Quantifiers

There are three types of quantifiers

1. neutral quantifiers,
2. quantifiers of large quantity
3. quantifiers of small quantity
1. Neutral quantifiers:
Some and any: several, a number of, etc.
Some and any are both quantifiers and articles. In many contets, some is the plural
indefinite article, the plural of !a! or !an!" but more often, some implies a limited quantity,
and for this reason has the value of a quantifier.
Some is used in affirmative statements" it is replaced #ith any in negative and
interrogative contets.
$amples:
I%ve got some apples in my bas&et and some #ater in my bottle.
I haven%t got any apples in my bas&et, nor any #ater in my bottle.
'ave you got any apples in your bas&et( 'ave you got any #ater in your bottle(
)e had some visitors last #ee&end, but #e didn%t have any this #ee&end
'ave you got any rooms free for the night of September 3*th (
Several and a number of imply !more than one, but less than a lot!. They are not usually
used in negative or interrogative structures, only in affirmative statements. +or eample
There are several boo&s , a number of boo&s by -.../o#ling in our library.
Several people , 0 number of people said that they%d seen the missing child.
$nough
$nough implies a sufficient quantity" it is used in affirmations, negations and questions.
)e can get tic&ets for the concert, I%ve got enough money no#.
'ave you got enough money for the tic&ets(
12T$: do not confuse enough as a quantifier preceding a noun, #ith enough as an
intensifier follo#ing an ad3ective, as in:
That%s good enough for me.
2. Large quantity quantifiers: much, many, lots of, plenty of, numerous, a large
number of, etc.
4 5uch and many: much is used #ith non count nouns 6al#ays in the singular7" many is
used #ith count nouns in the plural. 68lic& here for the difference bet#een count nouns
and non9count nouns7.
I5:2/T01T 12T$: 5uch and many are not often used, in modern spo&en $nglish,
in affirmative statements" but they are very commonly used in interrogative and negative
contets.
$amples:
I have many reasons for thin&ing that this man is innocent is acceptable, but rather
formal" most $nglish spea&ers #ould more naturally say:
I have plenty of , a lot of , a large number of reasons for thin&ing .....
5uch #his&y is of very good quality. This sentence is technically acceptable, but not
probable in modern $nglish. 5ost people #ould say 6and #rite7:
0 lot of #his&y , 0 good proportion of #his&y , :lenty of #his&y ......
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/emember this principle: don%t use much or many in affirmative statements.
4 ;ots of, a lot of, plenty of, a large number of, numerous
These epressions all mean more or less eactly the same. In the list above, they are
arranged in order of formality, going from the most informal 6lots of7 to the most formal
numerous. Informal language is more appropriate in dialogue, formal language in #ritten
documents.
3. Small quantity quantifiers:
4 fe#, a fe#, little, a little, not many, not much, a small number of, etc.
These quantifiers are normally only used in affirmative statements, to #hich they give a
negative colouring.
4 ;ittle, a little, not much are used #ith non count nouns 6al#ays in the singular7
+e#, a fe#, not many are used #ith count nouns in the plural.
$amples:
+e# people can spea& more than three languages
0 fe# 6of the7 paintings in this gallery are really good.
There%s little point in trying to mend it. <ou%ll never succeed=
I%ve got a little money left" let%s go and have a drin&.
4 Recapitulation: table of usage for common Englis quantifiers
0ffirmative 1egative Interrogative
1eutral some, several, a
number of, enough
any, enough any, enough
;arge quantity numerous, plenty of,
a lot of, lots of, too
many
much, many, too
many
much, many, too
many
Small quantity fe# , a fe#, ;ittle , a
little
!. "e# or a fe#$ little or a little%
The difference bet#een the t#o epressions in each phrase is purely one of meaning,
not of usage. )ithout the article, fe# and little 6used respectively #ith count nouns and
non9count nouns7 have the meaning of !not much, not many, and possibly less than one
might hope for or epect!. These epressions have a negative value to them. )ith the
article, a fe# and a little have the meaning of !at least some, perhaps more than one
might epect! . These epressions have a positive value.
E&amples:
+e# of my friends #ere there, so I #as disappointed.
0 fe# of my friends #ere there, so I #as quite happy.
'urry up" there%s little time left=
)e have a little time to spare, so let%s stop and have a cup of coffee.
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