Unit 8 grammar notes

Unit 8 Grammar Notes
Pages 123-125

1.
• Quantifiers state the
number or amount of
something.
• Quantifiers can be single
words or phrases.

1.
• Quantifiers state the number
or amount of something:
I bought a dozen tulips.
• Quantifiers can be single
words or phrases.
There’s some money in my
account.

1.
• Quantifiers are used with
both nouns and
pronouns.

1.
• A lot of people vacation in
the summer.
• Most of us are going on the
trip.

1.
• Quantifiers are often used
alone if the noun or
pronoun has just been
mentioned, as in a
question.

1.
A: Have you made many
friends here?
B: Yes, I’ve made a lot.

2.
Quantifiers are used with
different types of nouns:

2.
Kind of noun Some of the
Quantifiers Used
For Example:
Singular count nouns one, each, every I took each item
back to the store.
We were able to
solve every
problem.
Plural count nouns Two, both, a couple
of, a dozen, several,
few, many, a great
many, a number of
We visited a couple
of countries.
We bought a few
souvenirs.

2.
Kind of noun Some of the
Quantifiers Used
For Example:
Non-count nouns a little, little, much, a
great deal of, a
great amount of
I only make a little
money at that job.
She earns a great
deal of money.
Both plural count
nouns and non-
count nouns
no, any, some,
enough, a lot of, lots
of, plenty of, most,
all
She has no plans to
travel.
We took no cash on
the trip.

3.
Use a few and few with count
nouns.
Use a little and little with non-
count nouns.

3.
Kind of noun Quantifiers Used For Example:
Count nouns a few, few Mary has a few
investments.
She has few debts.
Non-count nouns a little, little She has saved a
little money.
She carries little cash
in her purse.

3.
Note the difference between
a few and a little
and
few and little.

3.
A few and a little are used to give
the statement a positive sense.
A few and a little mean “some—
not a great number or amount
but enough to be satisfactory.”

3.
For example:
I have a few good friends.
(= I have some good friends, enough
to satisfy me.)
We have a little food at home.
(= We have some food, enough to
satisfy.)

3.
Few and little are used to give the
statement a negative sense.
Few and little mean “hardly any”
or “not much at all”
or “not enough to be
satisfactory.”

3.
For example:
Jerry has few friends.
(= not enough to be satisfactory.)
Mary has little self confidence.
(= not enough to be satisfactory.)

3.
NOTE (crazy English):
If you add the word only to a few or a
little, the positive sense disappears!
I have only a few friends (= I would like
to have more friends.)
I have only a little money (I would like
to have more money.)

3.
Be careful!
In comparisons, use fewer with count
nouns and less with non-count nouns.
Use more with both count and non-
count nouns.

3.
Kind of noun Quantifier used
for a comparison
For Example:
Non-count nouns less or more I earn less
money than I
used to, but I
have more free
time.
Count nouns fewer or more I have fewer
problems than I
used to, and I
have more
friends.

4.
Use many and much for questions or
negative statements.
Use many with with count nouns and
much with non-count nouns.
Do not use many or much for affirmative
statements.

4.
Kind of noun Quantifier used for
questions or
negative
statements.
For Example:
Non-count nouns much Did they spend
much money?
She doesn’t watch
much TV,
Count nouns many How many classes
are you taking this
semester?
He doesn’t have
many friends.

4.
Use a lot of/lots of for affirmative
statements.
Use a lot of/lots of for both count and
plural non-count nouns.
Lots of is informal. Use it in conversation,
but not in formal writing.

4.
Kind of noun Quantifiers used for
affirmative
statements
For Example:
Non-count nouns a lot of, lots of They spent a lot of
money.
She watches lots of
TV.
Plural count nouns a lot of, lots of I’m taking a lot of
units this semester.
He has lots of friends.

4.
yes/no questions
For Example:
Non-count nouns a lot of, lots of
much
Did they spend a lot
of money?
Did they spend lots
of money?
Did they spend
much money?
Plural count nouns a lot of, lots of
many
Are you taking a lot
of units this
semester?
Are you taking lots
of units?
Are you taking
many units?

4.
negative statements
For Example:
Non-count nouns a lot of, lots of
much
I don’t have a lot of
money
I don’t have lots of
money.
I don’t have much
money.
Plural count nouns a lot of, lots of
many
He is not working a
lot of hours this
semester.
He is not working lots
of hours.
He is not working
many hours.

4.
Use number of with count nouns and
amount of with non-count nouns:
The number of students attending
college has increased.
The amount of stress in people’s lives
seems to be increasing.

5.
With non-count or plural count
nouns:
Use some for affirmative statements.
Use any with negative statements.
Use some or any for questions.

5. some and any:
Kind of sentence Non-count nouns Plural count nouns
Affirmative
statement
He borrowed
some money
from me.
She made some
purchases at
Target.
Negative
statement
He didn’t have
any money.
She didn’t buy
any clothes.
Question Did he borrow
some money
from you?
OR
Did he borrow
any money from
you?
Will there be any
students in the
classroom at
noon today?
Will there be
some students in
the classroom at
noon today?

5.
Be careful! In English, we do not use
two negatives in one simple sentence:
Correct: Jack didn’t understand
anything.
** (Not correct): Jack didn’t
understand nothing.

6.
Many quantifiers appear in phrases
with the preposition of.
Use of + the or another determiner
when you are specifying particular
places, persons, things or groups.

6.
For example:
Most of the EU countries are using the
euro.
We saw many of her films.
(We saw many of Meryl Streep’s films.)

6.
We generally use quantifiers without of
when we have no particular person,
place, thing, or group in mind.

6.
For example:
Most people don’t understand the
economy.
Most restaurants take credit cards.
A few restaurants don’t take credit
cards.

6.
Compare:
Most of the people that I know don’t
understand the economy.
Most restaurants in the U.S. take credit
cards.
A few restaurants in the Bay Area
don’t take credit cards.

6.
Be careful!
Quantifiers with of can be used only
with plural nouns and non-count
nouns:
Most of the coins were very old.
Most of the gold was pure.
** Most of the coin was very old.

6.
Note:
With most of the + plural count noun,
use a plural verb:
Most of the guests have arrived.

6.
Note:
With many of the + plural count noun,
use a plural verb:
Many of the guests were late.

6.
Note:
With most of the + non-count noun, use
a singular verb:
Most of the food has been eaten.

6.
Note:
“Most of” = almost all (@90%)
“Many of” = a bit more than “some of”
(maybe @60%)

Unit 8 grammar notes

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Unit 8 grammar notes