Quantifiers and Determiners in English
This page delves deeper into the usage of quantifiers and determiners with countable and uncountable nouns, focusing on 'some', 'any', 'much', 'many', 'little', and 'few'.
The use of 'some' and 'any' is explained as follows:
- 'Some' is used in positive sentences and questions when referring to something that is likely to be present.
- 'Any' is used in negative sentences and questions when referring to something that may or may not be present.
Example: "Could I have some water?" whenyouexpecttheanswertobeyes
Example: "Do you have any eggs?" whenyou′renotsureifthereareeggs
The page also introduces compound forms such as 'somebody/someone', 'something', 'anybody/anyone', and 'anything'.
Regarding 'much' and 'many', the document clarifies:
- 'Much' is used with uncountable nouns e.g.,muchmoney
- 'Many' is used with countable nouns e.g.,manypeople
Highlight: 'Much' is for uncountable nouns, while 'many' is for countable nouns.
The quantifiers 'little', 'few', 'a little', and 'a few' are explained:
- 'Little' and 'a little' are used with uncountable nouns e.g.,littlemoney
- 'Few' and 'a few' are used with countable nouns e.g.,fewcities
Example: "I have a few friends" somefriends vs. "I have few friends" notmanyfriends
The page concludes by emphasizing the importance of using these quantifiers correctly to convey the intended meaning in English sentences.