Vocabulary, grammar and punctuation
Quantifiers: how much and how many
Choose the quantifier that fits the noun and the amount — all, most, some, none, both, several, plenty — and know when it needs "of" after it.
A quantifier is the word that answers how much or how many before you get anywhere near a number. Some, most, several, plenty, none — they are vague on purpose, and English is fussy about which of them goes with which kind of noun.
Counted or measured
Some nouns you count one by one: books, coins, chairs. Others you can only measure as one mass: water, flour, patience, advice. A large number of chairs, but a large amount of flour. A great deal of patience, never a great deal of chairs.
The rule about "of"
Most students is right. Most of students is not. Add of only when the next word is the, my, these, those — or a pronoun like us or them. So: most students, most of the students, most of them.
Both means exactly two
Both is the one quantifier with a number built into it. Two brothers, so both of them. Three or more, and you need all, most or several instead.
Worked example
Fill the gap: "____ of the twenty chairs were usable, so we sat on the floor."
Chairs can be counted, so any of the counting quantifiers is allowed so far.
Half the choice is settled by the noun before you have thought about the meaning at all.
Try it together
Let us build one sentence at a time, choosing the quantifier the noun will take.
The situation: a class of forty went on a trip. Thirty-eight enjoyed it, two did not, and the bus had far more seats than anybody needed.
1.Thirty-eight out of forty is nearly everybody, but not quite everybody. Fill the gap with one word: "____ of the class enjoyed the trip."
Have a go
Complete with one word: "There is not much sugar left — in fact there is ____ at all."
Ready to practise?
Eight questions on what you have just read. Nothing is timed, and you can play as many times as you like.