Unit 1 - Quantifiers
Quantifiers
Unit 1 - Quantifiers - Some / Any
1.
Do you have any coffee?
No, I don't, but I've got some tea. Do you want some?
Yes, please.
Do you want a cookie too?
Sure, I love cookies.
-----
2.
I'm really hungry. Let's eat.
OK. I've got some chicken in the refridgerator, do you want some?
Yea, that sounds great.
I've also got some tacos in the cupboard, and there's an apple pie as well.
Do you have any juice?
Sure, it's over there.
Help yourself.
-----
3.
It's Mum's birthday next week. Let's get her
a present.
OK. How about some perfume?
Well, she doesn't have any. She doesn't use it.
So how about some clothes or a watch?
That's a good idea, but I don't know her size.
Let's just buy a gift voucher. Then she can choose her own present.
Great idea!
--------
Key Vocabulary
|
any |
get |
Unit 1 Grammar
Quantifiers are words that show how much there is of something - they show quantity. Numbers for example are also quantifiers.
Some
Some is used
to show an indefinite quantity, the exact number
is not important. It is used in affirmative
statements, for example:
- I have some books.
- She wants some apples.
Some is also
in questions, but only when you think the answer
wil be "Yes". For example:
- Do you have some paper? (I hope the answer
is "Yes")
- Would you like some french fries? ( I expect
the anwer is "Yes")
Any
Any is used
in negative statements. For example:
- I don't have any money.
- There aren't any taxis near here.
Any is also generally
used in questions, especially when we expect
the answer to be "No". for example:
- Do you have any paper? (I expect the answer
will probably be "No")
- Is there any time to go to the doctor's? (
I think there probably isn't time).
This can however
look and sound awkward, so you can sometimes
just use ' instead. For example with
names:
Thomas's book, Tess's house can also
be Thomas' book, Tess' house.
Some and any
are often used like articles for plural nouns.
A/an is used for singular countable nouns,
and some/any can be used for plural noun, countable
or uncountable. For example:
I have a newspaper, some newspapers, and some
money.
"A newspaper" is a singular countable
noun so uses a, "newspapers"
is a plural countable nouns so uses some,
and money is an uncountable noun so also uses
some.
-----
As always it seems complicated especially the first time, but when you use grammar rather than just read about it it makes much more sense, and as you grow in experience and confidence you'll soon be learning to use English grammar well.
Grammar Exercises
Exercise 1
Complete the sentences using some and any.
Example: She wants some apples.
1. I have soda.
2. We don't have milk.
3. Ben's very busy. He doesn't have time.
4. She wants to buy books.
5. Let's listen to music.
6. Do you have pets?
7. Yes, I have .
8. We need fruit and vegetables for dinner.
9. Rachel meets friends at the weekend.
10. They don't have coffee.
Answers
1. = "some";2. = "any";
3. = "any";
4. = "some";
5. = "some";
6. = "any";
7. = "some";
8. = "some";
9. = "some";
10. = "any";
Exercise 2
Complete the sentences using some and any.
Example: She wants some apples.
1. Do you have orange juice?
No, I don't, but I have grape juice. Do you want ?
Yes, please. I'm really thirsty.
4. Let's make spaghetti.
OK, what do we need?
We need pasta, meat, and sauce.
Do we need tomatoes?
That's a good idea.
Let's put
mushrooms and
cheese as well. They taste really good!
Answers
1. = "any";2. = "some";
3. = "any";
4. = "some";
5. = "some";
6. = "some";
7. = "some";
8. = "any";
9. = "some";
10. = "some";
Exercise 3
Example: My name is Jeremy.
1.
Do you have
coffee?
No, I don't, but I've got tea. Do you want ?
Yes, please.
Do you want a cookie too?
Sure, I love cookies.
2.
I'm really hungry. Let's eat.
OK. I've got some in the refrigerator, do you want some?
Yea, that sounds great.
I've also got some tacos in the cupboard, and there's an pie as well.
Do you have juice?
Sure, it's over there. Help yourself.
3. It's Mum's next week. Let's get her a present.
OK. How about some perfume?
Well, she doesn't have . She doesn't use it.
So how about some clothes or a watch?
That's a good idea, but I don't her size.
Let's just buy a gift voucher. Then she can choose her own .
Great idea!
Answers
1. = "any";2. = "some";
3. = "some";
4. = "chicken";
5. = "apple";
6. = "any";
7. = "birthday";
8. = "any";
9. = "know";
10. = "present";
Much/Many/A Lot Of
Dialogues
1.
