Teacher Flávia Barone

Quantifiers

Quantifiers are words which show how many things or how much of something we are talking about.
They are much, many, (a) little, (a) few, a lot (of), some, any, no, none, both, all, either, neither, each,
every, (the) other(s), another.

SOME, ANY, NO, NONE, ONE

SOME
1. Affirmative sentences: There are some people waiting outside.
2. Questions when you expect the answer to be YES: Would you like some orange juice?
3. Requests: May I have some tea?
4. (=certain): Some people believe everything

ANY
1. Negative sentences: I don’t want any sugar.
2. Uncertain questions: Do you have any money on you?
3. After “if”: Buy some apples if you see any.
4. Any=it doesn’t matter who or which: Any fool knows the right answer.

NOT...ANY, NO, NONE

1. We can use no when we mean not any. We use an affirmative verb with no.
There aren’t any buses after midnight. = There are no buses after midnight.
There aren’t any plates left. = There are no plates.

2. We can also use no in place of not a/an: I’m not an expert. = I’m no expert.

3. None stands on its own as a pronoun: We have no bananas. We have none.

I’ve seen none of them = I’ve seen no one.

--- PRACTICING ---

1- Put in some, any or -
a. We can’t do without ____________ bread.
b. Buy ____________ bread and cheese for the picnic, if you want to help.
c. I’d like ____________ cookies and ____________ sweets.
d. ____________ doctor will tell you that it is harmful.
e. If you have ____________ news call me back.
f. Go and ask him for ____________ paper. I don’t have ____________ in my desk.
g. Can we have ____________ wine?
h. What material do you need? – ____________ that is available.
i. Put ____________ spices into the soup.
j. I hate ____________ bad news.
k. There aren’t ____________ buses after ten o’clock.
l. I haven’t got ____________ friends at all.
m. I can answer only ____________ questions on the subject.
n. I don’t think there is ____________ wine left in the bootle.

2- Choose the right answer.

a. Give me (any / some / no) coffee, please.
b. We have (one / some / any) rivers but have (any / some / no) lakes.
c. There is (any / some / no) taxi when you need (any / one / - )
d. When I needed help, he didn’t ask (one / some / any) questions.
e. You may have (one / some / - ) tea without milk because there isn’t (any / some / no) at home.
f. Ann is much younger than (any / - / no) other girls in her class.

3- Choose between no one and none.

a. ____________ of us is perfect; we all make mistakes.
b. That is ____________ of your business.
c. ____________ had anything to gain by his death.
d. I invited all of them but ____________ have come.
e. I looked around the room, expecting to see piles of books; ____________ were visible.
f. ____________ answered his question, silence fell in the room.
g. He could find ____________ in the village who could tell him what had gone wrong.
h. ____________ of the new men have been able to pass the test.

MUCH, MANY, (A) FEW, A LOT (OF)

“MUCH” AND “MANY”

We use much with singular uncountable nouns: much money.
We use many with plural countable nouns: many trees.

1. in negative statements:
There isn’t much space in this flat.
There aren’t many pandas in China.

2. in questions:
Is there much pollution in your city?
Are there going to be many guests at the party?

3. in formal statements:
Much money is spent for shopping. (NOTE: It’s more common to use “a lot of” in affirmative sentences
with uncountable nouns instead of “much”)
Many teachers retire early.

4. with “as…as”
Take as much as you like.
My house has as many rooms as your house.

6. not much/not many to begin a sentence:

Not many students know about this.
Not much happens around here in winter.

A LOT OF (LOTS OF)

We use a lot of with plural countable or singular uncountable nouns: a lot of books / a lot of pollution

1. in the affirmative sentences:

She spends a lot of money on clothes.
There were a lot of people in the shops.

2. If we use a quantifier on its own (not in front of a noun or pronoun) we do not use of:
Did you buy any fruit? – Yes, I bought a lot/lots.

“LITTLE/A LITTLE” AND “FEW/A FEW”

We use few and a few with plural countable nouns: a few friends, few friends.
We use little and a little with uncountable nouns: a little time, little time.

1. A little means “some but not much”, “a small quantity”:

He knows a little French.

2. A few – “a small number”

We are going away for a few days.

Compare:
I’ve got a little money (=some, but not much)
I’ve got little money (= nearly no)

I’ve got a few friends (=some, but not many)

I’ve got few friends (=nearly no)

--- PRACTICING ---

1- Complete the sentences with much/many or a lot of
a. I know old Mr. Higgins has ____________ money.
b. There aren’t ____________ portraits of Shakespeare.
c. Don’t be discouraged! ____________ have failed to run the marathon.
d. Drink as ____________ wine as you want.
e. ____________ was said about it.
f. How ____________ frames are you going to buy?
g. He is a man of ____________ words.
h. Last week there was so ____________ rain that I was not able to go out.
i. Tom drinks ____________ milk – one liter a day.
j. We didn’t take ____________ photographs when we were on holiday.
k. Did you invite ____________ guests?
l. Do you know how ____________ oil is needed to make a cake?

