3 ESO UNIT 1 GRAMMAR QUANTIFIERS

A GUIDE TO USING QUANTIFIERS IN ENGLISH

Definition: Quantifiers are words which refer to imprecise quantity. They modify nouns or
pronouns. They differ from numbers or numerals which indicate precise quantity. The most
common quantifiers used in English are: some/any, much, many, a lot, a few, several, enough.

There are three main types of quantifier: those which refer to LARGE QUANTITY; to SMALL
QUANTITY; and to NEUTRAL QUANTITY (some, any, etc.)

1. LARGE QUANTITY QUANTIFIERS: much, many, lots of, plenty of, numerous, a large number of,
etc.

Much and many:

MUCH is used with non-count nouns (always in the singular); MANY is used with count nouns in
the plural.

IMPORTANT NOTE: in modern spoken English, MUCH, and to a lesser extent MANY, are not often
used as quantifiers in affirmative statements; but they are very commonly used in interrogative
and negative contexts.

Examples:
I have many reasons for thinking that this man is innocent is acceptable English, but rather
formal; most English speakers would more naturally say: I have plenty of / a lot of / ample
reasons for thinking .....

Much whisky is of very good quality. This sentence is technically acceptable, but not probable in
modern spoken English. Most people would say (and write): A lot of whisky / A good proportion
of whisky / Plenty of whisky ......

Remember: do not use much or many in affirmative statements, if you can avoid it. Though
their use may be possible, it often sounds very formal, old-fashioned or strange in modern
English. On the other hand, much of / many of are sometimes used in affirmative contexts;
and so much / so many and too much / too many are quite acceptable.

Examples:
He has much money is not normal English. Speakers would more naturally say: He has a lot of
money / He has loads of money.

Much of what you have written is very good. The expression "much of" is acceptable in the
affirmative; but except in a formal context, most English-speakers would say (and write)
something like : A lot of what you have written...... A good deal of what you have written.....

With so and too: There is so much poverty in the world - There are too many people in here

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 Lots of, a lot of, plenty of, a large number of, numerous

These expressions are all more or less synonymous. In the list above, they are arranged in order of
formality, going from the most informal (lots of) to the most formal (numerous). Informal
language is more appropriate in dialogue, formal language in written documents.

Much / many or much of / many of ?

As quantifiers, much and many are not followed by of when they quantify a noun directly.
However, they must be followed by of if they come before a determiner such as an article, a
possessive or a demonstrative. The same principle applies to few / few of (see below), some /
some of, etc..

Examples:
I can see many people. I can't see many of my friends.
Many houses were destroyed in the war. Many of the houses in the city were destroyed in the
war.
They didn't drink much beer. They didn't drink much of that beer we gave them.

Several and a number of

These imply "more than one, but less than a lot". They are not usually used in negative or
interrogative structures, only in affirmative statements. For example

There are several books / a number of books by J.K.Rowling in our library.

Several people / A number of people said that they had seen the missing child.

Quantifiers of relative quantity: There are a couple of common quantifiers that express relative or
proportional quantity.

Most / most of

These imply more than half of, a majority of, or almost all. They do not mean the same as many /
many of.

Most students will pass their exam.

The man lost most of his money at the casino.

Enough

Enough implies a sufficient quantity; it is used in affirmations, negations and questions.

We can get tickets for the concert; I've got enough money now. Have you got enough money for
the tickets? No, I haven't got enough.

NOTE: do not confuse enough as a quantifier adjective preceding a noun, with enough as an
intensifier following an adjective, as in: That's good enough for me.

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2. SMALL QUANTITY QUANTIFIERS: Few, a few, little, a little, not many, not much, a small number
of, etc. These quantifiers are normally only used in affirmative statements.

Little, a little, not much are used with non-count nouns (always in the singular)
Few, a few, not many are used with count nouns in the plural.

Examples:
Few people can speak more than three languages
A few (of the) paintings in this gallery are really good.
There's little point in trying to mend it. You'll never succeed!
I've got a little money left; let's go and have a drink.

3. NEUTRAL QUANTIFIERS: Some and any, several, a number of, each, every, etc.
Some / any

3.1. Some and any are both quantifiers and articles. In many contexts, some is the plural
indefinite article "a" or "an"; but more often, some implies a limited quantity, and for this
reason it can also be a quantifier.

Some is used in affirmative statements; it is replaced with any in negative and interrogative
contexts. Both are used with count nouns in the plural or non count nouns.

Examples:

I've got some apples in my basket and some water in my bottle.

I haven't got any apples in my basket or any water in my bottle.
Have you got any apples in your basket? Have you got any water in your bottle?
We had some visitors last month, but we didn't have any this month.
Have you got any rooms free for the night of May 30th?

3.2. Special cases

Some and any used in the subject of an affirmative statement....

With a singular subject, some implies a non determined or non-specified entity; any implies a
singular but potentially plural entity (examples 5 - 8 below).

Used with count nouns in the plural, some just has the function of a plural indefinite
article. Any used with a plural subject has the meaning of all.... if there are any.

