S.2E English LanguageS.2E English LanguageModule 8 QuantifiersModule 8 Quantifiers

9 March 2011

• Discuss with your neighbour. Compare the difference between the ingredients on Mary’s recipe and those on John’s.

Mary and John’s egg tart recipesMary and John’s egg tart recipes• Ingredients:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour• 10 tablespoons of butter• 1 cup of white sugar• 5 tablespoons of cold water• 4 cups of water• 10g of brown sugar• 3 eggs• 12 cups of evaporated milk• 4 teaspoons of vanilla

extract

• Ingredients:• Some cups all-purpose flour• Many tablespoons of butter• One cup of sugar• Many tablespoons of cold

water• A few cups of water• A little brown sugar• Several eggs• A lot of cups of evaporated

milk• A few teaspoons of vanilla

extractQuantifiers

QuantifiersQuantifiers• What are quantifiers? What do they do?

• They tell us something about quantity.• Quantifiers ≠ numbers

• E.g. I bought several books yesterday.• I bought 5 books yesterday.

QuantityExact amount

• The forms of quantifiers:

Forms Examples

Quantifier + n Some girls

Quantifier + adj. + n. Some good girls

Quantifier + adv. + adj. + n. Some very good girls

1. countable or uncountable?2. Meaning?

QuantifiersWhich are used with countable

nouns

Which are used with uncountable

nouns

Which are used with both

SeveralA fewManyToo manyFew

A bit ofA littleMuchToo muchLittle

Plenty ofNoEnoughSomeA lot ofAny

• Too many / Too much vs. a lot of

• e.g. I’m full now. I’ve eaten too much.

Negativemeaning

Negativemeaning

Positive

• Is any positive or negative?• Positive in most cases.• Only negative when accompanied by a negative verb.

I haven’t got any money.I have got any money.I have got no money.I didn’t have no money.

It is a double negative!

Warm-up exerciseWarm-up exercise• Andy and May are going to Paris. They are discussing

what they should take put in their suitcase. Fill in the gaps with some, any, too many and too much.

May: Honey, that’s far ________________ shirts. There won’t be enough space in the suitcase.

Andy: I didn’t take many last year. Remember? Then I had to buy ___________ new ones.

May: You won’t have to buy ___________ this year. I’m sure we’ll have enough time to wash clothes while we’re there.

too many

someany

Warm-up exerciseWarm-up exercise• Jacky is going for a picnic tomorrow and now asking for

his mum to allow him to bring snacks. Fill in the gaps with some, any, too many and too much.

Jacky: Mum, can I bring _____________ potato chips with me?

Mum: You can bring _____________ but not ______________.

Jacky: Can I bring _____________ chocolate too?Mum: Please, Jacky, don’t bring _______________

chocolate this year. Last year you packed too ______________ and it melted in your bag.

some

sometoo many

someany

too many

A few / few / a little / little?A few / few / a little / little?

countable

uncountable

+ve

+ve

-ve

-ve

• I have ________ pencils in my pencil case.• Pencil • Meaning

• I have ________ coins in my pocket.• Coin • Meaning

a few

few

countable+ve

countable-ve (almost no coins!)

• Today is my birthday. I want to try __________ wine.• Wine • Meaning

• I don’t like learning Putonghua. I really have _______ interest in it. I love English much more!• Interest • Meaning

uncountable

uncountable

+ve

-ve (almost no interest!)

little

a little

Warm-up exercise (II)Warm-up exercise (II)• Fill in the blanks with a few, few, a little, and little.

• Alex is now settling down at his new school. At first, he kept very much to himself and had ______________ to say for himself. He had _____________ friends because he kept silent all the time. He wasn’t really happy. This term is better, though, as he has made some new friends, including ________________ really good friends.

littlefew

a few