1. General introduction to quantity
2. Degrees of indefinite quantity
3. Distributives: whole amounts and separate items
4. General references with quantifiers
5. Specific references with quantifiers
6. The use of 'more' and 'less' after quantifiers
10. Special uses of 'some', 'any' and 'no'
11. Common uses of 'much' and 'many'
12. 'A lot of' compared with similar quantifiers
13. '(A) few' and '(a) little'
14. Determiners 'Both', 'all' and 'half' + plural countable nouns - examples and notes
15. 'All' and 'half' + uncountable nouns - examples and note
16. 'All' and 'half' + singular countable nouns - examples and notes
17. 'Both' and 'all': word order with verbs
18. 'Both', 'all' and 'half': word order with pronouns
19. The 'negative' of 'all' and 'both'
20. 'All (the)' compared with '(the) whole'
21. 'All' and 'whole' + plural countable nouns
22. 'All' compared with 'every'
23. 'All' compared with 'everyone/everybody/anyone/anybody'
24. 'All' compared with 'everything'
25. 'Every' compared with 'each'
26. 'Each' referring to both members of a pair
27. 'Each': word order'
28. Another' compared with '(the) other(s)'
29. The other + one or a noun refers to a specific alternative:
30. 'Each other' and 'one another'
31. 'Either' compared with 'neither'
32. 'Either' and 'neither' + 'of'
33. 'Either + or'; 'neither + nor'
34. 'Either' and 'both' compared
35. The use of 'one (of)' after distributives
37. Neither is generally used without one:
Quantifiers are words or
phrases like few, little, plenty (of), which often modify nouns and show how
many things or how much of something we are talking about. Some quantifiers
combine with countable nouns; some with uncountable and some with both kinds.
1. Quantifiers combining with
countable nouns answer How many?:
How
many eggs are there in the fridge? - There are a few.
2. Quantifiers combining with
uncountable nouns answer How much?:
How
much milk is there in the fridge? - There is a little.
3. Quantifiers combining with
uncountable or with countable answer
How
many? or How much?:
How
many eggs are there in the fridge? - There are plenty.
How
much milk is there in the fridge? - There is plenty.
Quantifiers can function as determiners or (with the exception of every and no)
as pronouns; some of them can function as adverbs:
I
don't like coffee very much.
Quantifiers combine with
different types of nouns:
1.
Quantifier + plural countable noun: not many books
any
number more than one (2, 3, etc.), both, a couple of, dozens/hundreds of, (a)
few, fewer, the fewest, a/the majority of, (not) many, a minority of, a number
of, several:
We
have fewer students specializing in maths than in English.
2.
Quantifier + uncountable noun: not much sugar
a
(small) amount of, a bit of, a drop of (liquid), a great/good deal of, (a)
little, less , the least, (not) much:
I'd
like a bit of bread with this cheese.
3.
Quantifier + plural countable noun: a lot of books
or
+ (singular) uncountable noun: a lot of sugar
some (of the), any (of the), all (the), hardly any, enough, half of the/half
the, a lot of, lots of, more, most, most of the, no, none of the, the other,
part of the, plenty of, the rest of the:
There aren't any cars on the road at the moment.
There isn't any traffic on the road at the moment.
4.
Quantifier + singular countable noun: each book
all
(of) the, another, any (of the), each, either, every, half (of) the, most of
the, neither, no, none of the, one, the only, the other, some (of the), the
whole (of the):
It's each/every man for himself in this business.
References to quantity can be
definite: that is, we can say exactly how many or how much:
We need six eggs and half a
kilo of butter.
However, most quantifiers are
indefinite; that is, they do not tell us exactly how many or how much.
Some, any and zero refer to
indefinite number or amount:
Are there (any) apples in the
bag?
There are (some) apples in the
bag. (We are not told how many.)
Is there (any) milk in the
fridge?
There is (some) milk in the
fridge. (We are not told how much.)
No + noun indicates a complete
absence of the thing mentioned:
There are no apples. There is no milk.
Most quantity words give us
more information than some and any, telling us the comparative degree of the
number or amount:
e.g. plural countable nouns
uncountable nouns
Approximately how many:
Approximately how much:
There are too many eggs.
There is too much milk.
plenty of
eggs.
plenty of milk.
a lot of/lots
of eggs.
a lot of/lots of milk.
