Practice with Quantifiers
from Columbus and Myth in America (University of Virginia, Spring 1996)

articles overview | NUMBERS | QUANTIFIERS

1. Look at how numbers are used with nouns in the Columbus article.

2. Are numbers the only way to indicate quantity? (What about noncount nouns, for example?) Can you add these phrases from the Columbus article to the chart below? HINT: identify the definite nouns)

four centuries
all positive symbolic meaning  
all the human virtues
each generation 		every nation
little importance
even more reason
most American icons   		most of the 19th century
most people
a number of areas

DEFINITE
  count singular/noncount count plural
number IN FRONT OF
definite noun phrase
number INSIDE
definite noun phrase

INDEFINITE
count singular/noncount count plural

This is what your lists from Columbus and Myth in America should look like:

DEFINITE
  count singular/noncount count plural
number IN FRONT OF
definite noun phrase
most of
| the 19th century
one of
seven of
all
| his contemporaries
| the inhabitants
| the human virtues

INDEFINITE
count singular/noncount count plural
one
each
every
all
little
even more
| man
| generation
| nation
| positive .. meaning
| importance
| reason
two
a dozen
more than 400
most
most
a number of
| other officials
| Indians
| years
| American icons
| people
| key areas

Now study the quantifier overview chart, and then choose another article or articles to look through for additional quantifiers, and compare them.

2 suggestions: (A new window will open with these documents. Adjust the size so you can see both, and move back and forth between them.)

NOW TRY THIS
(Another article about Columbus, with lots of quantifiers for you to study)

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Ann Salzmann
Intensive English Institute
University of Illinois