Quantitative AdjectivesA2
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What Quantitative Adjectives Express
Quantitative adjectives indicate how much of something there is, whether the quantity is large or small, or whether the measurement is approximate. They accompany a noun and specify its quantity: many books, little water, three afternoons, several options. Without them, the noun names the thing in a general way; with them, the quantity is delimited. They can also express intensity in some cases, as in a lot of heat or little patience.
| Usage | Explanation | |
|---|---|---|
| It is used to express a precise number of people, objects, or ideas. | ||
| It is used to express an inexact amount when giving a specific figure is not important. | ||
| It is used to show how much intensity a quality or situation has. | ||
| It is used to indicate a small or insufficient amount. |
Agreement with the Noun
Most quantitative adjectives agree with the noun in number and, when the form allows it, in gender. If the noun is feminine, the quantitative adjective takes the feminine form; if it is plural, it takes the plural form. One says many people, many problems, few hours, so many reasons. When the quantitative adjective has a single form for both genders, it only changes in number: several days, several weeks. If the noun is masculine singular and begins with a stressed a, the masculine form is used: some classroom.
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Much, Little and So Much
Much, little and so much form masculine and feminine pairs, and also become plural. Much is used for a large quantity, little for a scarce quantity and so much for a quantity equivalent or closely related to another. That is why one says a lot of money, a lot of hurry, few cars, few ideas, so much work and so much responsibility. In the plural they appear as many, many, few, few, so many and so many. When they come before a noun, they retain their value as quantifiers: many people, so many calls, few minutes.
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Enough and Sufficient
Enough expresses a sufficient or relatively large quantity. Its form does not change with gender: one says enough food, enough time, enough excuses, enough students. It only marks the plural when it modifies a plural noun. Before a singular uncountable noun, it indicates that the quantity is sufficient: there is enough water. Before a plural, it means that the number is considerable: there are enough problems. Sufficient expresses that the quantity is enough for a purpose, as in sufficient time, sufficient money or sufficient evidence.
| Usage | Explanation | |
|---|---|---|
| It is used when something is more than necessary for an action or situation. | ||
| It is used when an amount is notable or considerable without being exact. | ||
| It is always used with the same form in the masculine and feminine singular. | ||
| It remains unchanged in number when it modifies a singular noun. |
Several, Some and Others
Several and some refer to an indefinite quantity, but always in the plural. Several indicates more than one without precision and usually suggests a certain number: several days, several people. Some indicates an inexact part of a group: some friends, some doubts. Both forms agree in gender and number with the noun. When the context has already named the group, they can function with a more limited value, as in some houses on the street or several of the guests.
| Word | Definition | |
|---|---|---|
| It means an undetermined number greater than one. | ||
| It means an inexact part of a group. | ||
| It means a small number of things or people. | ||
| It means a small but inexact number. | ||
| It means the remaining people or things in the group. | ||
| It means the largest part of a group. |
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Some, No and Any
Before a singular masculine noun, some and none lose the -o and become some and no: some problem, no error. Before a singular feminine noun, some and no are used: some answer, no news. In the plural, some, some and none in highly restricted uses appear, because another negative expression is normally used. Any also accompanies the noun and means that it does not matter which one within a group: any day, any person. Before the noun it can vary in the plural as any in formal registers, although it is less frequent.
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Position of the Quantitative Adjective
Quantitative adjectives usually come before the noun: many books, few hours, several proposals. That position is the most common when one is simply quantifying. After the noun, the quantitative adjective gains expressive force or a more literary tone: days many, problems few, reasons several. In postposed position, the meaning usually sounds more emphatic, marked or stylized. With some quantitative adjectives, the order after the noun is uncommon in everyday speech and appears mainly in polished texts or fixed expressions.
| Usage | Explanation | |
|---|---|---|
| It is placed before the noun in the most common use. | ||
| It can go after the noun to add emphasis or a more literary tone. | ||
| It usually appears near the noun it modifies so that the quantity is clear. |
Quantitative Adjectives as Pronouns
When the noun is omitted because it is already known from the context, the quantitative adjective functions as a pronoun: Many arrived late means that many people arrived late; Few passed means that few people passed. Much and little also appear with verbs, adjectives and adverbs to modify the idea of quantity or intensity: works a lot, is very tired, speaks little, too far, so close. In these uses, much and little do not accompany a noun, but rather the verb, adjective or adverb that they modify.
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