Quantifiers in English

Quantifiers are words and phrases that tell us how much or how many of something there is. They usually come before a noun, and the quantifier you use depends mainly on whether the noun is countable or uncountable and on the quantity you want to express. For example: many people, much time, a few questions, a little help, some books, any information.

Learning which quantifiers can be used with each type of noun will help you choose the correct form and sound more natural in English.

Quantifiers with countable and uncountable nouns

Some quantifiers can only be used with countable nouns, some can only be used with uncountable nouns, and others can be used with both. The table below gives a quick reference to the most common quantifiers in English:

Much vs many (vs a lot of / lots of)

We use many with plural countable nouns and much with uncountable nouns to mean a large quantity.

Many

Many can be used with plural countable nouns in both positive and negative sentences:

• Many people work from home.
• Many students find this topic difficult.
• There aren’t many shops around here.
• We don’t have many teabags left.

In questions, How many asks for a specific number:

• How many brothers and sisters do you have?
• How many schools are in this area?

Much

Much is most common with uncountable nouns in negative sentences and in questions using How much to ask for an amount:

• We don’t have much time.
• There isn’t much milk left.
• How much water do you need?
• How much food do we have?

A lot of and lots of

While much can be used on its own in positive sentences, it often sounds very formal or unnatural in everyday English. Instead, we usually use a lot of or lots of:

• ⚠️ We ate much cheese last night. (possible, but overly formal or unnatural)
• ✅ We ate lots of cheese last night.
• ⚠️ There was much traffic this morning. (possible, but overly formal or unnatural)
• ✅ There was a lot of traffic this morning.

A lot of and lots of can also be used instead of many in positive sentences, and a lot of can be used instead of many or much in negative sentences, to sound less formal. Lots of is particularly common in positive sentences and is more informal, while a lot of sounds a little more neutral and is the more natural choice in negative sentences:

• A lot of people work from home.
• There aren’t a lot of shops around here.
• I saw lots of ducks in the pond.
• We don’t have a lot of time.
• There isn’t a lot of milk left.
• He drinks lots of coffee.

Some vs any

Both some and any can be used with countable and uncountable nouns. We usually use some in positive sentences and any in negative sentences and questions:

• There are some apples in the fridge.
• He gave me some information.
• There aren’t any apples left.
• We don’t have any milk.
• Do you have any brothers or sisters?
• Is there any coffee left?

Some in questions

We use some instead of any in questions when we expect a positive answer or assume that something is available. This is common when making offers and requests:

• Would you like some tea?
• Shall I get you some food?
• Could you pass me some napkins?
• Can I have some water, please?

We can also use some in other questions when we expect or believe the answer will be yes:

• Did you bring some money with you?
• Should we take some snacks for the walk?
• Haven’t we got some bread in the cupboard?
• Did you buy some vegetables for the soup?

Any in positive sentences

Any can be used in a positive sentence to mean that it does not matter which one is involved:

• You can sit in any seat.
• Make an appointment on any day you like.
• Choose any colour you like.
• He will eat any sandwich you make him.

Few and little vs a few and a little

We use few and a few with plural countable nouns, and little and a little with uncountable nouns. All four refer to a small quantity, but few and little present the quantity as limited or smaller than wanted or expected, while a few and a little present it neutrally or positively, with a meaning similar to some.

A few and a little

A few and a little refer to a small quantity but present it neutrally or positively, with a meaning similar to some:

• I have a few friends who live nearby.
• We still have a few questions to answer.
• There is a little milk left.
• We have a little time before the train leaves.

Only a few and only a little

Adding only changes the emphasis. Only a few and only a little still refer to a small quantity, but present it as limited or smaller than wanted or expected:

• Only a few people came to the event.
• There is only a little milk left.

When only limits the quantity of an object, it is often placed in the mid position before the main verb in everyday English:

• We only have a few tickets left.
• We only spent a little money.

Only can also be placed directly before the quantity, especially when we want to give the quantity clearer emphasis:

• We have only a few tickets left.
• We spent only a little money.

Few and little

Few and little have a similar limiting meaning to only a few and only a little. They mean not many or not much and present the quantity as limited or smaller than wanted or expected:

• Few people came to the event.
• Few students passed the exam.
• There is little hope of finding it.
• We have little time left.

In everyday English, only a few is often more natural than few, while very little and only a little are often more natural than little on its own:

• Only a few people came to the event.
• Only a few students passed the exam.
• There is very little hope of finding it.
• We have only a little time left.

Fewer vs less

We use fewer and less to talk about a smaller quantity. Use fewer with plural countable nouns and less with uncountable nouns:

• There are fewer people here today.
• I have less money than I did last month.
• We made fewer mistakes this time.
• You should spend less time on your phone.

Use less than before a number and a unit of time, money, distance, weight or another measurement when the actual amount or measurement is smaller than that number:

• It took less than ten minutes.
• It cost less than £20.
• The village is less than five kilometres away.
• My cat now weighs less than 14 pounds.

Too much, too many and enough

Use too many with plural countable nouns and too much with uncountable nouns when the quantity is greater than wanted, needed or acceptable:

• There are too many people in here.
• I receive too many emails.
• There is too much traffic.
• You put too much salt in the soup.

Use enough before both plural countable nouns and uncountable nouns to say that the quantity is sufficient:

• We have enough chairs for everyone.
• There is enough food for tonight.

Use not enough when the quantity is insufficient:

• There aren’t enough seats.
• We don’t have enough time.