(not) enough eggs. (not) enough milk.
a few eggs.
a little milk.
very few
eggs.
very little milk.
not many
eggs.
not much milk.
hardly any
eggs.
hardly any milk.
no eggs.
no milk.
Distributives: whole amounts and separate items
Words like all, both, each,
every, either and neither are sometimes called distributives. They refer to
whole amounts (all/both the children, all/both the books, all the cheese); or to
separate items (each child, either of the books).
The use of 'of' after
quantifiers:
Some quantity phrases used as
determiners always take of:
We've had a lot of
answers. (a lot of answers = determiner + noun)
But when they are used as
pronouns, of is dropped:
We've had a lot. (a lot as a
pronoun)
Quantifiers, which always take
of before nouns/pronouns include:
a
couple of
dozens of/hundreds of
the
majority/a minority of people/books (plural countable)
a
number of
a
large/small amount of
a
bit of cheese (uncountable)
a
lot of - lots of books/cheese
(plural countable or uncountable)
plenty of
These references are general,
i.e. we are not saying which particular people, etc.
Other quantifiers (any,
(a) few, more, most, some, etc.) go directly before the noun (no
of) in general references:
There are hardly any
eggs/a few eggs in the fridge.
There is some
butter/no butter in the dish.
If we need to be specific
(i.e. point to particular items) we can follow a quantifier with of + a
determiner (the, this, my).
Have some of this/a
little of my juice. (e.g. the juice in this bottle)
I'll lend you some of
these/a few of my books. (specified books)
In the same way we can make
specific references with quantifiers which are always followed by of by using determiners after them. Check
the following:
A lot of students missed my lecture yesterday. (general
reference)
A lot of the students
who missed my lecture yesterday
want to borrow my notes. (specific reference)
Note the following quantifiers
which are always specific and which must therefore be followed by
of
+ determiner:
None of the/this milk can be used.
Part of/The rest of this food will be for
supper.
Put the rest of those
biscuits in the tin.
Note the omission and use of (of)
in:
How much is left? - None (of
it). Part of it. The rest of it.
How many are left? - None (of
them). Part of / The rest of them.
More can be used after these
quantifiers with plural countable nouns: some/any, a couple, dozens/hundreds, a
few, hardly any, a lot, lots, many, no, numbers; plenty, several, weights,
measures.
More can be used after these quantifiers with uncountable nouns: some/any, a bit, a good/great deal, hardly any, a little, a lot, lots, much, no, plenty, weights.
Quantifier + more
combinations can be used as follows:
- directly in front of nouns:
I'd like some more chips/milk.
- before of + determiner: Do
you want some more of these chips?
- as pronouns: I don't want
any more thank you.
Quantifier + 'less'
Less can be used after these
quantifiers with uncountable nouns: any, a bit, a good/great deal, a little, a
lot, lots, much, as follows:
- directly in front of nouns:
Much less soup please.
- before of + determiner: I'd
like much less of that soup.
- as pronouns: I want much
less
please.
Some and any are the most
frequently used quantity words in the language. They never answer How
many? and How much?:
How many do you want? - e.g.
Just a few. (Not *some*)
How much do you want? - e.g.
Just a little. (Not *some*)
We generally use some and any
when it is not important to state exactly how great or how small the quantity
is. They
often function as if they were the plural of a/an:
There are some letters for
you.
(unspecified number)
How many (letters are there)?
-Seven. (number
specified)
There's some bread in the
bread-bin.
(unspecified amount)
How much (bread is there)? -
Half a loaf. (amount specified)
It is sometimes possible to
omit some or any:
My wife bought me medicine for
my cough.
Some (= indefinite quantity or
amount) is normally used
- in the affirmative (+):
There are some eggs in the
fridge. (i.e. an unstated number)
There is some milk in the
fridge. (i.e. an unstated quantity)
- in questions when we expect
(or hope to get) the answer 'Yes':
Have you got some paperclips
in that box? (i.e. I know or I think you've got some and expect you to say
'Yes'.)
- in offers, requests,
invitations and suggestions when we expect the answer 'Yes' or expect implied
agreement.
The following are in the form
of questions, though we are not seeking information:
Would you like some (more)
coffee? (expecting 'Yes')
May I have some (more) coffee?
