Meaning & use
raw materials
Last updated
Meaning
nounplural
Basic substances that have not been processed and are used to make products.
Grammar: Used as a plural noun; it takes a plural verb: Raw materials are expensive.
Patterns
- raw materials for something
- raw materials from something
- a supply of raw materials
The factory imports raw materials from South America.
Steel is made from raw materials like iron ore and coal.
Rising costs of raw materials have pushed up prices.
Common combinations
- raw materials for
- Wood is a raw material for making paper.
- source of raw materials
- The region is a major source of raw materials.
- raw material costs
- Raw material costs have doubled this year.
- extract raw materials
- They extract raw materials from the ground.
Synonyms and how they differ
- commodities
- Commodities are raw materials that can be bought and sold, especially in large quantities; raw materials is a more general term.
- resources
- Resources can include raw materials but also things like labor or money; raw materials specifically refers to physical substances.
Word family
- raw material noun
- Singular form, used when talking about one substance.
Commonly confused: raw materials or material?
raw materials vs material
Material can mean cloth or fabric, or information; raw materials are specifically unprocessed substances used in manufacturing.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'raw materials' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Raw materials is a plural noun and takes a plural verb; it refers to basic substances used to make things, not to a person or a finished product.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “raw materials”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.