like estimating temperatures, the number of people at an event, or the amount of cars in a parking lot, the lesson teaches how to communicate with flexibility and precision in informal situations. The goal is to help students sound more natural while speaking in English.

Takeaways

• 😀 Use 'give or take' to indicate approximate measurements, such as height or size (e.g., '20 meters, give or take').
• 😀 'Just over' and 'just under' are useful for estimating temperatures or numbers slightly above or below a reference point (e.g., 'just over 10°C').
• 😀 The word 'about' is commonly used when you are making a rough guess of time or quantity (e.g., 'She’ll be home in about 10 minutes').
• 😀 'Close to' implies a number that is almost but not exactly the target amount (e.g., 'close to 200 people').
• 😀 'More than' can indicate that the actual number is slightly above the estimate (e.g., 'more than 200 people').
• 😀 '10 or so' or '10 or more' are informal ways to express an approximate count of things (e.g., '10 or so dogs in the show').
• 😀 When you can’t count something precisely, use 'more than I can count' (e.g., 'more seagulls than I can count').
• 😀 'Approximately' and 'around' are interchangeable terms used to express an estimated number (e.g., 'around 50 cars in the parking lot').
• 😀 'Roughly' is another way to express an approximate number, especially when it is somewhat close to a known figure (e.g., 'roughly 40,000 people').
• 😀 For vague estimates, 'somewhere around' is a great choice (e.g., 'somewhere around 3,000 leaves on the ground').

Q & A

What is the purpose of using imprecise phrases like 'give or take' in English?

Imprecise phrases like 'give or take' are used to communicate approximations when the exact number or measurement is unknown or irrelevant. They help convey that the speaker is providing an estimate rather than an exact figure.

Can you give an example of how 'just over' or 'just under' is used in everyday language?

'Just over' or 'just under' are used to estimate a number or measurement that is slightly more or less than a specific value. For example, 'I think it's just over 10 degrees Celsius' means the temperature is slightly more than 10°C.

What does the phrase 'in about 10 minutes' imply?

The phrase 'in about 10 minutes' implies that the speaker is providing an approximate time frame, not an exact measurement. It indicates that the event will likely occur around that time but could be a little sooner or later.

How is 'close to' used to describe quantities or measurements?

'Close to' is used to describe an estimate that is nearly equal to a specific number but not exact. For example, 'There were close to 200 people at the event' means the number of people is approximately 200, but may be slightly more or less.

What is the difference between 'more than' and 'close to'?

'More than' suggests that the actual number exceeds the figure provided, while 'close to' suggests the number is nearly equal but not necessarily greater. For instance, 'more than 200 people' means there were likely more than 200, while 'close to 200 people' means the number is near 200 but not exactly 200.

What does '10 or so' mean when estimating a number?

'10 or so' is a casual way to indicate an approximate number, typically used when the speaker doesn't know the exact figure. For example, 'There were 10 or so dogs in the show' means there were approximately 10 dogs, but the exact number isn't certain.

How is the phrase 'more than I can count' typically used?

'More than I can count' is often used humorously or exaggeratively to describe a large number of items or occurrences that are difficult or impossible to count. For example, 'There are more seagulls than I can count' implies there are too many seagulls to count precisely.

What does 'approximately' mean in the context of measurement?

'Approximately' is used to indicate a close estimate of a number or measurement, acknowledging that the figure is not exact. For example, 'There are approximately 50 cars in the parking lot' suggests the number is close to 50, but may be slightly more or less.

When would you use the word 'around' in English?

'Around' is used to give an approximate number or measurement, similar to 'approximately.' It is often used in everyday situations, such as 'There were around 100 people in the store,' where the exact number is not known, but the estimate is close.

How is 'roughly' different from 'approximately' or 'around'?

'Roughly' is another way to indicate an estimate, similar to 'approximately' or 'around,' but it can suggest a more casual or less precise estimation. For example, 'There were roughly 40,000 people at the stadium' implies a close estimate, but may vary slightly from the actual number.