(expecting 'Yes')
- to mean 'certain, but not
all':
Some people believe anything
they read in the papers.
Any (indefinite quantity or
amount) is normally used
- in negative statements
containing not or ..n't:
We haven't got any shirts in
your size.
There isn't any milk in the
fridge.
- in questions when we are not
sure about the answer or expect 'No':
Have you got any paperclips in the box? (i.e. I don't know if you've got any and wouldn't be surprised if you said 'No'.)
- in sentences containing a
negative word other than not, such as hardly, never, seldom or without, or when
there is any suggestion of doubt, e.g. with if or whether:
There's hardly any petrol in
the tank.
We got to Paris without any
problems.
I don't know if/whether
there's any news from Harry.
- with at all and (more
formally) whatever for special emphasis:
I haven't got any idea at
all/whatever about what happened.
An alternative way of forming a negative is with no:
no: There are no
buses after midnight.
A clause can contain only one
negative word, so that not and e.g. no or never cannot be used together:
I could get no information.
(Not *I couldn't*)
When used in preference to not
any, no is slightly more formal and makes a negative idea more emphatic.
Negatives with
not any are used in normal conversation, but we must always
use no (Never *not any*) if we wish to begin a sentence with
a negative:
No department stores open on Sundays.
No can combine with a
singular noun:
There's
no letter for you. (= There isn't a letter for you.)
No meaning not any is a determiner
and can only be used before a noun; none stands on its own
as a pronoun:
There isn't any
bread. There's no
bread. There's
none.
There aren't any
sweets. There are no sweets. There are none.
Apart from its common use as a
quantifier, some can be used to refer to an unspecified person or thing, etc.
When used in this way it is generally stressed and can mean:
- 'several': I haven't
seen Tom for some years.
- 'approximately': There were
some 400 demonstrators.
- 'extraordinary': That's some
radio you've bought! (informal)
- 'an unknown': There must be some book
which could help.
- 'no kind of': That's some consolation, I
must say! (ironic)
With abstract nouns some can
be used to mean 'an amount of':
We've given some thought to
your idea and find it interesting.
Apart from its common use as a
quantifier, any can be used to refer to an unspecified person or thing and can
occur in affirmative statements. When used in this way it is stressed and can
mean:
- 'usual': This isn't just any
cake. (it's special)
- 'the minimum/maximum': He'll
need any help he can get.
- 'I don't care which': Give me a plate. Any plate/one will do.
Any and no, used as adverbs to
mean 'at all', will combine with adjectives and adverbs in the comparative:
Is he any better this morning?
- No, he's no better.
Any and no, used as adverbs,
combine with a few positive adjectives, e.g. good (any good) and different (any
different):
Is that book any good? - It's
no good at all.
We normally use much (+
uncountable) and many (+ plural countable):
- in negative statements:
I haven't much time. There aren't many pandas in China.
- in questions: (For questions
with How much/many?)
Is there much
milk in that carton? Have you had many inquiries?
In everyday speech we usually
avoid using much and many in affirmative statements. We use other quantifiers,
especially a lot of. Much and many occur in formal affirmative statements:
Much has been done to improve
conditions of work.
Many teachers dislike marking
piles of exercise books.
Combinations like as much as
and as many as are used in the affirmative or negative:
You can/can't have as much as
(as many as) you like.
When much and many are
modified by much and far (much/far too much, far too many) they tend to be used
in the affirmative:
Your son gets much/far too
much pocket money.
There are far too many
accidents at this junction.
Many in time expressions
occurs in the affirmative or negative:
I have lived here/haven't
lived here (for) many years.
Not much and not many commonly
occur in short answers:
Have you brought much luggage?
- No, not much.
Have you written many letters?
- No, not many.
Not much and not many can be
subjects or part of the subject:
Not much is really known about
dinosaurs.
Not many people know about
Delia's past.
Much occurs in a number of
expressions (e.g. there's not much point in_; it's a bit much; he's not much of
a_):
There's not much point in
telling the same story again.
Not so much occurs in
comparisons:
It's not so much a bedroom,
more a studio.
Dennis is not so much a
nuisance as a menace.
It's not so much that he
dislikes his parents, as that/but that he wants to set up on his own.
