billions of tons

USAGE SUMMARY

"billions of tons" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used for larger estimates of mass or weight, and can be used in any context where a large amount of an item is being discussed. For example, "Every year, billions of tons of waste is produced in the United States."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

57 human-written examples

Western Australia's Hamersley iron province contains billions of tons of ore in iron formations.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Plants already process tens of billions of tons of CO2 every year in the natural cycling of carbon.

The New Yorker

The prize-winner will have to find a way to scrub billions of tons of carbon dioxide from the earth's atmosphere.

The New Yorker

It is time to get serious about the billions of tons of greenhouse gases that we annually emit to the atmosphere.

The New York Times

We're altering the climate of the planet by pumping billions of tons of fossil fuel emissions into the air each year.

The New York Times

Accelerate the development and testing of techniques to cheaply capture and store the billions of tons of carbon dioxide generated by burning coal and other fossil fuels.

The New York Times

The tsunami had dispatched billions of tons led by a cliff of water that crashed ashore at the height of the palm trees.

The New York Times

Now we need a much stronger focus on security at the seaports, where cargo comes and goes by the billions of tons annually.

The New York Times

Made up of decomposed trees and plants, sometimes as deep as 50 feet, the waterlogged land stores billions of tons of carbon dioxide.

The New York Times - Science

However, a collapse in the international nickel price between the mid-1970s mid-1980s980s shathered the prospects of instant wealth from the billions of tons of ore that lay just beyond the limits of technology available at the time.

The New York Times

Delaying action on climate means releasing billions of tons of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere while we debate the issue; delaying action on entitlement reform has no comparable cost.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "billions of tons" to highlight exceptionally large quantities in scientific reports, news articles, or environmental discussions to emphasize the scale of impact.

Common error

Avoid using "billions of tons" when a smaller unit like millions would be more accurate. Using an unnecessarily large unit can diminish the credibility of your statement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "billions of tons" functions as a quantifier, specifying an extremely large amount of mass or weight. As Ludwig AI states, the phrase is accurate and usable in written English. It commonly modifies nouns, particularly in contexts related to resources, waste, or emissions as shown by Ludwig examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

53%

Science

44%

Encyclopedias

1%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Social Media

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "billions of tons" is a grammatically correct and frequently used expression to quantify extremely large amounts of mass, as affirmed by Ludwig AI. Predominantly found in scientific and news contexts, it serves to emphasize scale, particularly in discussions of environmental impact, resource quantities, or waste generation. While alternatives like "massive quantities of tons" or "substantial tonnage" exist, the directness and widespread recognition of "billions of tons" make it a clear and effective choice for highlighting significant magnitudes. When writing, precision and context are key to ensure accurate and impactful communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

massive quantities of tons

Replaces "billions" with "massive quantities", emphasizing the large amount in tons.

huge amounts of tons

Substitutes "billions" with "huge amounts", indicating a very large quantity in tons.

a vast amount of tons

Uses "a vast amount" instead of "billions", still referring to a substantial quantity measured in tons.

enormous volumes of tons

Replaces "billions" with "enormous volumes", focusing on the scale in tons.

substantial quantities in tons

Expresses a considerable amount using "substantial quantities" measured in tons.

significant amounts in tons

Uses "significant amounts" to indicate a noteworthy quantity in tons.

considerable tonnage

Condenses the phrase to highlight the substantial weight measured in tons.

untold amounts of tons

Replaces "billions" with "untold amounts", emphasizing the immeasurable quantity in tons.

countless tons

Uses "countless" to suggest that the amount of tons is too numerous to count.

a multitude of tons

Replaces "billions" with "a multitude", implying a very large number of tons.

FAQs

How is "billions of tons" typically used in a sentence?

The phrase "billions of tons" is usually used to quantify extremely large amounts, often in the context of natural resources, emissions, or waste. For instance, "The mine contains "billions of tons" of iron ore."

What are some alternatives to saying "billions of tons"?

Depending on the context, you could use alternatives such as "massive quantities of tons", "huge amounts of tons", or "substantial tonnage" to convey a similar meaning.

Is it more appropriate to use "millions of tons" or "billions of tons"?

Choose the unit that most accurately reflects the quantity you're describing. If the amount is closer to a billion, use "billions of tons". If it's closer to a million, "millions of tons" is more suitable. Accuracy is key in technical writing.

In what contexts would I typically encounter the phrase "billions of tons"?

This phrase is commonly found in discussions about climate change (e.g., "billions of tons of carbon dioxide" emissions), geological surveys (e.g., mineral deposits), and large-scale waste management.