Meaning & use
penny sweets
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Meaning
nounpluralBritish
Small, inexpensive candies sold individually or in a mixed selection, especially in a traditional sweet shop.
Grammar: Used as a plural noun; it does not have a singular form. To talk about one piece, say 'a penny sweet'.
Patterns
- a bag of penny sweets
- a jar of penny sweets
- pick out penny sweets
As a child, I loved going to the corner shop to buy penny sweets with my pocket money.
The old-fashioned sweet shop still sells penny sweets from big glass jars.
She filled a paper bag with penny sweets for the children's party.
Common combinations
- a bag of penny sweets
- He bought a bag of penny sweets to share with his friends.
- pick out penny sweets
- The children were allowed to pick out ten penny sweets each.
- penny sweets from a jar
- The shopkeeper scooped penny sweets from a large glass jar.
- a mixture of penny sweets
- The party bags contained a mixture of penny sweets and small toys.
Synonyms and how they differ
- penny candy
- The American equivalent; it refers to the same type of cheap, small candies.
- sweets
- A general British word for candy; penny sweets are a specific cheap kind.
Word family
- penny sweet noun
- Singular form for one piece.
Practice
In British English, what are 'penny sweets'?
Choose one answer.
'Penny sweets' are small candies that traditionally cost a penny each. They are not coins or a dessert. The name comes from their low price.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “penny sweets”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.