Examples:

1. Some child has left his coat on the bus.

2. Some help would be appreciated. (= Will someone please help me.)

3. Some famous politician once said, "To vote or not to vote?"

4. Even with the best insulation, some heat always escapes.

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5. Any help would be appreciated
(= If someone actually helped me, that would be good)

6. Any accident at high speed can be fatal.

7. Almost any child will say yes if you offer an ice-cream

8. Any educated person knows who Shakespeare was.

3.3. Any or no

In a negative statement in English, negation is normally expressed through the verb; negation can
however be expressed by adding a negative value to the subject or the direct object of the
sentence. Whenever negation is expressed in a noun phrase, the verbal negative particle not is
replaced by the negative quantifier no.

Examples:

There aren't any children in the road.

= There are no children in the road.
You mustn't bring any maps with you on the expedition.
= You must bring no maps with you on the expedition
I'm not going to visit any castles in Scotland.
= Im going to visit no castles in Scotland.

3.4. Compound forms of some, any and no

Some any and no can be compounded with other words; the most common compounds are:
someone, anyone, no one/something, anything, nothing/somewhere, anywhere, nowhere

Exactly the same principles apply to these compounds, as apply to some, any or no.

Examples:
Affirmation: There is something in the cupboard.

Negation: There isn't anything in the cupboard. There's nothing in the cupboard

Interrogation: Is there anything in the cupboard?

3.5. Some in an interrogative sentence

In certain interrogative sentences, some may be able to replace any.

When some is used instead of any, the speaker is predicting that the coming answer will
be affirmative; if the same question were asked using any, the speaker would not be predicting
any specific reply.

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Examples:

Is there someone in the room? (= I think there is someone here; am I right?)

Is there anyone in the room? (= I don't know if anyone is here; can someone tell me?)
Would you like some tea? (An affirmative answer is expected).

3.6. Some of, any of, none of

When some, any or none (but never no) are followed by the word of, the following noun must
be introduced by an article or other determiner; a following pronoun will not of course need a
determiner.

Examples:

Some of the children are eating sweets

= Some children are eating sweets.
Are any of the children eating sweets?
= Are any children eating sweets?
None of the actors like working in this theatre.
= No actors like working in this theatre.
I can answer some of the questions; he can't answer any of them.

ONE CANNOT SAY: Some of children... None of animals ... etc.

For notes on EACH and EVERY: http://linguapress.com/grammar/points/each-every.htm

SOURCE: http://linguapress.com/grammar/quantifiers.htm

Complete the following exercise with correct quantifiers.

1. We are going to be late. There is too (much / many) traffic. Yeah, the (amount / number) of
people driving is incredible. I've never seen this (much / many) cars.

2. Can you bring soda to the picnic? I don't have (some / any). Yeah, I think I've got (some / any)
left over from the party.

3. How do you feel about your new job? Do you have as (much / many) responsibilities as you
used to? The job is great. I have about the same (amount / number) of work to do as before, but I
have (less / fewer) stress and (less / fewer) problems.

4. How do you think you did on the test? I think I did (little / a little) better than last time, maybe
even (a lot / many) better. What about you? Well, I think I probably made (few / a few) mistakes,
but I have the feeling I did well overall.

5. Mr. President, do you think (much / many) of your proposed legislation will be passed by
Congress during this session? Yes I think (a great deal / a great many) of our proposals will be
approved. We're not taking (nothing / anything) for granted, though. We still have (a great deal of
/ a great many) work to do. The polls say that there's (little / a little) support nationwide for your
military program. Isn't that going to hurt you? Not in the long run, no. (Few / A few) of the voters
actually support the military system the way it is now. I think we will be successful.

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The following multiple-choice exercise on quantifiers has a large number of difficult questions.
Choose the appropriate options to complete the sentences.

1. Today, ---- people who enjoy winter sports is much greater than that of twenty years ago.

A) a number of
B) many
C) a great deal of
D) the number of
E) several

2. According to the studies, dolphins, whales and ---- other sea creatures use highly sophisticated
navigation systems.

A) any
B) a little
C) many
D) much
E) each

3. The dietary habits of a child often have ---- to do with that child's eating habits as an adult.

A) little
B) whole
C) every
D) a great amount
E) most

4. In the United States of America, there are literacy classes for workers, ---- of whom never
graduated from high school.

A) a little
B) much
C) any
D) many
E) a good deal

5. In the first ---- months of life, an infant learns how to lift its head, how to smile and how to
recognize its parents.

A) many
B) a lot of
C) any
D) the number of
E) few

6. Serving ---- terms in Congress, Shirley Chisholm became an important United States politician.

A) plenty
B) several
C) a lot
D) much
E) whole

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7. Although the language learning abilities of apes have surprised ---- scientists, they generally
agree that apes do not progress beyond ---- linguistic abilities of a two-year-old child.

A) few / a
B) a little / the
C) many / the
D) each / a
E) much / the

8. The storm continued for ---- of the days when we were in New Orleans, but fortunately there
wasn't ---- damage in the city.

A) a few / many
B) several / a lot
C) all / a little
D) most / much
E) some / few

9. Heavy fines and jail sentences have unfortunately made ---- difference in preventing elephant
poaching for their tusks.

A) the number of
B) a few
C) little
D) many
E) none

10. Although ---- species of fox are reddish in colour, ---- Arctic fox is often pure white.

A) a great amount of / an
B) any / the
C) plenty / the
D) all / an
E) most / the