The basics
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- One and Ones
- Some and any
- No and None
- All, most, some, (no, none, not+any
- Both, either and neither
- A lot, much, many
- A few & a little
- Enough, Too, Still and Yet
- Each and Every
Examples:
Which one do you want? This one or that one?
- The other one, the hidden one.
Which ones do you want ?
- The ones on the table. The white ones. Some new ones.
"these or those ones" are not used.
Some = a little, a few or a small number or amount
Any = one, some or all
Examples:
I made some mistakes.
I didn't do anything.
Has anybody seen that?
Would you like some help?
Can I have some sheets from these shelves?
Use some for countable and uncountable nouns.
Use some in positive sentences.
Use some (not any) when we offer or
ask for something, in questions.
Sometimes we use some in a question, when we
expect a positive yes answer.
Example:
Would you like some more coffee?
Use Any in the negative sentences, and in most questions.
We can use any in a positive sentence when the real sense is negative.
Example:
He drives without any problem.
We often use any after if.
Example:
Let me know if you need any help.
Use somebody - anybody and something - anything
in the same way as some - any.
Examples:
I don’t have any friends = I have no friends.
There is no house = there isn't a house
Do you have any time?
- No, I have no time.
How much cars did you have?
- None.
Who met you yesterday?
- None.
Don't tell anyone what happen!
Don't forget anything!
What did you know about flowers?
- Nothing
Any (noun) (in negative verb) = No (noun) (in positive verb)
Use (No + noun). But none alone.
Examples:
Do you have any time?
- I have no time.
None is an answer for how much or how many.
None = 0 (zero)
No one = Nobody is an answer for Who.
Anybody=anyone
nobody=no one = none (for people)
Not + anybody = Nobody, No one = Not + anyone,
Nothing = Not + anything.
Nobody and Nothing can be used alone or
in the beginning of sentence.
Somebody = Someone (person, we don't know who)
Something (thing, we don't know what)
Somewhere (place, we don't know where)
Anybody = anyone
anything
anywhere
Nobody = No one
nothing
nowhere
Examples:
Most schools are open today earlier.
All of them speak Spanish, but none of them knows
the least rule of grammar.
Some of these books are yours.
All the cars have tires.
All, most, some, (no, none, not + any), any + NOUN (s)
But: All, most, some, none + OF +
THE, this, that, these, those, my, your, ... etc.+ NOUN (s)
The case of All:
-------------
All students
All of the students= All the students
All of them
All them is not forrect
But: All can be used without OF (in the case of NOUN). But always
with OF in case of pronouns (US, YOU, IT, THEM)
Examples:
I had two pencils. Both are lost.
Would you like coffee or tea? You can have either!
- Both. Neither.
Neither books was interesting! I haven't read either of these books.
There are two ways. You can go either way.
Both ways are too long!
Neither of us was prepared.
Both, either and neither are used to talk about TWO things or people.
Both = ... +....
Either = ...? or ...?
Neither = Not either.
Use Both in plural. Either and neither in singular.
Both, either, neither + OF + THE/ THESE/ THOSE/ MY/ YOUR...
Both can be used without OF: Both the/these/....
But with OF THEM, US, YOU.
Example:
I had a lot of books.
I liked drinking much coffee (a lot of coffee).
Did she have much time for us?
Many houses look like old.
Do they have many friends?
He doesn't like loose much time.
We don't have many answers to your question.
They don't like stay home, so they go out a lot.
Do you watch TV much?
- No, not much.
Much, a lot of: uncountable nouns (Singular nouns: Singular verb)
Many, a lot of: countable nouns (Plural nouns: plural verb)
We use a lot of + uncountable or plural nouns.
We don't use much in positive sentences. We use a lot of.
Much is used in questions and negatives sentences (for uncountable).
We use many in all kinds of sentences (for plural nouns)
We use a lot of in all sentences
Sometimes much or a lot of = often
Examples:
I drank only a little water.
He has a few books.
I speak a few words of Spanish.
I speak a little Spanish (some Spanish but not much)
She eats very little, her English is very good and
she makes very few mistakes.
A little: uncountable nouns (Singular nouns: Singular verb)
A few: countable nouns (Plural nouns: plural verb)
A little = some, but not much
A few = some, but not many
Little (without a) = nearly no ... or nearly nothing.
Few (without a) = nearly no....
A little is a positive idea (some, but not much)
Little is a negative idea (Nearly nothing)
A few is a positive idea (some, but not many)
Few is a negative idea (Nearly nothing)
Examples:
They wanted to buy a car, but they don't have enough money.
(They have some! but not enough).
The car was not nice enough. And it wasn't big enough for us,
and not reliable enough to travel to Toronto.
This car also was too small for a large family.
His Spanish was good enough to have a conversation.
I haven't seen the opposite yet.
We use enough before noun, alone, after adjective,
sometimes it is used after an adjective.
Use enough for somebody, something.
Use enough to do something.
Too much, to many = more than you want, more than is good
We say Too ... for somebody, something,
We say Too … to do something.
Still = Something is the same as before.
Yet = Until now, used always in negative sentences and in questions;
and usually at the end of a sentence.
We often use the present perfect + yet
Examples:
Every day is the same.
Do you have every thing you need?
Everybody needs to eat.
Use: Every with singular noun + singular verb
Every day (on all days).
All day (the complete day from beginning to end)
Everybody (everyone), everything, everywhere:
are solid words (attached). But: every time in two words.
Each ------------ Every-------------- All.
Each and every have not always the same meanings.
They are always in the singular.
Examples:
Every line contains words.
He read the entire page. He underlined each preposition.
He calls them every day.
Each expresses the idea of: one by one. (THINGS)
Every express how often something happens.(TIME)
Each can be followed by of:
Examples:
She met each of her friends
Each can be used for 2 things, but not Every:
Example:
They have a TV in each room.
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