Many (like few) can be
modified by the, my, your, etc.:
One of the many people he
knows can help him to get a job.
Much and many do not normally
occur in the affirmative in everyday speech. Instead, we use a lot of and
(informally) lots of:
I've got a lot of/lots of
time. I've got a lot of/lots of books.
A lot of, lots of and plenty
of (+ plural countable or singular uncountable) are normally used in the
affirmative. They also occur in questions, especially when we expect the answer
'Yes':
I met a lot of/lots of
interesting people on holiday.
Don't worry. We've got plenty
of time before the train leaves.
Were there a lot of/lots of
questions after the lecture?
A lot of and lots of occur in
the negative as well, especially when we are emphasizing a negative or denying,
but the use of plenty of in negative statements is less common:
I haven't got a lot of
patience with hypochondriacs!
A lot of (not lots of ) can be
modified by quite/rather
Jimmy's caused quite a lot of
trouble at his new school.
The new law has affected
rather a lot of people.
A lot of and lots of can be
used with singular or plural verbs depending on the noun that follows them:
There has been a lot of/lots
of/ gossip about her.
(uncountable noun)
There have been a lot of/lots
of/plenty of inquiries.
(plural countable)
A lot of/lots of are often
considered unsuitable in formal style. Instead, we use much/many or other
quantifiers, such as:
- a great deal of or a great
amount of + uncountable noun:
A great deal of/A great amount
of money is spent on research.
- a large number of or a great
number of + plural countable noun:
A large number of/A great
number of our students are American.
Some native speakers use
amount of with countable nouns as well:
A large/great amount of our
investments are in property.
Few and a few are used with
plural countables.
Few is negative, suggesting
'hardly any at all', and is often used after very:
Mona has had very few
opportunities to practise her English.
In everyday speech we prefer
not_many or hardly any:
Mona hasn't had many
opportunities to practise her English.
Mona has had hardly any
opportunities to practise her English.
Few can also convey the idea
of 'not as many as were expected':
A lot of guests were expected,
but few came.
A few is positive, suggesting 'some, a (small)
number':
The police would like to ask
him a few questions.
A few can mean 'a very small number', or even 'quite a lot'.
The size of the number depends on the speaker's viewpoint:
I don't know how much
he's got, but it must be a few million.
A few can be used to mean 'more than none, more than
expected':
Have we run out of sardines? -
No, there are a few tins left.
A few can also combine with other words: e.g.
just: How many do you want? Just a few please.
(i.e. a limited number, not many)
only: There are only a few
seats left.
(i.e. very few, hardly any)
quite: How many do you want?
Quite a few please.
(i.e. quite a lot)
a good: We had a good few
letters this morning. (i.e. quite a lot)
dozen, 100, 1000: The film
director employed a few hundred people as extras. (i.e. several hundred)
the, my, etc.: The few people
who saw the film enjoyed it.
Her few possessions were sold after her death. (i.e. the small number of)
Little and a little are used
with (singular) uncountables.
Little (like few) is negative,
suggesting 'hardly any at all' and is often used after very:
He has very little hope of
winning this race.
In everyday speech we prefer
not much or hardly any:
He hasn't much hope of winning
this race.
He has hardly any hope of
winning this race.
Little can also convey the
idea of 'not as much as was expected':
We climbed all day but made
little progress.
Little occurs in idiomatic
'negative' phrases such as little point, little sense, little use, etc.:
There's little point in trying
to mend it.
A little and, in very informal contexts, a bit (of) are
positive, suggesting 'some, a (small) quantity':
I'd like a little
(or a bit of) time to think about it please.
The size of the amount depends
on the viewpoint of the speaker:
Mrs Lacey left a little
money in her will - about $1,000,000!
A little can also mean 'more
than none, more than expected':
Have we got any
flour? - Yes, there's a little in the packet.
A little can combine with other words: e.g.
just: How much
do you want? - Just a little please.
(i.e. a limited quantity, not much)
only: There's only a little
soup left. (i.e. very little, hardly any)
Few and little can be modified by e.g.
extremely, relatively:
There are relatively few
jobs for astronauts.
A few and a little can modify other
quantifiers, as in a few more, and a little less [compare.
Both books are expensive. All
books are expensive.
Both the/my/these books are
expensive. All the/my/these books are expensive. Half the/my/these eggs are bad.
