tons of rubbish

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "tons of rubbish" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It is often used to describe a large amount of something undesirable. For example: "The parking lot was filled with tons of rubbish after the festival."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

16 human-written examples

Last year, around 7,300 volunteers collected 93 tons of rubbish during Mountain Riders' 110 cleaning days.

The Guardian - Travel

Born into New York high society in the 1880s, the Collyers were found dead, buried beneath 136 tons of rubbish, in their Harlem home in 1947.

Independent

Tons of rubbish were also removed from Everest, as its popularity as a tourist destination for the rich continues to take a toll.

Independent

Crowds lining the couple's one-and-a-half mile route to Buckingham Palace are expected to leave 140 tons of rubbish.

Independent

There is an estimated 50 tons of rubbish around the summit from previous expeditions, including oxygen bottles and frozen human waste.

The Guardian

Shanghai, a city of around 24 million people, currently produces 22,000 tons of rubbish a day and the city is running out of landfill space.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

44 human-written examples

City authorities estimate that there are about 7,000 tons of rubbish-filled bags lying around the ancient city, best known for its flamenco music and monuments including the city cathedral, the Alcázar fortress and the Golden Tower.

The New York Times

With some events attracting up to 200 people, and each volunteer collecting around 5kg of rubbish, organisers can be left with a genuine ton of rubbish to sort, recycle and dispose of.

The Guardian - Travel

The havoc-wreaking is mostly concentrated in Magaluf's main party strip, Punta Ballena, where, during peak season, cleaners move half a ton of rubbish every night.

Vice

But despite it all, he says, the zabaleen still deal with 9,000 of Cairo's 15,000 daily tons of household rubbish, recycling 85% of it.

The Guardian

In the delta, they said, the barriers will probably inhibit the self-cleansing mechanism of rivers and trap millions of cubic yards of industrial waste, hundreds of thousands of tons of industrial rubbish, and millions of tons of pesticides and fertilizer that are used in fish farms and shrimp farms.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using the phrase "tons of rubbish", ensure the context clearly indicates a large quantity of unwanted material. For example, "After the concert, the park was covered in tons of rubbish."

Common error

Avoid using "tons of rubbish" to describe small amounts of waste. This phrase is most effective when conveying a significantly large quantity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "tons of rubbish" functions as a noun phrase, acting as a subject or object in a sentence. It quantifies the amount of unwanted material, as exemplified by Ludwig's examples showcasing removal efforts and waste generation in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "tons of rubbish" is a grammatically sound and readily understandable noun phrase employed to depict a significant accumulation of unwanted materials. As Ludwig AI confirms, the expression is correct and commonly used to describe something undesirable. Although the analysis indicates a "Rare" frequency, the phrase is primarily found within "News & Media" contexts. When using this phrase, remember to convey that the quantity is large. If the situation requires formality, consider alternative phrases like "significant quantity of waste".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

large amount of garbage

Replaces "rubbish" with the synonym "garbage" and restructures the sentence to use "amount" instead of "tons".

significant quantity of waste

Substitutes "tons" with "significant quantity" and "rubbish" with "waste", offering a more formal tone.

considerable heap of trash

Replaces "tons" with "considerable heap" and "rubbish" with "trash", providing a slightly less formal alternative.

substantial volume of litter

Uses "substantial volume" instead of "tons" and "litter" instead of "rubbish", changing the imagery slightly.

mountains of refuse

Employs "mountains of" for emphasis and replaces "rubbish" with "refuse", suggesting a large accumulation.

a great deal of debris

Substitutes "tons" with "a great deal" and "rubbish" with "debris", implying scattered remnants.

immense accumulation of junk

Replaces "tons" with "immense accumulation" and "rubbish" with "junk", connoting worthlessness.

vast quantities of discarded items

Offers a more descriptive and formal alternative, specifying "discarded items" instead of "rubbish".

enormous piles of unwanted material

Uses "enormous piles" instead of "tons" and replaces "rubbish" with "unwanted material", providing a more detailed description.

massive collection of discarded garbage

Replaces "tons" with "massive collection" and specifies "discarded garbage" for clarity.

FAQs

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

You can use "tons of rubbish" to describe a large amount of unwanted material. For example, "The cleanup crew removed "tons of rubbish" from the beach after the storm."

What's a less literal alternative to "tons of rubbish"?

Depending on the context, you can use phrases like "significant amount of waste", "considerable heap of trash", or "substantial volume of litter" instead of "tons of rubbish".

Is it appropriate to use "tons of rubbish" in formal writing?

While grammatically correct, "tons of rubbish" may be considered informal. In formal writing, consider using alternatives such as "significant quantity of waste" or "substantial volume of discarded materials".

What kind of imagery does "tons of rubbish" evoke?

"Tons of rubbish" conjures an image of a heavy, overwhelming amount of waste, suggesting a problem that requires significant effort to address. It's more impactful than simply saying "some rubbish".