by THE? pound/ kilogram/ piece

Status
Not open for further replies.

magdalena

Member
Joined
Aug 27, 2005
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
Polish
Home Country
Poland
Current Location
Poland
Do we always use THE in the expressions: by the pound/ by the piece/ by the kilogram/ etc? please, help :roll:
 

Barb_D

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Mar 12, 2007
Member Type
Other
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
We do in the example you gave, and I can't come up with any of that construction that don't. However, I hate to say "always" or "never" because "every" time I do, someone comes up with the exception.
 

Tdol

No Longer With Us (RIP)
Staff member
Joined
Nov 13, 2002
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
Japan
The nearest I can come up with to an exception is by weight.
 

tedtmc

Key Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2006
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
Chinese
Home Country
Malaysia
Current Location
Malaysia
by the pound/kg - by the (unit of measurement called) pound/kg
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top