Meaning & use
metric tons
Last updated
“metric tons” is a form of “metric ton”.
Meaning
nounplural
Units of mass equal to 1,000 kilograms, used for heavy weights such as cargo or waste.
Grammar: This is the plural form; use 'metric ton' for one unit and 'metric tons' for two or more.
Patterns
- a metric ton of something
- several metric tons of something
- measured in metric tons
The ship can carry up to 50,000 metric tons of coal.
Farmers harvested three metric tons of rice this season.
The factory produces about 200 metric tons of steel each day.
Word forms
| singular | metric ton |
|---|
Common combinations
- metric tons of waste
- The city removes thousands of metric tons of waste every year.
- measured in metric tons
- The weight of the cargo is measured in metric tons.
- metric tons per year
- The mine produces two million metric tons per year.
- a metric ton of grain
- They stored a metric ton of grain in the silo.
Synonyms and how they differ
- tonne
- This is the usual British spelling for the same unit; 'metric ton' is more common in American English.
Word family
Commonly confused: metric tons or ton? metric tons or tonne?
metric tons vs ton
In the US, 'ton' often means a short ton (2,000 pounds or about 907 kg), while a metric ton is 1,000 kg. Always say 'metric ton' if you mean the metric unit.
metric tons vs tonne
This is the same as a metric ton, but it is the spelling used more in British English.
Practice
The cargo ship was carrying 20,000 ______ of iron ore.
Choose one answer.
The number 20,000 is more than one, so the plural 'metric tons' is needed. 'Metric ton' is singular and would be wrong here; the possessive forms do not fit the sentence.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “metric tons”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.