QUANTIFIERS (how much? how many?)

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

NOTES about specific quantifiers

(a) few / (a) little * quantifiers with singular count nouns * all/both/each

What nouns follow what quantifiers? * What about of? * general notes
(definite/indefinite nouns) * problems with quantifiers and subject/verb agreement

(A) FEW / (A) LITTLE

more than "normal" or expected a lot of
quite a few a lot of
quite a little

(no expectation -- "some," not "many") a few a little

less than "normal" or expected only a few
just a few
very few
few
not many only a little
just a little
very little
little
not much

1. I have few friends.

2. I made very few mistakes.

3. I have a few friends.

4. I had only a little difficulty.

5. I have little money.

6. I had a little difficulty.

QUANTIFIERS WITH SINGULAR COUNT NOUNS

(DEFINITE: every one / each /either / neither / none of the circles in this picture)

ALL - BOTH - EACH:
special cases
These three quantifiers mean "without exception", and are for this reason almost unnecessary. (We assume that The men went to Chicago or Children like candy refers to all (or each, individually; or both, if there are only 2) of them unless we are told differently. Therefore, each of these quantifiers can be omitted from in front of the noun or pronoun and placed after it, almost like an appositive. In either position it doesn't change the meaning of the noun phrase, but simply stresses the fact that there are no exceptions:
All children like candy. =
Both (of the) men went to Chicago =
Each (one) of the books costs $10. =
(Each book costs ...) = All of them like candy. =
Both of them went .. =
Each (one) of them costs $10 =
(Each one costs .. ) Children (all) like candy. =
The men (both) went .. =
The books (each) cost $10 =
They (all) like candy.
They (both) went...
They (each) cost $10.

(Every doesn't work the same way, because it cannot be a pronoun. You cannot say ~~Every of them~~ ...)
(note that when each precedes the noun or pronoun, the verb is singular, but when it follows it, the verb is plural.)

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

Ann Salzmann
Intensive English Institute
University of Illinois

more than "normal" or expected	a lot of quite a few	a lot of quite a little
(no expectation -- "some," not "many")	a few	a little
less than "normal" or expected	only a few just a few very few few not many	only a little just a little very little little not much

1. I have few friends.
2. I made very few mistakes.
3. I have a few friends.
4. I had only a little difficulty.
5. I have little money.
6. I had a little difficulty.

NOTES about specific quantifiers

(A) FEW / (A) LITTLE

QUANTIFIERS WITH SINGULAR COUNT NOUNS

ALL - BOTH - EACH: special cases

ALL - BOTH - EACH:
special cases