QUANTIFIERS (how much? how many?)
QUANTIFIERS - (how many? how much?)

DISCOVERY
(definite/indefinite nouns) * NUMBERS
PRACTICE: Columbus | Washington ] summer texts
(A new window will open for these documents. Adjust the size so you can see both windows, and move back and forth between them.)
problems with quantifiers and subject/verb agreement

WHAT NOUNS follow WHAT QUANTIFIERS? * WHAT ABOUT OF? * GENERAL NOTES

I have _____ books/money.
___ books/money are/is important.
or pronouns: _____ are/is important.

count nouns only
(whole units)
  (no a) + sing.noun             + pl. noun
count or
noncount nouns
noncount nouns
only (or part of 1 )
  

each
every

both

all

  

100%
   

most

  

almost 100%
   

more

  

a larger number/
amount
 

many
a number of
hundreds of

a lot/lots of
plenty of
_____s of

much
a great deal of

a large number/
amount

1

78, 3,782, etc.
a dozen (3 dozen)

__% of
2/3 of

  

a specific
number/amount
   

some / any

  

(not 0)
 

fewer

  

less

a smaller number/
amount
 

several

    

about 3+?
 

a few
(only a / very) few
(not many)

  

a little
(only a / very) little

a small
number (3?) /
amount
 

a couple (of)

    

about 2

neither
(not either)
[no]

no
(pronoun: none)
(not any)

  


0

CAUTION:
Some of these words have other meanings, as well. They are only quantifiers if they answer the question "How much ..? or How many...?.
For example, these are NOT quantifiers:
  • Some and any can be used to show uncertainly or lack of specificity:
      Some man came to my door. (I didn't know him.)
      Any book is OK. (I don't care which)
  • Both, either, and neither can be part of correlative conjunctions:
      Both my book and my folder were stolen.
      Neither my car nor my bicycle is new.         |(2 different things)
      Either my mother or my father will pick me up.
  • More, and most can be part comparative or superlative expressions:
      He's more intelligent than Clara.
      That's the most interesting book I've ever read.
  • Little can be an adjective:
      A little book shouldn't cost so much! (a small book)
    • ALMOST is NOT a quantifier!!
    It is an adverb, meaning "not quite / close, but not .."
    (so it is not usually followed directly by a noun)
        I almost fell.               Almost all birds can fly.
        He's almost 10.           I have almost 100 CDs.
        I almost never lie.       He's almost an adult.
        I'm almost done.         We're almost there.
    The "rules" above apply when the meaning involves QUANTITY (to show "how many" or "how much").
    They do not necessarily apply when these words are used in other ways.

    of?

    A. Before INDEFINITE nouns: In general, NO of. See the chart for exceptions:
    a lot of
    lots of     		a number of
    a great deal of     		hundreds of
    a couple (of)     		plenty of
    (plus informal expressions like "tons of"

    B Before DEFINITE nouns and pronouns: In general, add of (in front of the determiner):

  • after all, both, and half, of is optional
  • before a definite noun, use none of instead of no
    and every one of instead of every.
    • C. Quantifiers can be PRONOUNS: Omit the of if there is not a noun after the quantifier:

    Q + noun
    Q + pronoun
    Q
    indefinite
    definite
    add of
    omit of
    some people some of those people some of them some
    a lot of books a lot of Bill's books a lot of them a lot
    a little money a little of the money a little of it a little
    a couple (of) cars a couple of my cars a couple of them a couple

    Return to the quantifiers page
    Return to the class homepage
    Go to the IEI Home Page

    Ann Salzmann
    Intensive English Institute
    University of Illinois