UNIT
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Quantifiers
Quantifiers are words that we use to determine the amount of something or a number of things expressed by a noun. Some quantifiers can only go with countable nouns (books, children, apples), whereas other quantifiers are only used with uncountable nouns (milk, strength, money). There is also a third group which can be used with both types of noun.
Scarcity or a small quantity
• no / not any + plural countable and uncountable • none of + plural countable and uncountable ( = not any) • hardly any + plural countable and uncountable ( = almost no / none) • very few / just a few + plural countable (= hardly any) • few + plural countable (= not many) • too few + plural countable • very little / just a little + uncountable (hardly any) • little + uncountable (= not much) • just a bit (of) + uncountable (more colloquial) • too little + countable I have no free time this week. OR: I don’t have any free time this week. None of my friends is coming to Brussels with me. (= no friends) There are very few things I care about. OR: there are just a few things I care about. Few people can speak Gaelic. (OR: not many people can speak Gaelic) There’s just a little time left. (OR: There is hardly any time left) I’ve got too little patience. (OR: I haven’t got enough patience) We need just a bit of luck.
An unknown quantity
A large quantity
• some (in affirmative sentences and with offers and requests) / any (in questions) + plural countable and uncountable • a few + plural countable • a number of / several + plural countable • a little + uncountable • enough + plural countable and uncountable (a sufficient quantity) We need some eggs and some flour. OR: We need a few eggs and a little flour) There are a number of reasons for this. OR: There are several reasons for this. Put a little salt in the soup. OR: Put some salt in the soup. You don’t eat enough vegetables. / I don’t want to buy more coffee: I have enough. • a lot of / lots of / plenty of / loads of (colloquial) + plural countable and uncountable • many + plural countable (mostly in negative and interrogative sentences) • too many + plural countable (= more than many) • most + plural countable and uncountable (= the majority of) • most of is used when it is followed by a pronoun, possessive, demonstrative, etc • a great deal of + uncountable (= a lot of) • much + uncountable (only in negative and interrogative sentences) • too much + uncountable (= more than much) Now that I’m retired I have plenty of free time. Most people like chocolate. / Most of my relatives live in Taiwan. You need a great deal of patience to be a teacher. I don’t drink much water, because I’m never thirsty. (OR: I drink little water...)
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