🔷 What Are Quantifiers?
Quantifiers are words used before nouns to express amount or quantity — how much or how many.
They can be used with countable nouns, uncountable nouns, or both, depending on the quantifier.
🔹 1. Most / Most of
Meaning:
Shows a large amount, but not all.
Used with:
- Countable plural nouns
- Uncountable nouns
- "Most of" is used when followed by the, my, this, etc.
Verb Agreement:
- Look at the noun after "most (of)" to decide if the verb is singular or plural.
✅ Examples:
- Most people like chocolate. (plural noun → plural verb)
- Most of the water is clean. (uncountable noun → singular verb)
- Most of the books are new. (plural noun → plural verb)
🔹 2. Some / Some of
Meaning:
Shows an unspecified amount, more than one but not all.
Used with:
- Countable plural nouns
- Uncountable nouns
- "Some of" is used when followed by the, these, my, etc.
Verb Agreement:
- Depends on the noun.
✅ Examples:
- Some people are late.
- Some of the milk is spoiled.
- Some of the students have already arrived.
🔹 3. All / All of
Meaning:
100% of something.
Used with:
- Countable plural nouns
- Uncountable nouns
- Use "all of" when followed by the, my, these, etc.
Verb Agreement:
- Based on the noun.
✅ Examples:
- All the students are present.
- All of the water is gone.
- All of them were happy.
🔹 4. A lot of / Lots of
Meaning:
A large amount or number (informal style).
Used with:
- Countable plural nouns
- Uncountable nouns
Verb Agreement:
- Depends on the noun.
✅ Examples:
- A lot of people are waiting.
- A lot of the cake is left.
- Lots of books are on the shelf.
🔹 5. A little / A few
Meaning:
- A little = a small amount (used with uncountable nouns)
- A few = a small number (used with countable plural nouns)
✅ Examples:
- I have a little money.
- We saw a few birds in the tree.
🔹 6. Little / Few (without “a”)
Meaning:
- Little = almost none (negative feeling, uncountable noun)
- Few = almost none (negative feeling, countable noun)
✅ Examples:
- Little time is left. (almost no time)
- Few people attended the event. (almost nobody)
🔹 7. One of / Each of / Every one of
Meaning:
Refers to individual members of a group.
Used with:
- Plural countable nouns
Verb Agreement:
- Use a singular verb, even if the noun is plural.
✅ Examples:
- One of my friends is a doctor.
- Each of the students has a book.
- Every one of the players is ready.
🟨 Note: Even though the nouns are plural, we are talking about one person or each single one, so the verb is singular.
🔹 8. Both of
Meaning:
Refers to two people or things.
Used with:
- Plural nouns
Verb Agreement:
- Always use a plural verb.
✅ Examples:
- Both of the girls are smart.
- Both of my parents work in the hospital.
🔹 9. Either of / Neither of
Meaning:
- Either = one or the other (positive or neutral)
- Neither = not one and not the other (negative)
Used with:
- Two people or things
- Followed by a plural noun
Verb Agreement:
- Use singular verbs in formal English
- Plural verbs are common in informal English
✅ Examples:
- Either of the roads is fine. (formal)
- Either of the roads are fine. (informal)
- Neither of the answers is correct.
- Neither of my brothers likes swimming.
🔹 10. None of
Meaning:
Zero amount or number.
Used with:
- Plural nouns or uncountable nouns
Verb Agreement:
- Can be singular or plural depending on context.
- Formal English → singular verb
- Informal English → plural verb
✅ Examples:
- None of the money is missing.
- None of the students are absent. (informal)
- None of the cake is left.
🔹 11. About 50 percent / Half of / A third of / A quarter of
Meaning:
Show a fraction or percentage.
Verb Agreement:
- Depends on the noun after the quantifier.
✅ Examples:
- About 50 percent of the team is here.
- Half of the students are gone.
- A third of the cake was eaten.
🔸 Summary Table of Common Quantifiers
| Quantifier | Countable Nouns | Uncountable Nouns | Verb Type | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| most (of) | ✅ | ✅ | depends | Most of the cake is gone. |
| some (of) | ✅ | ✅ | depends | Some of the books are missing. |
| all (of) | ✅ | ✅ | depends | All of the water is cold. |
| a lot of | ✅ | ✅ | depends | A lot of people are here. |
| a few / few | ✅ | ❌ | plural | Few students were in class. |
| a little / little | ❌ | ✅ | singular | A little sugar is needed. |
| one of | ✅ (plural) | ❌ | singular | One of the boys is here. |
| each of | ✅ (plural) | ❌ | singular | Each of the books has a cover. |
| every one of | ✅ (plural) | ❌ | singular | Every one of the cats is cute. |
| both of | ✅ | ❌ | plural | Both of my sisters are home. |
| either of | ✅ | ❌ | singular/plural | Either of the roads is/are fine. |
| neither of | ✅ | ❌ | singular/plural | Neither of them is/are correct. |
| none of | ✅ / uncountable | ✅ | singular/plural | None of the sugar is gone. |
| 50%, half, etc. | ✅ / uncountable | ✅ | depends | Half of the students are late. |