Meaning & use
patch of land
Last updated
Meanings
phrasecountable
a small area of ground, especially one used for growing things or seen as separate from the land around it.
Grammar: Countable phrase: use an or the before it, and patches of land in the plural.
Patterns
- a patch of land
- a small patch of land
- grow something on a patch of land
They bought a patch of land behind the house and planted vegetables.
From the plane we could see tiny patches of land between the rivers.
He keeps chickens on a small patch of land at the back of the farm.
phrasecountable
a particular piece of ground that belongs to someone or is used for a stated purpose.
Grammar: Often followed by a phrase saying who owns it or what it is used for: a patch of land belonging to the school.
Patterns
- a patch of land belonging to someone
- a patch of land for something
- a patch of land near something
The council gave the club a patch of land for a new playground.
She inherited a patch of land near the coast from her uncle.
That patch of land is too rocky to build on.
Word forms
| plural | patches of land |
|---|
Common combinations
- a small patch of land
- A small patch of land beside the road was covered in wild flowers.
- a patch of land for something
- The village set aside a patch of land for a community garden.
- own a patch of land
- My grandparents own a patch of land in the hills.
- buy a patch of land
- They bought a patch of land and built a small cabin.
- a patch of land belonging to someone
- We crossed a patch of land belonging to the neighboring farm.
Synonyms and how they differ
- plot
- A plot is usually a measured piece of land, often for building or farming, so it sounds more official than a patch of land.
- piece of land
- This is a more general, neutral way to say the same thing and works in almost any context.
- tract
- A tract is a large area of land, so use it for wide stretches, not for something small.
Word family
- patch noun
- a small area that is different from what surrounds it, such as a patch of grass.
- patchy adjective
- existing in some places but not others, like patchy grass.
Commonly confused: patch of land or plot of land?
patch of land vs plot of land
A plot of land is usually a measured piece of ground for building or farming, while a patch of land simply describes a small area and can be informal.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'patch of land' most naturally?
Choose one answer.
'A patch of land' is a countable phrase, so it needs 'a' and keeps 'land' uncountable. 'A patch of lands' wrongly makes 'land' plural, 'a patch of the land' suggests one specific whole area, and 'on patch of land' is missing the article.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “patch of land”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.