Cool MatePiece vs Those guns
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Piece
Top 1,000 (very common)A1noun
Those guns
InformalTop 5,000 (fairly common)
Most formal: PieceMost common: Piece
| Piece | Those guns | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/piːs/"]/🇺🇸 /["/piːs/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //ðəʊz ɡʌnz//🇺🇸 //ðoʊz ɡʌnz// |
| Meaning | A part of something larger. | These firearms or weapons. |
| Example | Can I have a piece of cake, please? | Did you see those guns at the shooting event? |
| Register | Neutral | Informal |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 5,000 (fairly common) |
| CEFR level | A1 | - |
| Part of speech | noun | |
| Collocations | big, huge, large, assemble, glue (back) together, put (back) together, in pieces, piece of, bits and pieces, break into pieces, smash into pieces, big, huge, large, assemble, glue (back) together, put (back) together, in pieces, piece of, bits and pieces, break into pieces, smash into pieces, big, huge, large, assemble, glue (back) together, put (back) together, in pieces, piece of, bits and pieces, break into pieces, smash into pieces, amazing, beautiful, brilliant, compose, produce, write, be called something, be entitled something, be titled something, piece by, piece for, piece from, a piece of music, a piece of sculpture, a piece of work, amazing, beautiful, brilliant, compose, produce, write, be called something, be entitled something, be titled something, piece by, piece for, piece from, a piece of music, a piece of sculpture, a piece of work, big, huge, large, assemble, glue (back) together, put (back) together, in pieces, piece of, bits and pieces, break into pieces, smash into pieces | show off those guns, handle those guns, store those guns, fire those guns, clean those guns |
| Antonyms | whole, complete, entire | - |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'peace'., Used 'pieces' when referring to uncountable nouns incorrectly., Misused as a verb; it is primarily a noun. | Confused with the plural of 'gun', Used in serious contexts instead of casual ones, Misunderstood as referring to anything non-weapon-related |
| Usage notes | Use this word when talking about parts of whole items, such as a piece of cake or a piece of furniture. It is neutral and widely acceptable in both spoken and written contexts. | Usually used in a conversational context, often refers to firearms informally. Avoid in formal writing. |
See it in real clips
Frequently asked questions: Piece vs Those guns
What's the difference between Piece and Those guns?
Piece: A part of something larger. Those guns: These firearms or weapons.
Which is more formal: Piece and Those guns?
Piece is the most formal of these.
Which is more common: Piece and Those guns?
Piece is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Piece: Can I have a piece of cake, please? Those guns: Did you see those guns at the shooting event?
Can I use Piece and Those guns interchangeably?
Not always. Piece and Those guns are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.