Each vs every vs all

Each, every and all can refer to a complete group, but they present the group in different ways:

• every = 100% of the group, with no exceptions
• each = the members of the group considered one by one
• all = the group or quantity as a whole

They also use different noun forms:

• each + singular countable noun
• every + singular countable noun
• all + plural countable noun or uncountable noun

Every

We use every to refer to 100% of the individual members of a group of three or more, with no exceptions. It is followed by a singular countable noun and a singular verb:

• Every student has a password.
• Every room has a window.
• Helen has visited every country in Asia.
• Every person needs a ticket.

Each

We use each to refer to the individual members of a group of two or more one by one. It is followed by a singular countable noun and a singular verb:

• Each student has a different question.
• He looked at each photo carefully.
• Each room has its own bathroom.
• She spoke to each person individually.

Unlike every, each can be used when there are only two people or things:

• He held a bag in each hand.
• There was a door on each side of the room.

Each of and every one of

We use each of and every one of when referring to a defined group. The group is identified by a determiner such as the, these, those, my or our, or by a pronoun such as them, us or you.

Each of focuses on the members of the defined group one by one:

• Each of the students has a locker.
• Each of my brothers lives abroad.
• Each of them has a ticket.

Every one of emphasises that 100% of the defined group is included, with no exceptions:

• Every one of the students passed.
• Every one of my sisters lives in New York.
• Every one of them got lost.

We cannot say every of:

• ❌ Every of the students passed.
• ❌ Every of my sisters lives in New York.

Compare:

• Every student has a locker. = 100% of the group
• Each student has a locker. = the students considered one by one
• Each of the students has a locker. = a defined group, considered one by one
• Every one of the students has a locker. = 100% of a defined group, with no exceptions

All

We use all with plural countable nouns and uncountable nouns to refer to a complete group or quantity as a whole:

• All students need a password.
• All information must be kept confidential.
• All passengers must leave the bus.
• She spent all her money.

When referring to a specific or defined group, we can use all the or all of the:

• All the students passed.
• All of the students passed.
• He ate all the cake.
• He ate all of the cake.

Before a pronoun, use all of:

• All of them were ready.
• She ate all of it.

All and every for time

We use all + singular time expression to mean the complete period of time:

• I worked all day.
• It rained all night.
• She was away all week.
• He’s been sick all month.

We use every + singular time expression to say that something happens regularly:

• I go running every day.
• We visit them every year.
• I see my family every Christmas.
• She calls her parents every Sunday.

We also use every + number + plural time expression to describe regular intervals:

• Take one tablet every six hours.
• The buses leave every twenty minutes.
• My bank calls me every two weeks.
• The World Cup takes place every four years.

We don’t use all with plural time expressions to say how regularly something happens:

• ❌ I go running all days.
• ✅ I go running every day.
• ❌ She calls her parents all Sundays.
• ✅ She calls her parents every Sunday.

Both, either and neither

Use both, either and neither when talking about two people or things.

Use both when something is true of the two together. It is followed by a plural noun:

• Both answers are correct. (there are only two answers)
• Both students have finished.

Use either when one or the other of the two is possible or acceptable. It is followed by a singular noun:

• Either answer is acceptable.
• You can take either bus.

Use neither when something is not true of either of the two. It is followed by a singular noun:

• Neither answer is correct.
• Neither option works for me.

We use both of, either of and neither of when referring to the members of a defined pair. The pair is identified by a determiner such as the, these, those, my or our, or by a pronoun such as them, us or you. Before a determiner + plural noun, both can omit of, but either and neither cannot:

• Both (of) the answers are correct.
• Either of these routes will take you there.
• Neither of my parents drives.

Before a pronoun, of is required with all three:

• Both of them came.
• Either of them is fine.
• Neither of them works.

No, not any and none

No, not any and none all refer to zero quantity.

No and not any

We use no directly before a noun, or not + any with a negative verb, to express a zero quantity:

• There is no milk left.
• There isn’t any milk left.
• We have no tickets.
• We don’t have any tickets.
• No students failed the exam.
• There were not any students that failed the exam.

When we use there be in the negative with not to talk about zero quantity, we usually follow not with any. While it is grammatically possible to omit any, this is unusual in everyday English:

• ⚠️ There isn’t milk in the fridge. (possible but unusual)
• ✅ There isn’t any milk in the fridge.
• ⚠️ There aren’t tickets left. (possible but unusual)
• ✅ There aren’t any tickets left.

None

We use none in place of the noun or noun phrase when it is not repeated:

• How many tickets are left? None.
• I wanted some cake, but there was none left.

Use none of before a determiner + noun or before a pronoun:

• None of the students failed.
• None of this information is useful.
• None of them came.

Do not put a noun directly after none:

• ✅ No students failed.
• ✅ None of the students failed.
• ❌ None students failed.

Quantifiers with of + part of defined group

Many quantifiers can be followed by of when referring to part of a group or quantity that is defined by a determiner or pronoun.

We use the quantifier directly before a noun when there is no determiner:

• Most people like music.
• Some students find grammar difficult.
• Many shops close early on Sundays.

Before a determiner + noun, we use quantifier + of + determiner + noun:

• Most of the people at the party had left.
• Some of my students live abroad.
• Many of these shops close early.

We can also use quantifier + of + pronoun:

• Most of them had left.
• Some of us were tired.
• Many of you already know the answer.

Common mistakes with quantifiers

Here are some common mistakes to avoid when using quantifiers:

Free quantifiers worksheets