QUANTIFIERS

A QUANTIFIER, AS ITS NAME IMPLIES, EXPRESSES QUANTITY. QUANTIFIERS CAN BE A

SINGLE WORD OR A PHRASE AND ARE USED WITH NOUNS. THEY CAN BE USED WITH
BOTH A COUNTABLE OR AN UNCOUNTABLE NOUN TO EXPRESS AMOUNT OR
QUANTITY.

SOME, ANY, A FEW, FEW, A LITTLE, LITTLE, (TOO) MUCH, (TOO) MANY, ENOUGH, ETC…

 SOME AND ANY

THEY ARE USED WITH COUNTABLE AND UNCOUNTABLE NOUNS.

SOME IS USED IN POSITIVE STATEMENTS

I HAD SOME RICE FOR LUNCH.

HE GOT SOME BOOKS FROM THE LIBRARY

IT IS ALSO USED IN QUESTIONS WHERE WE ARE SURE ABOUT THE ANSWER:

DID HE GIVE YOU SOME COFFEE? (I AM SURE HE DID)

IS THERE SOME FRUIT JUICE IN THE FRIDGE? (I THINK THERE IS SOME)

SOME IS USED IN SITUATIONS WHERE THE QUESTION IS NOT A REQUEST FOR

INFORMATION, BUT METHOD OF MAKING A REQUEST, ECOURAGING OR GIVING AN
INVITATION.

COULD I HAVE SOME BOOKS?

CAN I HAVE SOME BOOKS?
WHY DON´T YOU TAKE SOME BOOKS HOME WITH YOU?
WOULD YOU LIKE SOME COFFEE?
ANY IS USED IN QUESTIONS AND WITH NOT IN NEGATIVE STATEMENTS.

DO YOU HAVE ANY TEA?

HE DIDN´T GIVE ME ANY COFFEE.
I DON´T HAVE ANY BROTHERS LIVING IN CALIFORNIA.

 A FEW AND FEW, A LITTLE AND LITTLE

THESE EXPRESSIONS SHOW THE SPEAKER´S ATTITUDE TOWARDS THE QUANTITY

HE/SHE IS REFERRING TO.

A FEW (FOR COUNTABLE NOUNS) AND A LITTLE (FOR UNCOUNTABLE NOUNS)

DESCRIBE THE QUANTITY IN A POSITIVE WAY:

I HAVE A FEW FRIENDS (MAYBE NOT MANY, BUT ENOUGH)

I HAVE A LITLE MONEY (I HAVE ENOUGH TO LIVE ON)

FEW AND LITTLE DESCRIBE THE QUANTITY IN A NEGATIVE WAY:

FEW PEOPLE VISITED HER IN THE HOSPITAL (HE HAD ALMOST NO VISITORS)
HE HAD LITTLE MONEY (ALMOST NO MONEY)

 MANY/MUCH/A LOT OF/A LOT

THEY INDICATE A LARGE QUANTITY OF SOMETHING, FOR EXAMPLE “I HAVE A LOT

OF MONEY” MEANS I HAVE A LARGE QUANTITY OF MONEY.
MUCH IS USED WITH UNCOUNTABLE NOUNS, AND IS GENERALLY USED IN
NEGATIVE
STATEMENTS AND QUESTIONS:

I DON´T HAVE MUCH MONEY.

DO YOU HAVE MUCH TIME?

MANY IS USED WITH PLURAL COUNTABLE NOUNS, AND IS OFTEN USED IN

NEGATIVE AND POSITIVE STATEMENTS AND QUESTIONS.

I DON´T HAVA MANY APPLES.

DO YOU HAVE MANY FRIENDS?
MANY PEOPLE GO TO THE BEACH IN SUMMER

MUCH AND MANY OFTEN APPEAR IN SHORT ANSWERS. FOR EXAMPLE

DO YOU SEE YOUR FAMILY MUCH?

NO, NOT MANY

DO YOU MAKE MUCH MONEY?

NO, NOT MUCH

A LOT OF IS USED WITH COUNTABLE AND UNCOUNTABLE NOUNS, AND IS

GENERALLY USED IN AFFIRMATIVE STATEMENTS. FOR EXAMPLE:

I HAVE A LOT OF FRIENDS

I HAVE A LOT OF TIME TO DO MY HOMEWORK

ENOUGH + NOUN
ENOUGH IS PLACED BEFORE THE NOUN TO INDICATE THE QUANTITY REQUIERED OR
NECESSARY. FOR EXAMPLE:

THERE IS ENOUGH BREAD FOR LUNCH.

SHE HAS ENOUGH MONEY TO LIVE ON.