Quantifiers

You already know how to use quantifiers like many, much, few, little, some, and any with the right type of noun. Now you will learn to use quantifiers with greater precision and discover new ones that help you express exact amounts.

What You'll Learn

In Primary 4, you will learn to:

• Match quantifiers precisely to countable and uncountable nouns, including tricky nouns
• Use enough, plenty of, too many, and too much correctly
• Tell the difference between each and every
• Handle nouns that look uncountable but are actually countable, and the other way round

When to Use

1. Saying there is the right amount: "We have enough chairs for everyone in the class."
2. Saying there is more than enough: "There is plenty of food at the hawker centre."
3. Saying there is too much of something: "There are too many people on the bus." / "There is too much noise in the canteen."
4. Saying there is almost none left: "There is hardly any milk in the fridge."
5. Talking about every single one: "Each pupil received a sticker." / "Every child must bring a water bottle."

How to Form

Quantifiers That Show "Enough" or "Too Much"

"Each" vs "Every"

Both mean "all of them, one by one", but they are used slightly differently:

Key difference: Use each when thinking of people or things separately. Use every when thinking of the group as a whole.

"Hardly any" and "Almost no"

These expressions mean "very, very little" or "very, very few":

Tricky Nouns -- Countable or Uncountable?

Some nouns surprise you. Getting them right is important for choosing the correct quantifier.

Key Rules

1. Too many vs Too much: Use too many with countable nouns and too much with uncountable nouns. "There are too many cars on the road." / "There is too much traffic on the road."
2. Enough comes before the noun: Unlike adjectives, enough appears before the noun. "We have enough food." (Not "We have food enough.")
3. Each takes a singular noun: Always use a singular noun after each. "Each pupil has a textbook." (Not "Each pupils have textbooks.")
4. Every takes a singular noun too: Like each, every is followed by a singular noun and a singular verb. "Every shop is closed on Sunday."
5. Hardly any = almost none: Use hardly any when the amount is very small, almost zero. It works with both countable and uncountable nouns. "There are hardly any mangoes at the market."
6. Learn the tricky uncountable nouns: Nouns like furniture, luggage, advice, information, and news are always uncountable in English. Never add -s to them.

Common Mistakes

Clue Words

Countable noun clues (use too many, too few, each, every):

people, students, books, apples, chairs, questions, cars, pupils, cookies, birds

Uncountable noun clues (use too much, too little, enough, plenty of):

water, homework, time, money, sugar, traffic, furniture, luggage, advice, information, news

Words that signal "right amount" or "more than enough":

• enough -- the right amount, not too little
• plenty of -- more than enough, no need to worry

Words that signal "almost none":

• hardly any -- very little or very few, almost zero
• almost no -- similar to hardly any

Tip: When you see a noun, ask two questions: (1) "Can I count it?" and (2) "Is the sentence about too much, too little, or just right?" Your answers will guide you to the correct quantifier.

Practice Tips

1. The Plural Test: Try making the noun plural. If it sounds natural ("books", "chairs"), it is countable -- use too many, too few, each, or every. If it sounds wrong ("furnitures", "informations"), it is uncountable -- use too much or too little.
2. The "One by One" Check for Each vs Every: If you are picturing each person or item separately, choose each. If you are thinking about the group as a whole, choose every. "Each player shook hands with the coach." (One by one.) / "Every player wore a red jersey." (All of them.)
3. The Enough Placement Rule: Remember that enough goes before the noun but after an adjective. "We have enough paper." (Before noun.) / "The rope is long enough." (After adjective.)
4. Spot the Tricky Nouns: Keep a list of nouns that are always uncountable: furniture, luggage, advice, information, news, homework, traffic. When you see them, never use many or too many -- use much, a lot of, or too much instead.

Quick Reference