Both of the/my/these books are
expensive. All of the/my/these books are expensive. Half of the/my/these eggs
are bad.
1. Both, all and half can be
used equally with:
- people: both (the) women/all
(the) women/half the women.
- things: both (the) forks/all
(the) forks/half the forks.
2. Both refers to two people,
things, etc. only:
e.g. both books/both the
books/both of the books (interchangeable). The reference is to specific items
(e.g. the books on this subject). Both means 'not only one, but also the other'
and refers to two things together. By comparison, the two (the two things are
different) refers to the two considered separately.
3. Half + plural countable
refers to 'more than two': e.g. half the eggs/half of the eggs
(interchangeable). Half (of) cannot be used without a determiner (the, this, my,
etc.) before plural countables [compare> 5.18.3n.1].
4. All refers to 'the whole
number of' people, things, etc.: e.g. all the books/all of the books
(interchangeable). With the, the reference is to specific items: (e.g. the books
on this subject). However, all books is general, referring to e.g. all (the)
books in the world. It is not interchangeable with all the books/all of the
books.
5. All with or without the,
however, refers to specific items when it is followed by a number before a
plural countable:
All (the) thirty passengers on
the boat were saved.
All bread gets stale quickly.
-
All the bread was stale. Half
the bread was stale.
All of the bread was stale.
Half of the bread was stale.
The first statement with all
is general; the second and third are interchangeable and refer to a specific
amount of bread. The two statements with half are interchangeable and refer to a
specific amount of bread. The word both cannot be used with uncountable nouns
because it refers to two units.
All the country was against
it. Half the country
was against it.
All of the country was against
it. Half of the country was against it.
1. When we are referring to a specific thing, we must use the or of the after all and half [> 5.22]. However, all and half can be used directly in front of many proper nouns:
All London/Half New York was
buzzing with gossip.
2. Half a can be followed by
singular countables as in half a loaf, half a minute, half an orange, etc. to
refer to one thing divided into halves.
Both and all as pronouns are
normally used after auxiliary verbs (be, have and modal auxiliaries like can,
could):
The girls are both ready.
(= Both girls/Both the
girls/Both of the girls are ready.)
The girls are both waiting.
(= Both girls/Both the
girls/Both of the girls are waiting.)
The girls have all left.
(= All the girls/All of the
girls have left.)
The girls can/must, etc. all
go home now.
(= All the girls/All of the
girls can/must go home now.)
Both/all come before
auxiliary and modal verbs in short answers:
Are you ready? - Yes, we both
are. Yes, we all are.
Have you finished? - Yes, we
both have. Yes, we all have.
Do you like it? - Yes, we both
do. Yes, we all do.
Can you see it? - Yes, we both
can. Yes, we all can.
Both and all as pronouns must
be used before full verbs:
The girls both left early.
(= Both girls/Both the girls /
both of the girls left early.)
The girls all left early.
(= All the girls/All of the
girls left early.)
And note both/all before have
as a full verb:
We all have our books. We both
had a haircut.
'Both' and 'all': pronoun
subject
Both and all must be followed
by of before pronouns like us, them:
Both of us/them left early. (=
We/They both left early.)
All of us/them left early. (=
We/They all left early.)
All of it went bad. (= It all
went bad.)
'Both' and 'all': pronoun
object with verbs and prepositions
I love both/all of you. or I
love you both/all.
He gave some to both/all of
us. or He gave some to us both/all.
You've eaten all of it. or
You've eaten it all.
'Half' as a distributive and
as an adverb
Half (of) the bottles are
empty.
(i.e. half of them are not
empty)
However, there is a different
meaning when half is an adverb:
The bottles are half empty.
(i.e. no bottle is completely
empty)
We can use not all to mean
'some but not all':
Not all the girls left early.
(= Only some of them left early.)
Compare the above with the
following negative:
All the girls didn't leave
early.
This negative statement is
ambiguous because it can mean 'some of them left early' or 'none of them left
early'.
To avoid ambiguity we should
use none of to make the negative of all and neither of to make the negative of
both:
All the girls left early.
> None of the girls left early.
Both the girls left early. >
Neither of the girls left early.
