Piece vs We have one particle left

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Piece

Top 1,000 (very common)A1noun

We have one particle left

Top 5,000 (fairly common)
Most common: Piece
 PieceWe have one particle left
Pronunciation🇬🇧 /["/piːs/"]/🇺🇸 /["/piːs/"]/🇬🇧 //wiː hæv wʌn ˈpɑːtɪkl lɛft//🇺🇸 //wi hæv wʌn ˈpɑrtɪkl lɛft//
MeaningA part of something larger.We have one small piece left.
ExampleCan I have a piece of cake, please?After the experiment, we have one particle left to analyze.
RegisterNeutralNeutral
How commonTop 1,000 (very common)Top 5,000 (fairly common)
CEFR levelA1-
Part of speechnoun
Collocationsbig, 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 piecesleft particle, remaining particle, small particle, single particle, last particle
Antonymswhole, complete, entire-
Common mistakesConfused with 'peace'., Used 'pieces' when referring to uncountable nouns incorrectly., Misused as a verb; it is primarily a noun.Confusing 'particle' with 'participle'., Using 'particles' when referring to just one., Overcomplicating the phrase with unnecessary adjectives.
Usage notesUse 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.This phrase is commonly used to refer to a remaining item. It is neutral and can be used in both casual and formal contexts, though it's more frequent in informal conversations. It may not be used in scientific discussions where precision is required.

See it in real clips

Piece
We have one particle left

Frequently asked questions: Piece vs We have one particle left

What's the difference between Piece and We have one particle left?

Piece: A part of something larger. We have one particle left: We have one small piece left.

Which is more common: Piece and We have one particle left?

Piece is the most common in everyday English.

Can you show an example of each?

Piece: Can I have a piece of cake, please? We have one particle left: After the experiment, we have one particle left to analyze.

Can I use Piece and We have one particle left interchangeably?

Not always. Piece and We have one particle left 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.