Unit 57: QUANTITY

We can use
any, all, every, a few, a little, a lot of, lots of, many, most, much, no, none of, some
to talk about how much or how many of a noun.

When we are talking about quantity, we can talk about number (general quantity) or we can talk about percentage (how much or how many of something).

Number

ZERO QUANTITY

There weren't any napkins on the table.
We didn't go anywhere last night.
There were no napkins on the table. no = not any
The cook book was no help to me at all.
There was nothing we could do about it.

NOTICE:
nothing = no thing
nowhere = no place
nobody/ no one = no person

SMALL QUANTITY

PLURAL NOUNS
a few crumbs
not many orders

MASS NOUNS (Unit 47)
a little cheese
not much soup

LARGE QUANTITY

There was lots of coffee in the shop.
There were a lot of cars in the parking lot.

NOTICE: We can also use many and much. For example: I have had many problems, but usually only in writing.

Percentage

We can use all the words that we can use for number. For example:

I didn't see any hamburgers on the menu.
Only a few of the dishes come with a salad.
Many of them didn't leave a tip.

Notice that we often use of after the quantity-word to introduce what we are talking about.

We also use:

NONE OF (zero)

None of the servers were tipped.
I didn't like the meal. None of it was any good.

NOTICE: We cannot say no of.

SOME/ SOME OF (more than zero, but less than half)

The meal was very large, I was able to finish some of it.
I liked the service, but some of the dishes were filthy.

MOST/ MOST OF (more than half, but less than 100 per cent)

Most people hate being served a cold meal.
The meal was very good. Most of us devoured it.

ALL/ ALL OF (100 per cent)

All of the dishes on the menu are vegan.
All salads are served with garlic bread.

Every and any

These words go with singular nouns. We can also use them with one/ body/ thing/ where.

EVERY (ALL) = * and * and * and *

Come and taste every item on the menu.
Eat all of the food.

I've tried everything on the menu.
Eaten all the dishes.

Everyone enjoyed the meal.
All the customers.

ANY = * or * or * or *

Come and try any item on the menu.
Come and try one - it doesn't matter which one.

You can have any item on the menu.
You can choose any item.

Anyone can enjoy the menu.
It is very likeable.

You can eat any item on the menu.
They all are delicious, so it doesn't matter which one you try.

NOTICE: We use both, either and neither for two of something (Unit 58).

NOTICE: Appendix 9 tells you about numbers in English.

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Exercise 57.1
Exercise 57.2
Exercise 57.3