'All the' and 'the whole' with
nouns
We usually prefer the whole to
all the with singular concrete nouns. The whole is not normally used with
plurals and uncountables:
He ate the whole loaf (= all
the loaf) by himself.
All and the whole combine with
a number of (often abstract) nouns. For example, we can use all or the whole in:
all my business/my whole business, all my life/my whole life, all the time/the
whole time, etc., but normally only all in: e.g. all my hair, all the money; and
normally only the whole in: e.g. the whole situation, the whole story, the whole
truth. Whole can follow a, as in a whole collection, a whole loaf, a whole
week/hour.
Time references with 'all' and
'the whole'
All combines with words like
(the) day, (the) night, (the) week, (the) year, (the) summer (but not with hour
or century) in time references (all of the is possible, but less common):
I waited all (the) week for
him to answer.
The whole is stronger than all
in time references and can also be used with hour and century:
I waited the whole week for
him to answer.
Of the is possible after the
whole, but is usually absent. The whole followed by of the functions as a noun
and is more common in references not concerned with time: e.g. the whole (of
the) book, the whole (of the) building.
All and whole + plural
countable have different meanings in: e.g.
All forests in North Africa
were destroyed during Roman times.
(= every single one of them)
Whole forests in North Africa
were destroyed during Roman times.
(= entire areas of forest)
All refers to a collection of
things seen as one, or to an amount.
I've read all these books. (=
this whole collection)
She's used all the butter. (=
the whole amount)
Every emphasizes single units
within a group and is used only with singular countables.
I've read every book in the
library. (= every single one)
All can be used before a noun
or on its own: every can never stand on its own (every day, every man, etc.).
Every is often found in time
references: every day, every week, etc. and can be followed by ordinal and
cardinal numbers and other: every third day, every six weeks, every other day,
etc.:
I work every other day:
Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
All and every are not normally
interchangeable in time references:
Monica spent all day with us.
(= one whole day)
Monica spent every day with us
while she was here on holiday.
(all the days of her holiday,
thought of separately)
All, meaning 'everybody', is
uncommon in modern English:
Everyone/Everybody wanted
Marilyn's autograph. (Not *All*)
In older English, all (=
everybody) can occur:
All but Emily had guessed the
truth.
All can occur in formal
contexts to mean 'all the people', but it generally needs to be qualified by
e.g. a relative clause:
All (those) who wish to apply
must do so in writing.
All could be replaced by
anyone/anybody:
Anyone/Anybody who wishes to
apply must do so in writing.
Anyone/anybody is the
equivalent of whoever here and is preferable to everyone/everybody. All, used on
its own to mean 'all the people', occurs in a few fixed expressions:
A good time was had by all.
The law applies equally to all.
All and everything + singular
verb can be used interchangeably, though all is more formal and usually requires
qualification:
All/Everything I have belongs
to you.
All, used to mean
'everything', occurs in a few fixed phrases:
Winner takes all.
All, but not everything, can
be used to mean 'the only thing':
All he wants is more pay for
less work.
'Every' and 'each' with
reference to 'more than two'
Every and each refer to
particular people or things. They can point to more than two. Each is more
individual and suggests 'one by one' or 'separately'. We use it to refer to a
definite and usually limited number:
Each child in the school was
questioned.
Every child is less individual
and is used in much the same way as all children to refer to a large indefinite
number:
Every child enjoys Christmas.
(= All children enjoy Christmas.)
This difference is not always
important and the two words are often used interchangeably, as in:
Every/Each time I wash the car
it rains.
Each cannot be modified: every
can be modified by almost, nearly, and practically and can be followed by
single:
Almost every building was
damaged in the earthquake.
I answer every single letter I
receive.
We can use not in front of
every, but not in front of each:
Not every house on the island
has electricity.
Every, but not each, can be
used in front of a few uncountables such as assistance, encouragement, etc.
though this is unusual:
My parents gave me every
encouragement when I was a child.
Each, but not every, can refer
to both the members of a pair:
As they had both worked so
hard, they each received a bonus.
Both usually means 'two items
considered together': each considers two things separately:
I spoke to both of the twins
this morning. (i.e. together)
I spoke to each of the twins
this morning. (i.e. separately)
Each, but not every, has word
order variations similar to all/both [> 5.19-20]. Each, combining with a plural
subject, takes a plural verb:
They have each taken their own
share. (after an auxiliary)
They each have their own
share. (before a full verb)
Each takes a singular verb
when it begins a subject-phrase:
Each of us is responsible for
his/our actions.