We need to go shopping.
I don't think so, we've got a lot of food here.
We don't have much milk or bread, and we don't have much water.
Oh, OK. Lets go shopping
this evening.
-----
2.
How's your university?
It's great. I have lots of friends and there are a lot of great professors. I don't have much money, but that's OK. Also I'm really busy these days, so I don't have much time.
Are you enjoying it?
Sure, it's going
well.
-----
3.
How many students are in your class?
We don't have many students, just eight.
That's great! You can study a lot.
Right. And I can talk to the teacher a lot as well. That's good.
Do you have many friends in your class?
Yes, I go out with them a lot.
--------
Key Vocabulary
|
shopping |
university |
Grammar
Quantifiers are words that show how much there is of something - they show quantity. Much, many, and a lot of indicate a large quantity of something, for example "I have a lot of milk" means I have a large quantity of milk.
Much
Much is used
with uncountable nouns, and is generally used
in negative statements and questions. It's uncommon
to use much in positive statements. For example:
- I don't have much money.
- Do you have much time?
- "I have much time." This sounds
unusual.
Many
Many is used
with plural countable nouns, and is often used
in negative statements and questions. It is
also used in positive statements however. For
example:
- I don't have many apples.
- Do you have many friends?
- Many people come here in summer.
Much and many
can be used in affirmative statements, but give
a more formal meaning. For example:
- He has many good friends from Harvard University.
Much and
many often appear in short answers. For
example:
- Do you see your family much?
- No, not much.
A lot of
A lot of is
used with uncountable and countable nouns, and
is generally used for affirmative statements.
For example:
- I have a lot of friends.
- I have a lot of time.
A lot of is
also used in questions, especially when you
expect a positive response. Although it is often
said that much and many are used
for questions, we usually use them for questions
which expect a negative response. For example:
- Do you want a lot of pizza?
I expect you want to eat a lot.
- Do you want much pizza?
This sounds unusual, as though I expect you
don't want to eat much.
Lots of can
be used in the same way as a lot of,
often in informal speech. For example:
- I have lots of time.
- I have a lot of time.
How much / many?
How much is
used to ask about the price of something. For
example:
- How much is it?
- How much is that dog in the window?
How much and
How many are used to ask about quantity.
For example:
- How much money do you have?
- How many apples does he have?
-----
Grammar Exercises
Exercise 1
Complete the sentences.. Use much, many, a lot of or lots.
Example: They eat a lot of apples.
1. We have oranges.
2. We don't have bananas, and we don't have fruit juice.
3. Do you
have any cereal?
Sure, there's
in the kitchen.
4. How is this? It's ten dollars.
5. How do you want? Six, please.
6. He's very busy, he has work.
7. David has rice, but Tyler doesn't have .
8. London has beautiful buildings.
Answers
1. = "a lot of";2. = "many";
3. = "much";
4. = "lots";
5. = "much";
6. = "many";
7. = "a lot of";
8. = "a lot of";
9. = "much";
10. = "many";
Exercise 2
Complete the sentences. Use much, many, a lot of or lots.
Example: lot of apples a they eat - They eat a lot of apples.
1. much rice how want do you?
2. many sandwiches want you do how?
3. pizza a lot people of like
4. you have much don't time
5. a lot of nice clothes has she
6. John a lot of things has his bag in
7. tea much don't I drink
8. much homework how do have you?
9. sleep babies lot a
10. writes a lot letters of Lisa
Answers
1. = "How much rice do you want?";2. = "How many sandwiches do you want?";
3. = "A lot of people like pizza.";
4. = "You don't have much time.";
5. = "She has a lot of nice clothes.";
6. = "John has a lot of things in his bag.";
7. = "I don't drink much tea.";
8. = "How much homework do you have?;
9. = "Babies sleep a lot.";
10. = "Lisa writes a lot of letters.";
Exercise 3
Example: My name is Jeremy.
1.
We need to go shopping.
I don't think so, we've got food here.
We don't have milk or bread, and we don't have much water.
Oh, OK. Lets go this evening.
2.
How's your university?
It's great. I have of friends and there are a lot of great professors. I don't have much , but that's OK. Also I'm really busy these days, so I don't have much .
Are you enjoying it?
Sure, it's going well.
3.
How
students are in your class?
We don't have many students, just eight.
That's great! You can a lot.
Right. And I can talk to the teacher a lot as well. That's good.
Do you have many in your class?
Yes, I go out with them .
