🔷 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

QuantifierCountable NounsUncountable NounsVerb TypeExample
most (of)✅✅dependsMost of the cake is gone.
some (of)✅✅dependsSome of the books are missing.
all (of)✅✅dependsAll of the water is cold.
a lot of✅✅dependsA lot of people are here.
a few / few✅❌pluralFew students were in class.
a little / little❌✅singularA little sugar is needed.
one of✅ (plural)❌singularOne of the boys is here.
each of✅ (plural)❌singularEach of the books has a cover.
every one of✅ (plural)❌singularEvery one of the cats is cute.
both of✅❌pluralBoth of my sisters are home.
either of✅❌singular/pluralEither of the roads is/are fine.
neither of✅❌singular/pluralNeither of them is/are correct.
none of✅ / uncountable✅singular/pluralNone of the sugar is gone.
50%, half, etc.✅ / uncountable✅dependsHalf of the students are late.
Quantifier Quiz

Quantifiers with Singular and Plural Verbs

📘 Multiple Choice Quiz – Determiners

1. I don’t have ___ money left.


2. ___ of the students were late.


3. There isn’t ___ sugar in the jar.


4. I bought ___ apples at the market.


5. We invited ___ friends to the party.


6. ___ of the cars is broken.


7. He didn’t make ___ mistakes.


8. She drank ___ water after the run.


9. Take ___ umbrella with you.


10. Have you got ___ questions?


11. ___ child needs love and care.


12. I saw ___ birds in the tree.


13. There are ___ cookies in the jar.


14. ___ book on the shelf is mine.


15. She has ___ experience in teaching.


16. ___ shoes are too tight.


17. ___ students passed the test.


18. I haven’t seen ___ of them today.


19. We had ___ time to prepare.


20. ___ of the boys can solve the puzzle.