Each can also occur at the end
of a statement:
Give the delivery-men $5 each.
Another can have two meanings:
- 'additional'/'similar': Do
you need another cup? - No, I have enough.
- 'different': Give me another
cup. This one's cracked.
Another and others are
indefinite; the (or my, your, etc.) other and the others are definite. Another,
as a determiner, always goes with a singular noun unless it is followed by a
cardinal number or by few:
I need another three driving
lessons before my test.
I need another few days before
I can make up my mind.
The other can be followed by a
singular or plural noun:
This seat is free; the other
seat is taken.
These seats are free; the
other seats are taken.
Another is followed by a
singular noun; other by a plural noun:
There must be another way of
solving the problem; that can't be the only way. There must be other ways of
solving the problem.
I don't like this shirt. Can I
try the other one please?
Compare: Can I try another
(one)? (= any other one, non-specific)
The others, the other and
others (like another) can stand on their own as pronouns to refer to specific
alternatives:
I'll take these shirts but
leave the other(s).
The other(s) is often used in
contrast to one:
One has buttons and the other
hasn't.
Others is often used in
contrast to some:
Some people enjoy exercise,
others don't.
Other can also mean
'additional' in: e.g.
Jane and some other girls went
shopping.
The other (day) can mean 'a
few (days) ago' in time references:
Karen phoned the other day to
apologize for her behaviour.
This is not to be confused
with the next, meaning 'the following':
Karen phoned the next day to
apologize for her behaviour.
or with another to mean 'a
different':
We aren't free tomorrow. Can
we arrange another day?
Sometimes a distinction is
drawn between each other (used to refer to two people) and one another (used to
refer to more than two). In everyday speech, both phrases are normally
interchangeable:
Karen and Dave are deeply in
love with each other/one another.
Both phrases can be used with
an 's:
Those two are always copying
each other's/one another's homework.
Either and neither refer to
two people, things, etc. (singular nouns) only. Either means 'one or the other'
and neither means 'not one and not the other'. Constructions with neither are
generally more emphatic than those with not either:
Do you want an appointment at
9 or at 10?
- Either time is difficult.
Neither time is convenient.
When followed by of, either
and neither refer to each of two items:
Which pot shall I use? -
Either (of them). It doesn't matter which.
Which pot shall I use? -
Neither (of them). Use this frying pan.
You can have either this one
or that one.
Neither this house nor the
house next door has central heating.
Either refers to two things considered separately.
Compare:
You can't have either of them. (= you can't have one or
the other)
You can't have both of them. (= you can have only one
of them)
We may use one of after another, any, each, either,
every and neither before nouns or pronouns. One is optional, except in the case
of every:
Each guidebook in the series has been carefully
written.
Every guidebook in the series has been carefully
written.
Each of these guidebooks has been carefully written.
Each one of these guidebooks has been carefully
written.
Every one of these guidebooks has been carefully
written.
We can use single and every for special emphasis:
Every single apple in the bag was bad.
Every single one of the apples in the bag was bad.
If we wish to use another, each and either as pronouns,
we can use them with or without one:
I didn't like the red skirt, so I asked to see another
(one).
Look at these names. Each (one) should have a tick
beside it.
I've tested both those TVs. Neither works very well.
Every and the only cannot stand on their own as
pronouns: they must always be followed by a noun or one (also ones after the
only):
We need some more eggs. You ate every one last night.
You can't borrow my pen. It's the only one I've got.
These keys are the only ones I've got.
Sometimes the reference is clearly singular or plural
and a singular or plural verb is needed:
Most of us have experienced sorrow in our lives.
Most of our steel is imported.
But after neither (= not either) and none (= not one),
when the reference is plural, we can use a plural verb in everyday speech, or a
singular verb when we wish to sound 'correct' or formal:
Neither of us is/are happy about the situation.
None of my friends has/have been invited to the party.
In the above examples, us and friends attract plural
verbs. With either or and neither nor the verb generally agrees with the nearest
noun:
Neither my brother nor my sister is red-haired.
Neither my brother nor my sisters are red-haired.
Neither my brothers nor my sister is/are red-haired.