2.217 referring to contents and containers

You can use partitives when you want to refer to the contents of a container as well as to the container itself. For example, you can refer to a carton filled with milk as 'a carton of milk'.

• I went to buy a bag of chips.
• The waiter appeared with a bottle of red wine.
• ...a packet of cigarettes.
• ...a pot of honey.
• ...tubes of glue.

You can also use partitives to refer to the contents only.

• They drank another bottle of champagne.
• She ate a whole box of chocolates.

Here is a list of partitives referring to containers:

• bag of, barrel of, basin of, basket of, bottle of, bowl of, box of, bucket of, can of, carton of, case of, cask of, crate of, cup of, glass of, jar of, jug of, mug of, pack of, packet of, plate of, pot of, sack of, spoon of, tablespoon of, tank of, teaspoon of, tin of, tub of, tube of, tumbler of