Cut into three

[Talab1234]

1. Cut the bread into three.

2. Cut the bread into three pieces.

Are both sentences correct?

 

[jutfrank]

1. Cut the bread into three.

2. Cut the bread into three pieces.

Those are both okay, yes.

Are both sentences correct?

That's better! Thank you.

 

[Barque]

What's your context?

They both sound unnatural to me, though grammatical.

 

[tedmc]

I don't find the sentences unnatural. We can cut anything into a certain number of pieces.

 

[5jj]

I don't think I have ever been asked to cut bread into three (pieces).

 

[emsr2d2]

It would certainly be unusual with a standard loaf of bread, which we tend to cut into slices. However, something like a focaccia could be divided between three people by giving them a whole piece each. Most people would tear the bread in that situation rather than cut/slice it.

 

[jutfrank]

They both sound unnatural to me, though grammatical.

When you say 'unnatural', are you talking about the language itself? Or do you mean that cutting a piece of bread into three is an unnatural thing to do?

 

[Barque]

Yes, I meant cutting a piece of bread, not the language. I immediately thought of a slice of regular sandwich bread, and it's possible the OP may have been thinking of something else.

 

[Tdol]

The first is the one I'd use.

 

[emsr2d2]

@Talab1234 - Please clarify - when you said "bread", did you mean "a slice of bread" or "a loaf of bread"?

 

[Barque]

Or flatbread, not Western style bread?

 

[Rover_KE]

@Talab1234, please respond to the above requests so we don't have to guess what you mean.

 

[Talab1234]

A big loaf of bread to be cut into pieces

 

[emsr2d2]

I mean a big loaf of bread to be cut into pieces.

As the others have said, it's unusual to cut a large loaf into just three pieces but if that's what you want the listener to do, then that's what you should say. However, to avoid any confusion, I would say "Cut the loaf into three". You'll also need to make it clear if you want the three pieces to be of equal size.