months of

[mrthlinh]

I've just seen a noun phrase, it is "months of food and water". I'm not sure but does it mean the mount of water and food enough for months?

[JohnParis]

Hello
Would you please provide the entire sentence where you found this phrase? I can't give you a proper answer without a minimum amount of context.

[mrthlinh]

It is about "The Nuclear Age".
"...They kept months of food and water in their bomb shelters because it would not be safe to eat plants after a nuclear war...."

[Gillnetter]

It is about "The Nuclear Age".
"...They kept months of food and water in their bomb shelters because it would not be safe to eat plants after a nuclear war...."

They stored enough food and water for a long period (months) because eating plants would not be safe after a nuclear war. They may have kept enough food and water for two to twelve months.

[JohnParis]

They stored enough food and water for a long period (months) because eating plants would not be safe after a nuclear war. They may have kept enough food and water for two to twelve months.

Hello Mrthlinh,
Thank you for providing the whole sentence.
Your original assessment of the phrase is correct, as Gillnetter has confirmed.
But I am curious as to why Gillnetter has limited the amount of months to 12?
Gill - is there anything wrong is saying "...They kept over 18 months of food and water in their bomb shelters because it would not be safe to eat plants after a nuclear war...."?
Happy Holidays , John

[Gillnetter]

Hello Mrthlinh,
Thank you for providing the whole sentence.
Your original assessment of the phrase is correct, as Gillnetter has confirmed.
But I am curious as to why Gillnetter has limited the amount of months to 12?
Gill - is there anything wrong is saying "...They kept over 18 months of food and water in their bomb shelters because it would not be safe to eat plants after a nuclear war...."?
Happy Holidays , John

18 months is fine. I usually think of anything over 12 months as being a year. You could also say that they kept a year and a half of supplies. I suppose that months should be used to be more definite - 15, for example.

[JohnParis]

Thanks very much.

J