a quantity of items

USAGE SUMMARY

'a quantity of items' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to a group of things that have been counted, measured, or otherwise considered, such as "I bought a quantity of books this afternoon."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

The axis Environment is explained by: Sinks Number which is the number of storage points used to store food, Boundaries of the environment, Source of food available in the environment, each source contains a quantity of items, Items which are featured by: Number of items in a source and Initial Position.

Complex Adaptive Systems Modeling

The group auctioned a quantity of items raising funds to help the Red Cross assist people affected by the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.

Wikipedia

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

When an attractive price discount for bulk purchase is available, the management decides to purchase a huge quantity of items at a time.

Journal of Industrial Engineering International

If sodium content of food items goes down, consumers will need to consume a greater quantity of items or a greater number of items to get the sodium their bodies demand (and they will get bigger doses of all the other unhealthy constituents in those items as a consequence).

HuffPost

During the search they found a large quantity of items with an estimated cost to the NHS of £145,870, including asthma drugs and feeding equipment.

The Guardian

In the study, children sat down individually with an examiner who introduced them to the two characters, each of which had a cup filled with an unknown quantity of items.

Johns Hopkins University

Besides contributing to the reduction process, this information reinforces the assumption that the full version of MIA has an excessive quantity of items.

Psicologia: Reflexão e Crítica

They seized what they called "a quantity of material and items of equipment" at a residence in Wood Green, north London.

The New York Times

It is alleged that the men plotted together to enter Hatton Garden Safe Deposit Company in London's Hatton Garden and steal a quantity of jewellery and other items.

The Guardian

They are all also charged with conspiracy to conceal, disguise, convert or transfer criminal property, namely a quantity of jewellery and other items, between 1 April and 19 May.

The Guardian

We should notice that in a large shopping mall, the quantity of items is huge, which means there are massive data that need to be calculated.

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing an unspecified number of items, use "a quantity of items" to maintain a formal and objective tone. This is suitable for reports, inventories, or legal documents.

Common error

Avoid using "a quantity of items" in casual conversation. Simpler terms like "some items" or "a few things" are more appropriate for everyday contexts.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a quantity of items" functions as a noun phrase, acting as the subject or object in a sentence. Ludwig provides examples where it specifies the amount of goods, materials, or objects in various contexts. It is primarily used to indicate an unspecified but considerable amount of something.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

40%

News & Media

35%

Wiki

15%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Formal & Business

5%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "a quantity of items" is a grammatically sound and acceptable English expression used to denote an unspecified amount of goods or objects. Ludwig's analysis indicates that the phrase is commonly found in scientific, news, and wiki contexts, signaling a neutral to formal register. It functions as a noun phrase and serves the purpose of conveying information about a general amount. Ludwig AI analysis confirms the phrase is appropriate for describing a group of things, particularly when precision is not required. When writing, consider the context to determine if a more casual phrasing, such as "some items", would be more appropriate.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a number of objects

Replaces "items" with "objects", slightly broadening the scope of what's being counted.

a certain amount of goods

Substitutes "quantity" with "amount" and "items" with "goods", focusing on merchandise.

a collection of articles

Uses "collection" instead of "quantity" and "articles" instead of "items", suggesting a curated set.

a set of things

Employs simpler terms, making the phrase more general and less formal.

a stock of products

Focuses on items that are available for sale or use, implying a commercial context.

an assortment of commodities

Uses more formal and technical language, suitable for economic or business contexts.

a supply of materials

Suggests resources available for use, shifting the focus from discrete items to bulk substances.

a selection of pieces

Implies choosing specific items from a larger group, highlighting the act of selection.

a group of objects

Emphasizes the collective nature of the items, suitable for describing a cluster or aggregation.

a volume of elements

Replaces "quantity" with "volume" suggesting measure of space, and "items" with "elements" suggesting components.

FAQs

How can I use "a quantity of items" in a sentence?

You can use "a quantity of items" to describe an amount of something, as in "The store received "a large quantity of items" this morning".

What phrases are similar to "a quantity of items"?

Similar phrases include "a number of items", "a selection of items", and "an amount of items", which all express a certain number of things.

When is it appropriate to use "a quantity of items"?

It's suitable for formal writing, inventories, or when you need to be precise about referring to a group of objects without specifying the exact number. For example, "The inspection revealed "a substantial quantity of items" in need of repair".

What's the difference between "a quantity of items" and "some items"?

"A quantity of items" is more formal and suggests a specific, measurable amount, while "some items" is more casual and implies an indefinite, often smaller, amount. "Some items" might be used in sentences like, "I bought some items at the store" while "a quantity of items" fits better in a context like, "The audit revealed "a discrepancy in a quantity of items"".