measurements: imperial, metric

by | 22 Jul 2021 | Business English, General English

The UK and the US commonly use the imperial system to measure size and distance. The rest of the world tend to use the metric system.

 

 

examples of imperial and metric [approx]

 

1 mile = 1.61km [kilometres]

1 stone =  6.35kg [kilograms]

1 pound = 454g [grams]

1 ounce [oz] = 28.3g

39″ [inches] = 1 metre

1 yard = 36″

1 lb [pound] = .45kg

 

 

With regards weight, it is more common in the US to use pounds rather than stone.

 

In the UK more people are using kgs for weight than before.

 

vocabulary

 

How much do you weigh? [verb]

I weighed myself yesterday and was very happy with my weight.

What is your weight? [noun]

Maybe you should weigh yourself on a weighing machine.

How tall is your mother? [noun]

My sister is tall. [adjective]

How tall is that tall building?

 

 

similar words/confusables

lb [weight in pounds]

£ [currency pound – no affiliation with weight]

 

expressions

 

The box weighs a ton, get someone to help you with it. [The box is very heavy]

Solving this problem was a weight off my shoulders.[I felt a lot better after solving the problem]

The atmosphere was heavy with emotion. [there was an uneasy/uncomfortable feeling ]

Can I have a pound of apples please? [‘pound’ in weight]

Can I have a pounds worth of sweets please? [pound in money value]

It will cost hundreds of pounds to replace that window. [less than thousands but units of hundreds £200, £300 etc]

After going vegan, the pounds and ounces just fell off. It is good for animals too! [lost weight easily and quickly]

 

more

 

kilo[s] = kg[s] or kilograms

1 ton = 1000 kgs

my new car cost 20K [20 thousand pounds]

the police confiscated 20k of cocaine at the airport [weight]

 

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