Unit 9: Quantifiers

The quantifiers state the number or amount of something. Quantifiers can be single words or phrases and are used with both nouns and pronouns.

Examples:

-Most of us will repeat the course if we don`t pay attention.
-There's some money in my account.
-They have little money to organize the party.

Quantifiers are used with different type of nouns:
singular: one, each, every, etc
plural: two, both, a couple of, a dozen, several, few, a few, many, a great many, etc
non-cont nouns: a little, little, much, a great deal of, a great amount of, etc
plural count nouns and non-count nouns: no, any, some, enough, a lot of/lots of, plenty of, most, all, etc.

Examples:

-My brother has no plans for weekend.
-Wu took no cash for the trip.
-Scientists were able to solve the biology problems.


Use many with count nouns and much with non-count nouns.

Examples:

-He doesn't have many friends.
-I had too much trouble getting my DNI.
-The government has made many constructions in the city.
-There's too much noise pollution .



Gladys Sanchez A05F

Unit 9: Quantifiers

Something that is interesting about quantifiers is the use of a few/few with count nouns and a little/little with non-count nouns.

There is an important difference between "a little" and "little"and between "a few" and "few". If I say that Mary has a little experience in management that means that although Mary is no great expert she does have some experience and that experience might well be enough for our purposes. If I say that Mary has little experience in management that means that she doesn't have enough experience. If I say that Charlie owns a few books on Latin American literature that means that he has some some books — not a lot of books, but probably enough for our purposes. If I say that Charlie owns few books on Latin American literature, that means he doesn't have enough for our purposes and we'd better go to the library.

Another examples:


Few
We know few people in the area. (I would like to get to know more.)

A few
We know a few people in the area. (I know enough people to keep me happy.)

Little
I know little English. (I am going to have a problem getting around England.)

A little
I know a little English. (at least enough to get England.)


Student Name: JUAN CARLOS POZO QUINTANILLA

A05F

UNIT 9: QUANTIFIERS

Quantifiers with Non-Count Nouns

LITTLE / A LITTLE

• (a) little + non-count noun

(a) little time

• a little: some but not much.

Helen didn't eat anything, but she drank a little water.

• little: nearly no... or nearly nothing.

There was little food in the refrigerator. It was nearly empty.

• very little

She is very thin because she eats very little.

• a little: + idea

They have a little money, so they are not poor.

• little: - idea

They have little money. They are very poor.

MUCH

• much + non count noun

much coffee

• much: ? / -

Do you drink much coffee? / a lot of coffee?

I don't drink much coffee / a lot of coffee, but I drink a lot of coffee. ( not "much coffee").

* Sometimes much or a lot mean often.

Do you watch TV much? No, not much ( not often)

I don't like to stay home, so I go out a lot.

A GREAT DEAL OF

• A great deal of = a lot of or lots

A great deal of current information is available on the internet.

Ericka Cojoma

Ao5F