Collins Cobuild English Grammar (51 page)

Here is a list of quantity expressions that are only used with plural noun phrases:

another of

both of

certain of

each of

either of

few of

fewer of

many of

neither of

numbers of

one of

several of

various of

~

a couple of

a few of

a good many of

a great many of

a number of

For more information about
each of
see paragraphs
2.186
to
2.187
, about
fewer of
see paragraph
2.189
, and about
a number of
see paragraphs
2.191
to
2.192
.

Note that
neither of
is used in a similar way to
either of
when you are talking about two things in negative clauses. This is explained in paragraph
5.79
.

with uncountable nouns and singular nouns

2.183
  A few quantity expressions are only used with uncountable nouns and singular noun phrases.

Much of
the day was taken up with classes.
This is
a bit of
a change.
There was
a good deal of
smoke.
If you use rich milk, pour off
a little of
the cream.
I spent
the whole of
last year working there.

Here is a list of quantity expressions only used with uncountable nouns and singular noun phrases:

less of

little of

much of

part of

~

a bit of

a little bit of

a good deal of

a great deal of

a little of

~

the whole of

For more information about
less of
see paragraph
2.189
.

with plural nouns and uncountable nouns

2.184
  A very few quantity expressions are used only with plural noun phrases and uncountable nouns.

…the seizure of vast
quantities
of illegal weapons.
Very large
quantities of
aid were needed.
They had
loads of
things to say about each other.
We had
loads of
room.
…
plenty of
the men.
Make sure you give
plenty
of notice.

Here is a list of quantity expressions that are only used with plural noun phrases and uncountable nouns:

plenty of

quantities of

~

gobs of
(American)

heaps of

loads of

masses of

tons of

Note that when the second group in this list are used with an uncountable noun as the subject of a verb, the verb is singular, even though the quantity expression looks plural.

Masses and
masses of
food
was
left over.

with all types of noun

2.185
  Some quantity expressions can be used with plural nouns, with singular nouns, or with uncountable nouns.

…
some of
the most distinguished men of our time.
We did
some of
the journey by night.
Some of
the gossip was surprisingly accurate.

Here is a list of quantity expressions that are used with plural nouns, singular nouns, or uncountable nouns:

all of

any of

enough of

lots of

more of

most of

none of

some of

~

an amount of

a lot of

a quantity of

~

the remainder of

the rest of

Note that
an amount of
is nearly always used with an adjective such as
small
:
a small amount of
. This is explained in paragraph
2.191
.

Note also that when
lots of
is used with an uncountable noun as the subject of a verb, the verb is singular, even though the quantity expression looks plural.

He thought that
lots of
lovely money
was
the source of happiness.

Any of
is explained more fully in paragraph
2.188
.

USAGE NOTE

2.186
  When you want to refer to each member of a particular group, you can use
each of
and a plural noun phrase.

Each of
the drawings is slightly different.
We feel quite differently about
each of
our children.
Work out how much you can afford to pay
each of
them.

Note that
each one
and
every one
can be used before
of
instead of
each
, for emphasis.

This view of poverty influences
each one
of us.
Every one
of them is given a financial target.

BE CAREFUL

2.187
  When the quantity expression
each of
is used with a plural noun phrase, the verb after the noun phrase is always singular.

USAGE NOTE

2.188
  
Any of
can refer to one or several people or things, or to part of something. Note that if it is the subject of a verb, when it refers to several things, the verb is plural, and when it refers to a part of something, the verb is singular.

She has those coats. She might have been wearing
any of
them.
Hardly
any of
these find their way into consumer products.
Has
any of
this been helpful?
It was more expensive than
any of
the other magazines we were normally able to afford.

2.189
  There are three comparative quantity expressions that can be used before noun phrases.
Less of
is usually used with singular nouns and uncountable nouns,
fewer of
is usually used with plural nouns, and
more of
is used with all three types of noun.

I enjoy cooking far more now, because I do
less of
it.
Fewer of
these children will become bored.
He was far
more of
an existentialist.

Note that
more of
is sometimes used in front of a noun phrase to intensify it.

He could hardly have felt
more of
a fool than he did at that moment.
She was
more of
a flirt than ever.
America is much
more of
a classless society.

Note also that
less of
is sometimes used instead of
fewer of
, but many people think that this is not correct.

omitting
of

2.190
  When the context makes it clear, or when you think that the person you are talking to will understand what you mean, you can sometimes reduce the structure to the quantity word only. For example, if you are talking about applications for a job and there were twenty candidates, you can say
Some were very good
rather than
Some of them were very good
.