Degrees of indefinite quantity

References to quantity can be definitethat is, we can say exactly how many or how much

We need sixeggs and half a kiloof butter However, most quantifiers are indefinitethat is, they do not tell us exactly how many or how much

Some any [> 5.10] and zero [> 3.24, 3.28.8] refer to indefinite number or amount

Are there (any) applesin the bag?

There are (some) applesin the bag (We are not told how many )

Is there (any) milkin the fridge?

There is (some) milkin the fridge (We are not told how much )

No + noun indicates a complete absence of the thing mentioned

There are no applesThere is no milk Most quantity words give us more information than some and any, telling us the comparative degree of the number or amount e g

Plural countable nouns

Uncountable nouns

 

Approximately how many There are too manyeggs plenty ofeggs a lot of/lots ofeggs (not) enougheggs a feweggs very feweggs not manyeggs hardly anyeggs noeggs

Approximately how much There is too muchmilk plenty ofmilk

a lot of/lots of milk (not) enoughmilk a littlemilk very littlemilk not muchmilk hardly anymilk nomilk

Distributives: whole amounts and separate items

Words like all both each every either and neither are sometimes called distributivesThey refer to whole amounts (all/both the children all both the books all the cheese), or to separate items {each child either of the books) [> 5.18-31]

The use of 'of after quantifiers

Some quantity phrases used as determiners always take of We ve had a lot of answers(a lot of answers = determiner + noun)

But when they are used as pronouns, of is dropped
We ve had a lot(a lot as a pronoun)

General references with quantifiers

Quantifiers which always take of before nouns/pronouns include a couple of

dozens of hundreds of people'books (plural countable)

the majority a minority of a number of

5 Quantity

a large small amount of cheese (uncountable)

a bit of

a lot of

lots of books cheese (plural countable or

plenty of uncountable)

These references are general i e we are not saying which particular people, etc

Other quantifiers (any (a) few more most some, etc ) go directly before the noun (no of) in general references

There are hardly any eggs a few eggsin the fridge

There is some butter no butterin the dish