Quantifiers (1)

Quantifiers are words
that are used to
state quantity or
amount of something
without stating the
exact
number.

Quantifiers must agree with the
noun. There are 3 main types of
quantifiers. Quantifiers that are
used with countable nouns,
quantifiers that are used with
uncountable nouns. and the 3rd
type are quantifiers that are
used with either countable nouns
or uncountable nouns.

Countable Nouns
many I don't have many apples.
few* We know few
people in the area.
I would like to get to know
more.
a few** We know a few people in the
area. I know enough people to
keep me happy.

*few – Has a negative meaning,
means there is not enough of
something.
Eg.: Few people are able to talk about this
subject.
** a few - more positive meaning,
means that there is not a lot of
something, but there is enough.
Eg.: His ideas were a bit complex but a few
people were able to understand them.

Uncountable Nouns
Much I don't have much
money.
little* I know little
English. I am
going to have a problem
getting around England.
a little** I know a little English,
at least enough to
get to England.

• a little - more positive meaning,
means that there is not a lot of
something, but there is enough
• Eg.: I usually have coffee with a little milk.
• Little has a negative meaning,
suggesting not as much/ not enough
• Eg.: Little information was given on the
case.

With Countable and
Uncountable Nouns
Plenty of - It’s rather informal . It’s similar in
meaning to enough or more.
Eg.:
I have plenty of money./ We have plenty of
cookies
A lot of / Lots of - They are quite informal and
more used in affirmative sentences.
Eg.:
I have a lot of money./ We have a lot of
cookies. I have lots of money. / We have
lots of cookies.

• A large amount of, a great deal of, a
large number of
• They are used in the same way as a lot of
and lots of but they are more formal.
• Eg.: All I know is that a lot of time is going
to be needed.
• All I know is that a great deal of time is
going to be needed.
With Countable and
Uncountable Nouns

Graded Quantifiers
They are like comparatives and hold a
relative position on a scale of increase
or decrease.
INCREASE (0% to 100%)INCREASE (0% to 100%)
With plural countable nouns
many more most
With uncountable nouns
much more most

· There are manymany people in
Uruguay, moremore in Brazil, but thethe
mostmost people live in China.
MuchMuch time and money is spent
on education, moremore on health
services but the mostthe most is spent
on national defense.

DECREASE (100% to 0%)DECREASE (100% to 0%)
With plural countable nouns
fewfew fewer fewestfewer fewest
With uncountable nouns
little less leastlittle less least

· Few rivers in the world aren’t polluted.
Fewer people die young now than in the nineteenth
century.
The country with the fewest people per square
kilometer must be Australia.
Scientists have littlelittle hope of finding a complete
cure for cancer before 2020.
She had less time to study than I did but had
better results.
Give that dog the least opportunity and it will
bite you.

When to use some and
any?
Some and any are used to
state the quantity, amount
of something. When using
some or any the exact
number is not stated.

Some and any can be used when:
The exact number is not known.
The exact number is not
important or relevant.
Some and any are used with
countable nouns and
uncountable nouns

Any
Any is used with:
Negative sentences
When asking a question.
Any is used when a sentence is grammatically
positive, but the meaning of the sentence is
negative.
Do you have any ice cream left?
I don't have any money today. I am getting
paid on Friday.
My brother never does any thing good.

SomeSome
Some is used with:
Positive sentences. When asking a
question, if the answer is expected to
be positive or not relevant or you are
offering something.
The children have some free time.
Please buy some bananas.
Can I have a glass of tea?
Would you like some cake?

Compound nouns with some-
and any- are used in the same
way as some and any.
Positive statements:
“Someone is sleeping in my bed.”
“He saw something in the garden.”
“I left my glasses somewhere in the house.”

Questions:
“Are you looking for someone?” (= I'm
sure you are)
“Have you lost something?” (= I'm sure
you have)
“Is there anything to eat?” (a real
question)
“Did you go anywhere last night?”

Negative statements:
“She didn't go anywhere last
night.”
“He doesn't know anybody here.”

There is a difference in
emphasis between nothing,
nobody etc. and not ...
anything, not ... anybody:
“I don't know anything about it.”
(= neutral, no emphasis)
“I know nothing about it.” (=
more emphatic, maybe
defensive)

“ Is there anybody who speaks
English here?”
“There is nobody in the house at
the moment.”
“Does anybody have the time?”
“When I arrived there was nobody
to meet me.”

ANY can also be used in
positive statements to mean
'no matter which', 'no matter
who', 'no matter what':
“You can borrow any of my books.”
“They can choose anything from the menu.”
“You may invite anybody to dinner, I don't
mind who comes.”

fill in the gaps with one of the
following determiners: Some,
Any
1) Ann has _________candies.
2) Bill doesn't have _________money.
3) Sue will give us
_________information.
4) There is _____________ milk in the
fridge.
5) There isn't ________________beer.

much, many, lots of, a lot of,
little, most, a little, little, a
few, few
1. It seems to me that we've had
__________assignments in English this term.
2. How _____________material can we be expected
to read in one week?
3. ______________books are not in the library.
4. I've had ____________headaches already because
of stress.
5. _______________depression can be attributed to
being overworked.

Quantifiers (1)

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