Oxford_Guide_to_English_Grammar

21 QUANTIFIERS PAGE 224

We cannot use most in this position, but we can use the adverb mostly. Package systems mostly/usually have two cassette decks.

d None has a negative meaning. We use it with the of-pattern.

None ofthe rabbits survived. They all died. NOT All ofthe rabbits didn't-survive.

But not all means 'less than all'.

Not all the rabbits died. Some ofthem survived.

NOTE For no and none, • 181(2).

3 Whole

We can use whole as an adjective before a singular noun.

Didyou copy the whole tape/all the tape? NOT the all tape

This whole idea is crazy. NOT this all idea

You didn't eat a whole chicken!

NOTE

a Compare these sentences.

We spent all day/the whole day (from morning till evening) on the beach. We spent every day (of the week) on the beach.

b We can also use whole as a noun.

Did you copy the whole ofthe tape?

4 Both, either and neither

a We use these words for two things.

The police set up barriers at both ends ofthe street.

If you're ambidextrous, you can write with either hand.

b Compare both/neither and all/none.

c Patterns with both are the same as patterns with all. • (2)

Both decks/Both the decks/Both ofthe decks play tapes. They both play tapes.

Two prisoners got away, but police caught them both/both ofthem. But NOT theboth decks

d We use either and neither before a noun or in the of-pattern.

You can use either deck/either ofthe decks. Neither ofour cars is/are very economical to run. Neither car is very economical to run.

eIn positions other than the subject, neither is more emphatic and rather more formal than not either.

I don't like either ofthose pictures. I like neither of those pictures.

f Either or both cannot come before a negative.

Neither ofthose pictures are any good.

NOT Either/Both ofthose pictures aren't anygood.

5 Every and each

aWe use these words before a singular noun to talk about all the members of a group. A subject with every or each takes a singular verb.

There wereflagsflyingfrom every/each building.

Mike grew more nervous with every/each minute that passed.

Every/Each ticket has a number.

In many contexts either word is possible, but there is a difference in meaning. Every building means 'all the buildings' and implies a large number. Each building means all the buildings seen as separate and individual, as if we are passing them one by one.

bHere are some more examples.

Every shop was open. (= all the shops)

We went into each shop in turn.

Every child is conditioned by its environment. (= all children) Each child was given a medal with his or her name engraved on it.

Every usually suggests a larger number than each. Each can refer to two or more things but every to three or more.

The owner's name was painted on each side/on both sides of the van. Missiles were being thrown from every direction/from all directions.

NOTE

a We can use almost or nearly with every but not with each.

There were flags flying from almost every building.

bEvery single means 'every one without exception'.

Every single child was given a medal.

cWe can use their meaning 'his or her'. • 184(5)

Each child had their own medal.

cWe often use every with things happening at regular intervals. Each is less usual.

Sandra does aerobics every Thursday/each Thursday. The meetings are everyfour weeks.

We visit my mother every other weekend. (= every second weekend)

dWe can use each (but not every) in these patterns.

Eachofthe students has a personal tutor.

Each has a personal tutor.

Before the visitors left, we gave them each a souvenir.

They each received a souvenir.

Each as an adverb can come after a noun.

The tickets are £5 each.

cIn negative sentences we almost always use any and not some. This includes sentences with negative words like never and hardly.

I can't find any nails. I never have any spare time.

We've won hardly any games this season.

I'd like to get this settled without any hassle.

d Any is more usual in questions, and it leaves the answer open.

Have you got any nails? ~ Yes./No./I don't know. Did you catch any fish? ~ Yes, a few./No, not many.

But we use some to give the question a more positive tone, especially when making an offer or request. It suggests that we expect the answer yes.

Did you catch some fish? (I expect you caught some fish.)

Would you like some cornflakes? (Have some cornflakes.)

Could you lend me some money? (Please lend me some money.)

e In an if-clause we can choose between some and any. Some is more positive.

If you need some/any help, do let me know.

We can use any in a main clause to express a condition.

Any problems will be dealt with by our agent.

(= If there are any problems, they will be dealt with by our agent.)

f We choose between compounds with some or any in the same way.

There was someone in the phone box. There isn't anywhere to leave your coat.

Have you got anything/something suitable to wear? Could you do something for me?

2 No

a No is a negative word. We can use it with both countable and uncountable nouns.

There is no alternative.

There are no rivers in Saudi Arabia. The driver had no time to stop.

There is no alternative is more emphatic than There isn't any alternative.

b We can use no with the subject but we cannot use any.

No warning was given./A warning was not given. NOTAny warning was notgiven.

c We cannot use the quantifier no without a noun. For none, • 181 (3).

3 Some expressing part of a quantity

We can use some to mean 'some but not all'.

Somefish can change their sex.

Some trains have a restaurant car.

Some ofthefish in the tank were a beautiful blue colour.

Some ofthe canals in Venice have traffic lights.

b We use another before a number + noun, even when the number is more than one.

We were enjoying ourselves so much we decided to stay on for another three days/ for three more days.

Here we are talking about an extra period, an extra number of days.

We can use other (= different) after a number.

There are two other rooms/two more rooms/another two rooms upstairs.

181 Quantifiers without a noun

1 We can use a quantifier without a noun, like a pronoun.

DEPARTMENT STORES IN LONDON

There are several large stores in London where you can buy practically anything; others are more specialized but still offer a wide choice of goods. Most have coffee shops and restaurants servinggood, reasonably priced lunches and teas; many also have hairdressingsalons.

(from R. Nicholson The London Guide)

It is clear from the context that most means 'most department stores' and many means 'many department stores'. Here are some more quantifiers that we might use in this context.

Some sellfood. Afew are outside the West End. Two have car parks. None stay open all night.

We can also use the of-pattern.

Many ofthem also have hairdressing salons.

I'll take one suitcase, and you take the other (one).

But when we leave out a plural noun, we use others or ones with an s.

These letters are yours, and the others are mine/the other ones are mine.

Some stores sell anything. Others are more specialized.

neither letter neither ofthe letters

22

Pronouns

183 Summary

Personal pronouns • 184

We use personal pronouns for the speaker (I) and the person spoken to (you). We use he, she, it and they to refer to other people and things when it is clear from the context what we mean.

Judy isn't coming with us. She isn't very well.

Personal pronouns have both a subject and an object form.

I'm coming. Wait for me.

Special uses of you, one, we and they • 185

We can use you, one, we and they to refer to people in general.

You can't buy much for a pound.

They're putting up the prices.

Reflexive pronouns, emphatic pronouns and each other • 186

Reflexive pronouns refer to the subject of the sentence.

Helen looked at herselfin the mirror.

Emphatic pronouns lay emphasis on a noun phrase.

Helen did the wallpapering herself.

We use each other when the action goes in both directions.

Helen and Tim write each other long, passionate letters.

OVERVIEW: personal pronouns, Possessives and reflexives • 187

Pronouns are related to possessive forms: I/me - my - mine - myself.

One and ones • 188

We can use one(s) to replace a noun.

I'll have a cola. A large one.

We can use one to replace a noun phrase with a/an. 1 need a pound coin. Have you got one?

Everyone, something etc • 189

There are the compound pronouns everyone, something etc.

Everyone came to the party.

NOTE

For question words (who, what etc) used as pronouns, • 27.

For possessive pronouns (mine, yours etc), • 174.

For demonstrative pronouns (this, that, these, those), • 175.

For quantifiers used as pronouns (some, many, a few etc), • 181.

For relative pronouns (who, whom, which, that), • 271.