2- Complete the sentences with few/ a few or a little/ little

a. Hurry! We’ve got ____________ time.
b. I saw Tom ____________ days ago.
c. If what you say is true, there is ____________ we can do about it.
d. I can’t let you use much of this perfume. There’s only ____________ in the bottle.
e. This town isn’t very well-known and there isn’t much to see, so ____________ tourists come here.
f. I don’t think Jill would be a good teacher. She’s got ____________ patience with children.
g. “Would you like some more cake?’ – “Yes, please, but only ____________
h. There are very ____________ scholarships for students in this university.
i. We didn’t have any money but Ann had ____________
j. This is not the first time the car has broken down. It has happened ____________ times before.
l. There is a shortage of water because there has been very ____________ rain recently.

BOTH, ALL

“BOTH” AND “ALL”

1. We use both and both the in exactly the same way to refer to two particular people or things (plural
countable nouns): Both children /both the children are in bed.

2. We use all+noun to refer to things in general (=the whole number or amount):

All children like to play (plural countables).
All advice is useless (uncountable nouns).
3. All the refers to particular people or things:
All the children in our street like to play (=all the+ plural countable nouns)
All the advice you gave me was useless (=all the+ uncountable noun)

Three basic positions of “both” and “all” in affirmative sentences

1. After be when it is the only verb in a sentence:
The girls are both ready (=Both girls/Both the girls are ready)
The girls are all ready (=All the girls are ready)

2. After auxiliaries or the first auxiliary when there is more than one:
The boys can both speak French (=Both boys/Both the boys can speak French)
The directors should all have agreed (=All the director should have agreed)

3. Before the main verb when there is only one verb:

The girls both left early (=Both girls/Both the girls left early)
The girls all left early (=All the girls left early)

We/you/they both = both of us/you/them

We/you/they both ready = both of us/you/them are ready

We/they all = All of us/them

We/they all left early = All of us/them left early

Us both/all = to both/all of us
He gave us both/all some money = He gave some money to both/all of us

In negative sentences:
Both → neither
Both the girls left early = Neither of the girls left early
All → none
All the girls left early = None of the girls left early

--- PRACTICING ---

1- Complete with both (the) or all (the).
a. ____________ tires on my bicycle are flat.
b. ____________ people are mortal.
c. ____________ salt in this bag is wet.
d. ____________ drinking water must be pure.
e. ____________ windows in the house are open.
f. ____________ addresses in this list are outdated.
g. ____________ twins want to go to the party.
h. ____________ front legs of this chair are scratched.
i. ____________ earth and moon go round the sun.

EACH, EVERY

“EACH” AND “EVERY”

1. We often use each and every to refer to two people or things. Each suggests ‘one by one’,
‘separately’; every suggests ‘all together and it’s always used in the singular.
My wife and I each ordered guacamole to start with.
Each child at the party had a piece of cake (Every is possible)
Every child in the world loves ice-cream
2. We must use every after nearly and after not:
Nearly every shop is shut today.
Not every child likes clowns.

3. We cannot use of after every and we cannot use every at the end of a sentence:
Each of the child received a present. They received a present each.
Every child received a present. (the only possibility)

--- PRACTICING ---

1 – Choose every or each to complete the sentence (sometimes both are possible).
a. Nearly ____________ home in the country has television.
b. Here is something for ____________ of you.
c. Not ____________ student is capable of learning that.
d. The admission ticket cost us $5 ____________
e. They seem to be repairing ____________ road in the country.
f. ____________ road is clearly renewed.
g. There’s a fire extinguisher on ____________ floor of the building.
h. ____________ floor in the building has its own fire extinguisher.

2- Choose between every, both and each.

a. ____________ day he comes here, and ____________ time he asks me the same question.
b. There was a huge building on ____________ side of the square, ____________ having a massive
arched gate.
c. He shook hands and had a few minutes’ talk with ____________ of us.
d. I see him____________ day.
e. ____________ his legs were broken in the accident.
f. I’ve called him twice, but he’s been out on ____________ occasions.
g. Not ____________ train driver is on strike today.
h. By that time____________ his sisters had got married.
i. She had brown shining hair which hung down on ____________ sides of her face.

