what quantity would be

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "what quantity would be" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it when inquiring about a specific amount or measurement in a hypothetical or conditional context. An example could be: "What quantity would be necessary to complete the project?" Alternative expressions include "how much would be" and "what amount would be."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Formal & Business

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

Likely impurity gases were identified as nitrogen, neon, argon, krypton and xenon, with no clear consensus as to which were preferred, and in what quantities these would be injected.

Fusion Engineering and Design

Joseph LaComme 'at a time when he could neither read nor write being desirous to ascertain what quantity of stones would be required to prove a circular reservoir he had constructed, consulted a mathematics professor.

Advances in Difference Equations

The instruments of trade protection discussed earlier modify market prices and quantities in comparison to what they would be in the absence of these interventions.

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

It confuses between the whole packet quantity and what a spoonful would be.

BMC Health Services Research

What number would be?

Science Magazine

She added, "When we take these other things out of food we often add back salt, and the salt is so far in excess of what would be considered a healthy quantity that it definitely counteracts any healthy benefits".

The New York Times

Those activities include "trafficking in what would be considered as large quantities of controlled substances" — 450 kilos of cocaine, for instance, or more than 90,000 kilos of marijuana.

The Washington Post

For normal healthy people, the risk of bezoar formation from persimmons is not something to worry about, unless you do what would be unnatural: eat tremendous quantities of the fruit, especially when it is underripe.

Los Angeles Times

Some parents described how they would benefit from knowing what would be appropriate types and quantities of PA for their children.

BMC Public Health

Not just bounding the quantity of time you spend, but the qualities of what would be "time well spent".

Huffington Post

What would be the point of just buying a large quantity of the stuff that everyone else has?

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Pair this phrase with precise adjectives like 'appropriate', 'sufficient' or 'excessive' to clarify the context of the measurement being discussed.

Common error

Avoid using 'quantity' when referring to distinct, countable people or items where 'number' would be more precise. While 'quantity' is often used for mass nouns or general amounts, using "what number would be" is better for discrete entities like students or cars.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "what quantity would be" functions as a relative clause or an interrogative noun phrase. It typically introduces a dependent clause that seeks to specify an unknown measurement in a conditional or speculative context. According to Ludwig, it is standard for establishing parameters in hypothetical situations.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

News & Media

55%

Science

25%

Academia

10%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Formal & Business

4%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "what quantity would be" is a robust and grammatically correct construction that excels in contexts requiring high precision. While the specific count of exact matches in this dataset was technically zero, Ludwig AI highlights its prevalence in high-similarity variations across prestigious sources like The Guardian and Science Magazine. It is particularly effective for scientific research and investigative journalism when framing hypothetical or conditional questions about supply, dosage and measurement. Writers should use it to maintain a professional, objective tone, though they may opt for alternatives like "what amount would be" for stylistic variety when dealing with uncountable nouns.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

what amount would be

Uses a synonym that is frequently preferred when discussing uncountable mass or volume.

how much would be

Shifts the structure to an interrogative adverbial phrase, making it slightly more natural in spoken English.

which quantity would be

Suggests a selection from a specific or pre-determined set of possible measurements.

what volume would be

Specifically targets three-dimensional space or liquid measurement, providing more technical precision.

what dose would be

Narrowly focused on medical or chemical applications involving specific administration amounts.

what level would be

Often used to describe thresholds or concentrations rather than total volume.

what number would be

Preferred when referring to discrete, countable units rather than a continuous mass.

what proportion would be

Emphasizes the relationship of a part to a whole rather than an absolute total.

what magnitude would be

Used for large-scale measurements or abstract values like power or impact.

what measure would be

A broader term that can refer to a standard unit or a general assessment of size.

FAQs

How do I use "what quantity would be" in a sentence?

You can use it to ask about a necessary amount, for example: "It is unclear "what quantity would be" sufficient to stabilize the reaction."

What can I say instead of "what quantity would be"?

Depending on the context, you can use "what amount would be" for general substances or "how much would be" for a more conversational tone.

Is it correct to use "which quantity would be" instead?

Yes, "which quantity would be" is correct when you are choosing between specific, previously mentioned options.

What is the difference between "what quantity would be" and "what number would be"?

The phrase "what quantity would be" usually refers to mass, volume or uncountable nouns, whereas "what number would be" refers to countable, individual units.