Determiners, Quantifiers & Countability

Countable and uncountable nouns

Countable nouns can normally be counted individually: one suggestion, two suggestions.

Uncountable nouns are treated as a mass or category: advice, information, research, equipment.

Uncountable nouns normally do not take a plural -s or a/an.

Many and much

Use many with plural countable nouns: many students, many reasons.

Use much with uncountable nouns: much information, much time.

In affirmative everyday English, a lot of is often more natural than much.

Few, a few, little and a little

Few and little often emphasise that the amount is smaller than wanted.

A few and a little usually mean that some exists.

• Few students responded = not many responded.
• A few students responded = some responded.
• There is little evidence = not much evidence.
• There is a little evidence = some evidence exists.

Some and any

Some is common in affirmative statements; any is common in negatives and many questions.

But meaning and situation matter: Would you like some help? uses some because the speaker is offering something rather than neutrally asking whether any help exists.

Each, every, all and both

Each focuses on members individually. Every treats members of a group one by one but refers to the complete set. All normally combines with plural or uncountable nouns. Both refers to two.

These choices can also affect subject–verb agreement.

Weak: The report gives many useful informations and a few advice.

Better: The report gives a lot of useful information and some useful advice.

Information and advice are uncountable in standard English, so they do not normally take plural -s or a/an.

1. Identify the noun the determiner or quantifier belongs to.
2. Decide whether the noun is countable, uncountable or can be used in both ways with different meanings.
3. Check whether the noun is singular or plural.
4. Choose a determiner that matches the noun type and intended meaning.
5. Check whether the determiner affects verb agreement.
6. Read the full sentence to make sure the quantity meaning is what you intended.

Mistake: an advice / two advices.

Better: some advice / two pieces of advice.

Mistake: much students.

Better: many students.

Mistake: few information.

Better: little information.

Mistake: Every students are ready.

Better: Every student is ready.

Which sentence means that some evidence exists, although not a large amount?

• A. There is few evidence.
• B. There is a little evidence.
• C. There are a little evidence.
• D. There is many evidence.

Answer: B. Evidence is uncountable, and a little means that some amount exists.

• Countability controls many determiner and quantifier choices.
• Many/few go with plural countable nouns; much/little go with uncountable nouns.
• A few and a little are more positive than few and little.
• Some and any depend on sentence type and communicative purpose.
• Each, every, all and both express different relationships to a group.
• Determiners can affect subject–verb agreement.