Usage avec les quantités

Question

Bonjour! Thank you for this great lesson and video about using "en!" I have a question about whether or not it's acceptable to repeat the noun when it's in a quantity phrase. To illustrate, for the sentence Elle apporte une bouteille de vin, which one of these is correct, or are both acceptable: Elle en apporte une bouteille. / Elle en apporte une.  I have a similar question with the phrase "des tranches de." My guess is that since "des" is a partitive, the noun "tranches" wouldn't follow the verb because "en" replaces the whole "des" phrase, but I'm not 100% sure. So Il mange des tranches de gateaux would become "Il en mange" and not "Il en mange des tranches"? Or are both acceptable?

Accepted Answer

Hi Euletha,
In answer to your first query -
Elle apporte une bouteille de vin?   Oui, elle en apporte une  ( the en replacing une bouteille) 
in your second query -
Il mange des tranches de gâteaux? 
you would say,
 Oui, il en mange des tranches ( en replacing  'de gâteau')
The occasions when you would use an additional quantity value would be to emphasise the amount.
e.g
Pierre aime le chocolat ? Oui il en mange des tonnes!  ( en= of it)
Vous avez des timbres chez vous?  Oui, j'en ai des carnets!  (en=of them)
Tu mange de la purée? Oui, j'en mange des kilos  ( en=of it)
etc.
There is a sister Kwiziq lesson on en and quantities which you might find useful too -
https://french.kwiziq.com/revision/grammar/the-adverbial-pronoun-en-means-of-them-with-quantities
Hope this helps!

Answer

It is certainly grammatically correct to repeat the quantity/unit again. Seems a bit superfluous, though. Maybe even like there would be another possibility to take, e.g., one flask but you took one bottle.

Il en mange. -- He eats from it.
Il en mange des tranches. -- He eats slices from it.

Again, it's fine to repeat "des tranches" but it does shift the emphasis a bit.

The opinion of a native speaker would be appreciated.

Answer

Bonjour Madame Cécile !I went through your answer and learnt a new concept that one would use an additional quantity value to emphasise the amount.Now, if provided with a sentence->Voulez-vous boire une tasse de thé?-                    Oui, je veux en boire une. (Here, en replaces une tasse).This implies that I want to drink one cup of tea.But if one says- Oui, je veux en boire une tasse.(en replacing de thé). On what is the emphasis being made and how ?Merci Madame et je vous souhaite une bonne journée!

Answer

Hi Shrey,
You would say -
Oui, j'aimerais en boire une ( tasse)