6.1 Expressing quantity
Quantifiers
| With count nouns only | With uncount nouns only | With singular count nouns only | With both |
|---|
| (not) many biscuits | (not) much luck | each boy | some money |
| a few cars | a little cheese | every time | some eggs |
| very few trees | very little | | (not) any water |
| fewer books | experience less time | | (not) any friends |
| several answers | | | more/most wine |
| | | more/most people |
| | both parents | enough food / enough apples |
Most of the quantifiers can be used without a noun. No, all, every, and each cannot.
Have you got any money? — Not much/a little/enough. Are there any eggs? — A few/not many.Most of the quantifiers can be used with of + the/my/those, etc. + noun. No and every cannot.
They took all of my money. Take a few of these tablets.Some of the people at the party started dancing. Were any of my friends at the party?some, any, somebody, anything
- The basic rule is that some and its compounds are used in affirmative sentences, and any and its compounds in negatives and questions.
- Some and its compounds are used in requests or invitations, or when we expect the answer 'yes': Have you got some money you could lend me?
- Any and its compounds are used in affirmative sentences that have a negative meaning: He never has any money.
- Any and its compounds are used to express 'It doesn't matter which/who/where': Take any book you like.
nobody, no one, nowhere, nothing
These are more emphatic forms. They can be used at the beginning of sentences.
No one was saved. Nobody understands me. Nowhere is safe any more.much and many
- Much and many are usually used in questions and negatives: How much does it cost? I don't have much money.
- We often find much and many in affirmative sentences after so, as, too, and and.
a lot of / lots of / a great deal of / a large number of / plenty of
- In affirmative sentences: There'll be plenty of food/people. We've got lots of time/friends. I lost a lot of my furniture/things.
- Written/more formal: A great deal of money was lost during the strike. A large number of strikes are caused by bad management.
- These forms are found without nouns: 'Have you got enough socks?' 'Lots.' 'How many people were there?' 'A lot.'
little / few / less / fewer
- A little and a few express a small amount or number in a positive way: Can you lend me a little sugar? A few friends are coming round tonight.
- Little and few express a small amount in a negative way — there is not enough: Very few people passed the exam. There's very little milk left.
- Fewer is the comparative of few; less is the comparative of little: Fewer people go to church these days. I spend less and less time doing what I want to do.
all
- We do not usually use all to mean everybody/everyone/everything.
- But if all is followed by a relative clause, it can mean everything: All (that) I want is a place to sleep.
- This structure can express ideas such as 'nothing more' or 'only this': All I want is a place to sleep. All I had was a couple of beers.
- Before a noun with a determiner (the, my, this) both all and all of are possible: You eat all (of) the time.
- Before a noun with no determiner, we use all: All people are born equal.
- With personal pronouns, we use all of: All of you passed. Well done!