X of Y
This question started with my new web project. I was testing some changes with the Zen-Lib Editor by trying to create a new one. In the process I needed to describe a type of word and discovered I don’t know the name of this grouping of word. I’m hoping someone here will be able to answer my question.
There is a family of nouns, let’s call the family ‘Y,’ that can not be used in the phrase “a/an Y.” For example, you can’t say “a bread,” “a gold,” or “a geese.” So, to refer to these nouns there’s another family of nouns, let’s call the family ‘X,’ that can be used in the phrase “a/an X of Y.” For example, “a loaf of bread,” “an ingot of gold,” or “a flock of geese.” So, what do you call X and Y?