Answers
1. = "a lot of";2. = "much";
3. = "shopping";
4. = "lots";
5. = "money";
6. = "time";
7. = "many";
8. = "study";
9. = "friends";
10. = "a lot";
Few / Little
Dialogues
1.
How's your job going?
It's great, now I save a little money every month.
That's great. These days I can save little money, my apartment is expensive.
Oh, that's too bad.
-----
2.
Are there any bookstores near here?
Not really, there are few bookstores near here.
So how do I buy books?
There are a few bookstores in the center of town. Let's go together this afternoon.
Thanks, that sounds
great.
-----
3.
Do you like coffee?
No, I drink little coffee, it doesn't taste very good.
How about tea?
Sure, I often drink a little tea.
Do you want some?
Yes, please!
--------
Key Vocabulary
|
job |
bookstore |
Grammar
These quantifiers are used to show a small quantity of something, for example "I have a few books" means I have a small quantity of books.
A Few
A few is used
with countable nouns to show a small quantity.
It is used in affirmative statements, but not
negatives. We generally use any or questions.
For example:
- I have a few books.
- I don't have a few books
This is incorrect.
- I don't have any books
This is correct.
- Do you have a few books?
Sometimes this is possibe, but generally speaking
we use any for questions, for example
"Do you have any books?"
Few
There is an important
difference between a few and few.
Few without a is used to mean
we don't have enough of something. For example:
- She has few apples in the refridgerator. (She
doesn't have enough apples).
- She has a few apples in the refridgerator.
(She has a small quantity of apples)
Put another way,
"a few" means "a small quantity",
but "few" means "not a big quantity"
For example:
- A few friends came to my party. This is a
positive idea, I'm happy a few people came./
- Few friends came to my party. This is a negative
idea, I'm not happy because not many people
came.
Notice how "a few" focuses on how
many people did come, but "few" focuses
on how many didn't come.
In sum, A few means a small quantity - few means not a big quantity
A Little
A little is
used with uncountable nouns to show a small
quantity. Again, it is generally used in affirmative
statements, not negatives or questions. For
example:
- I have a little orange juice.
Negatives and Questions use "any"
as usual.
- I don't have a little orange juice.
This is incorrect.
- I don't have any orange juice.
This is correct
- Do you have a little orange juice?
Again, we generally use any for questions,
for example "Do you have any orange juice?"
Little
As with few,
there is also the same difference between a
little and little. Little
without a is used to mean we don't have
enough of something. For example:
- She has little for breakfast. (She doesn't
eat enough for breakfast).
- She has a little for breakfast. (She has a
small quantity of food for breakfast).
Grammar Exercises
Exercise 1
Complete the sentences. Use a few or a little.
Example: They want a little tea.
1. We have bananas and water.
2. Do you
have any coffee?
Sure, there's
in the kitchen.
3. They have some fruit and nuts.
4. She has rice and a vegetables.
6. I need days vacation.
7. You don't need a lot of salt, just use .
8.
people have a lot of money, and a lot of people
have
money.
Answers
1. = "a few";2. = "a little";
3. = "a little";
4. = "a few";
5. = "a little";
6. = "a few";
7. = "a few";
8. = "a little";
9. = "A few";
10. = "a little";
Exercise 2
Complete the sentences. Use a few or a little.
Example: She has a few questions.
1. He has cats.
2. Every day she drinks green tea.
3. We need help.
4. I give fish to my cat.
5. We learn every day.
6. Jane needs books.
7. I have weeks vacation.
8. He has good ideas.
9. She knows words in Spanish.
10. I need
to do
work.
Answers
1. = "a few";2. = "a little";
3. = "a little";
4. = "a few";
5. = "a little";
6. = "a few";
7. = "a few";
8. = "a few";
9. = "a few";
10. = "a little";
Exercise 3
Example: My name is Jeremy.
1.
How's your job going?
It's great, now I save money every month.
That's great. These days I can little money, my apartment is .
Oh, that's too bad.
2.
Are there any
near here?
Not really, there are bookstores near here.
So how do I buy books?
There are bookstores in the center of town. Let's go this afternoon.
3.
Do you like coffee?
No, I drink little coffee, it doesn't very good.
How about tea?
Sure, I often drink tea.
Do you want ?
Yes, please!
Answers
1. = "a little";2. = "save";
3. = "expensive";
4. = "bookstores";
5. = "few";
6. = "a few";
7. = "together";
8. = "taste";
9. = "a little";
10. = "some";