Quantifiers: All, most, both, either, neither, any, no, none

All, most: Grammar chart

Download full-size image from Pinterest

All

All + noun / all (of) the/my/etc. + noun / all + object pronoun

We can use all + noun to talk about all things or people in general or all (of) the/my/etc. + noun to talk about specific things or people.

• All plants need water.
• All (of) the plants in the garden were burned.

We can also use all of + object pronoun.

• All of them were at the event. 
• She invited all of us to dinner.

Mid position

We can also use all in mid position. That is before the main verb or after the verb be when it is the main verb. Or after the first auxiliary verb when there are auxiliary verbs.

• We all went.
• They were all happy.
• We can all be there when she arrives.

All + time expression

We say all day, all night, all month, all year, etc. to mean ‘the entire day/night/month/etc.’

• I studied all day and all night.
• We’ll be here all week. 

❗ Note that we don’t use an article or a preposition when we use all + time expression.

• We didn’t see them in all the day.
• We didn’t see them all day.

Everything/everybody + verb (NOT all + verb)

You shouldn’t use all on itself as the subject of the sentence.

• All is big in the U.S. 
• Everything is big in the U.S. 
• All were at the party. 
• Everybody was at the party.

Most

Most + noun / most of the/my/etc. + noun / most of + object pronoun

We can use most + noun to talk about all people or things in general or most of the/my/etc. + noun to talk about specific people or things.

• Most people trust science.
• Most of the people at the club were underage.

We can also use most of + object pronoun.

• Most of us come from poor families. 
• They arrested most of them.

Both, either, neither – Grammar chart

Download full-size image from Pinterest

Both

Both A and B

We can use both A and B to refer to all the elements in a group of two things.

• Both Jane and Margaret passed the exam.

Both (of the) + noun / both of + object pronoun

We can also use both (of the) + noun or both of + object pronoun to refer to two things or people.

• Both (of the) students passed the exam.
• Both of them passed the exam.

Mid position

Both, like all, can be used in mid position.

• We both went. 
• They were both happy. 
• We can both be there when she arrives. 

Either

We use either to refer to a choice between two possibilities.

Either A or B

• They’ll be here either on Monday or on Tuesday.
• Either Carla or her sisters is/are going to be there when you arrive. 

Either + singular noun

• Either candidate is a good option.

Either of the + plural noun

• Either of the candidates is/are a good option.

Either + object pronoun

• Either of them is/are a good option.
• I don’t like either of them.

Either as a pronoun (not followed by noun)

• ‘Would you like tea or coffee?’ ‘Either is fine.’

❗ Note that when we use either in the subject, we can always use a singular verb, but the verb can also be plural if it appears after a plural noun.

Neither

Neither is a negative word that we use only with positive verbs to mean ‘not either of two things or people’.

Neither A nor B

• I have neither the patience nor the time to wait here all morning. 
• Neither Jack nor his mates is/are a good influence for you. 

Neither + singular noun

• Neither candidate is a good option.

Neither of the + plural noun

• Neither of the candidates is/are a good option.

Neither of + object pronoun

• Neither of them is/are a good option.
• I like neither of them.

Neither as a pronoun (not followed by noun)

• ‘Do you like tea or coffee?’ ‘Neither.’

❗ Note that when we use neither in the subject, we can always use a singular verb, but the verb can also be plural if it appears after a plural noun.

No, any, none – Grammar chart

Download full-size image from Pinterest

No vs any

We use no + noun in affirmative sentences, and we use any + noun in negatives and questions.

• I have no friends.
• I don’t have any friends. 
• Do you have any friends?

Any as a pronoun

We can also use any as a pronoun, i.e. not followed by a noun.

• ‘Is there any milk left?’ ‘No, there isn’t any.’

Any in affirmative sentences

We can also use any in affirmative sentences when it means ‘one or some, but it is not important which’.

• You can come any weekend.
• Any idiot would know how to use this phone.

None

We use none as a pronoun, i.e. not followed by a noun.

• ‘How many friends do you have?’ ‘None.’

We can also use none of + noun/pronoun

• None of the students is from France.
• None of them is from France.