ANOTHER, (THE) OTHER(S), EITHER, NEITHER

ANOTHER, (THE) OTHER(S)

1. Another can mean:

-'different': Come another day. (= any other day, no particular day)
-'additional': We need another day to finish this. (= one more day, no particular day)

2. We can contrast some and other(s) when we talk about things in general:
Some holidays are cheap and other holidays are expensive.
Some holidays are cheap and others are expensive. (= holidays in general)

3. We can contrast one with the other or the others when referring to particular things:
This one is mine and the other one is yours. (Or:... the other is yours)
This one is mine and the other ones are yours. (Or:... the others are yours)

4. We can use the other(s) to refer to people as well:

John went cycling and the other boy/the other boys went with him.
John went cycling and the others went with him.

5. The other day can mean 'a few days ago':

I met your father in the street the other day. (= a few days ago)

EITHER, NEITHER

Either and neither refer to two people, things, etc. only.

Either means 'one or the other':
Which pot will I use? - Either (of them). It doesn't matter which.

Neither means 'not one and not the other':

Which pot will I use? - Neither (of them). Use this frying pan.

--- PRACTICING ---

1- Supply another, other, the next, the other, the others, others, either or neither.
a. John came to see me ____________ day. It was last Friday, I think.
b. You can't use those screwdrivers____________ of them is suitable for the job.
c. I met two strangers on the way to work. One of them greeted me and ____________ didn’t.
d. Some people like to have the windows open all the time; ____________ don't.
e. I met John a year ago, but I've ____________ seen him nor heard from him since.
f. Say what you like about those two applicants. I didn't like ____________ of them!
g. I can't see him today. I'll have to see him ____________ day.
h. I don't know who's on the phone. It's ____________ your mother or your aunt.
i. We spent the night in a small village and continued our journey ____________ day.
j. What time should we meet: at 7 or at 7.30? - I don't mind ____________ time is convenient.
k. Bill and ____________ boy are playing in the yard. Jane and ____________ girls are in the front
room.
l. There must be ____________ road that leads downtown.
m. I know you sent us two letters, but we have received ____________ of them.
n. I can't lend you any of these plants, but you can have all ____________

2- Choose between another, (the) other, (the) others.

a. The house on ____________ side of the river was built last month.
b. The shoes do not fit me. Could you bring me ____________ pair?
c. Why are you alone? Where are ____________?
d. Without any ____________ word he left the room.
e. They haven’t met for twenty years; neither of them has ever seen even a photo of ____________
f. Would you like ____________ cup of tea?
g. I met him at the club ____________ night.

ALL, (A/THE) WHOLE

ALL (THE) COMPARED WITH (A/THE) WHOLE

1. We use the whole and a whole with singular countable nouns:

Не ate the whole loaf. He swallowed a whole banana. The whole film was boring.
We do not use the whole with plurals or uncountable nouns. (Not 'the whole books/bread)

2. Some nouns combine only with all:

He spent all the money. She's 90 and she’s still got all her teeth.
Some nouns combine only with whole:
You must tell me the whole truth. I'd like to know the whole history of the whole
Some nouns combine with all or whole:
I've waited all my life/ту whole life for such a moment like this.
3. We also use all and a/the whole with time references: all day, a/the whole night
Whole is stronger than all and also combines with words like hour and century
a/the whole hour, a/the whole century.

All compared with everyone/everybody and everything

1. We rarely use all on its own to mean 'everyone/everybody':
Everyone/Everybody wanted Marilyn's autograph. (Not *AII wanted*).

2. All means 'everyone/everybody' when we use other words with it:

All of us/We all agreed to sign the contract. All those who were present were in favor.
(= Everyone/Everybody agreed to sign. Everyone/Everybody present was in favor)

3. We often use all and everything with other words to refer to things:
All/Everything I have belongs to you. He taught me all/everything I know.

--- PRACTICING ---

1 – Rewrite these sentences using either all or whole.

a. I'm losing my hair
_____________________________________________________________________________________
b. He explained the situation to me.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
c. The money was spent.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
d. You didn't tell me the truth.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
e. I heard the story.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
f. It will take a century to clean up the atmosphere
_____________________________________________________________________________________

2 – Use all, everyone or everything in these sentences.

a. When the famous actress appeared ____________ wanted to speak to her
b. ____________ I invited came to my party.
c. I'm not buying anything, ____________ is too expensive.
d. ____________ those who know me can be sure I'm telling the truth.
e. ____________ of us felt that it had been a wonderful experience.
f. ____________ stood up when the President came into the room.
g. ____________ talked about the elections, but I'm not sure they ____________ voted.
h. ____________ in the building was destroyed in the fire. Some of the objects were priceless.
i. I wouldn't help you for ____________ the tea in China!
j. How much do you want for ____________ in the store?