tens of tons

USAGE SUMMARY

"tens of tons" is grammatically correct and can be used in written English.
It is typically used to describe a large quantity or amount, specifically referring to a quantity that is estimated to be at least 20 tons or more. Example: "The delivery truck was carrying tens of tons of sand for the construction site."

✓ Grammatically correct

Academia

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

A good-sized tree collects a few tens of tons of carbon in its lifetime.

Yale University

The expected yield from the explosion would be on the order of tens of tons, roughly a factor of ten higher than the energy of the high explosive lens itself, but much less than the potential of the bomb.

Stanford University

They poured hundreds of millions of dollars and tens of tons of weapons into anyone who would fight against Assad – except that the people who were being supplied, [they] were al-Nusra, and al-Qaeda, and the extremist elements of jihadis who were coming from other parts of the world.

The Washington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

Millions of tons are produced every year.

Britannica

Tens of millions of tons are produced each year.

Britannica

Hundreds of thousands of tons of napalm were also used in Vietnam.

The New Yorker

And hundreds of thousands of tons of costly road salt is going unused.

The New York Times

Americans throw away hundreds of millions of tons of trash each year.

The New York Times

Tens of thousands of tons of food alone must arrive daily in order to meet demands.

Britannica

Americans throw away hundreds of millions of tons of trash every year.

The New York Times

Asphalt reserves are estimated at more than six million tons, and tens of thousands of tons are extracted annually.

Britannica

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "tens of tons" when you want to convey a large, but not precisely quantified, weight or amount, particularly when the specific number isn't as important as the general scale.

Common error

Avoid using "tens of tons" when you have precise figures available. If you know the exact tonnage, use the specific number instead of a rounded estimate like "tens of tons".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "tens of tons" functions as a quantifier, specifying a relatively large amount of weight. Ludwig confirms its grammatical correctness, as demonstrated through example sentences where it effectively describes substantial quantities of materials or loads.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Academia

33%

Encyclopedias

33%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "tens of tons" is a grammatically sound quantifier used to indicate a substantial amount of weight or volume, as validated by Ludwig. Its neutral register makes it appropriate for various contexts, particularly in news and academic writing. While not extremely common, the phrase effectively communicates scale without requiring precise figures. Ludwig's examples show its utility in describing cargo weight, material quantities, and other significant loads.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

dozens of tons

Slightly more specific, implying a quantity closer to 12 or more tons, while "tens of tons" is more general.

scores of tons

Uses "scores" to imply a quantity of 20 or more tons, similar to "tens".

a large tonnage

Simpler alternative, emphasizing the overall tonnage without specifying a precise number.

a significant quantity of tons

Highlights the importance or impact of the quantity measured in tons.

a substantial amount of tonnage

More formal and emphasizes the weight or capacity in terms of tonnage.

several tons

Less precise, indicating more than two tons but without specifying 'tens'.

a hefty weight of tons

Adds emphasis to the weight, suggesting it's impressively heavy.

considerable weight in tons

Focuses on the heaviness and uses "considerable" to emphasize the substantial nature of the weight.

notable volume in tons

Shifts the emphasis to volume rather than weight, measured in tons.

hundreds of tons

Indicates a larger quantity, moving up an order of magnitude from "tens".

FAQs

How can I use "tens of tons" in a sentence?

You can use "tens of tons" to describe a large quantity of something, such as "The bridge was designed to support "tens of tons" of cargo" or "The factory produces "tens of tons" of waste each year".

What's a less formal way to say "tens of tons"?

While "tens of tons" is already fairly neutral, you could use phrases like "a lot of weight" or "a huge amount" in very informal contexts, though these lack the specificity of ""tens of tons"".

What is the difference between "tens of tons" and "hundreds of tons"?

"Tens of tons" refers to a quantity likely between 20 and 99 tons, while "hundreds of tons" indicates a quantity between 100 and 999 tons. The key difference is the scale of magnitude.

Is "tens of tons" grammatically correct?

Yes, ""tens of tons"" is grammatically correct. The phrase uses "tens" as a plural form to indicate multiple units of ten tons each.