Agreement - Quantity Phrases

Quantity Phrases

Indicating how much or how many

Quantifier vs. Phrase Agreement

QUANTIFIER AGREEMENT	PHRASE AGREEMENT
With some quantifier phrases, the quantifier agrees with the verb.	With other quantifier phrases, the closest noun in the "of phrase" agrees with the verb.
VERB AGREES WITH QUANTIFIER OF PHRASE Each kid knows the answer. (always singular)	VERB AGREES WITH PHRASE NOUN Most of the kids know the answer. (plural)
Each of the kids knows the answer. (always singular)	Most of the class knows the answer. (singular)

QUANTIFIER AGREEMENT

PHRASE AGREEMENT

With some quantifier phrases, the quantifier agrees with the verb.

With other quantifier phrases, the closest noun in the "of phrase" agrees with the verb.

VERB AGREES WITH QUANTIFIER OF PHRASE

Each kid knows the answer. (always singular)

VERB AGREES WITH PHRASE NOUN

Most of the kids know the answer. (plural)

Each of the kids knows the answer. (always singular)

Most of the class knows the answer. (singular)

Pattern 1a: Singular Quantifier Agreement

SINGULAR QUANTIFIER	QUANTIFIER PHRASE	SINGULAR VERB FORM
INDEFINITE GROUP ANY	Any child (ex. Do any children need love?)	needs love.
EVERY	Every child	needs love.
DEFINITE GROUP EACH/ EACH OF	Each child / Each of the children	needs love.
ONE / ONE OF	*One child / One of my children	needs help.
MORE THAN ONE OF	More than one of the kids	needs help.
NO + ONE — NONE/ NONE OF / NOT ONE OF	**None / None of my children	needs help.
NEITHER / NEITHER OF (not one or the other) EITHER / EITHER OF (one or the other – not sure which one)	Neither child / Neither of my children	wants help.
MUCH OF / LITTLE OF	Much of the class	wants help.

*One ("a") child needs a cookie. NOT: We want one (1–quantity) child.
**none / none of – Formal usage agrees with the quantifier; informal usage agrees with the noun.
Also see: (neither...nor)

Pattern 1b: Plural Quantifier Agreement

QUANTIFIER	QUANTIFIER PHRASE	PLURAL VERB FORM
INDEFINITE GROUP ALL	All children (*All child)	need love.
MOST	Most children (*Most child)	need love.
SOME	Some children (*Some child)	need love.
MANY / SEVERAL / FEW	Many children (Many/Few child)	need love.
MOST	Most children	need love.
DEFINITE GROUP BOTH	Both children / Both of the children / Both of my children	need love.
A COUPLE OF / A GROUP OF / A LOT OF / A HALF OF / A MAJORITY OF / A NUMBER OF / A GREAT DEAL OF / A NUMBER OF / A LOT OF / SEVERAL OF/ PLENTY OF / MOST OF / SOME OF/ MANY OF/ A FEW OF	A couple of the children ( A number children, plenty children, but a couple children, a dozen children – no "of".)	are absent. (plural)

*Not used. (A plural marker is not used with a singular noun).
**Some child is knocking on the door. (an unknown person)
Pop-Q "A couple" (a dozen), Pop-Q "One of the few"

Pattern 2: Phrase Noun Agreement

QUANTIFIER	CLOSEST NOUN IN PHRASE	CORRESPONDING VERB FORMS
ALL OF	All of the class (group noun) All of the kids All kids (indefinite)	knows the answer. (singular) know the answer. (plural) know anwers. (plural)
MOST OF / MANY OF / FEW OF / MUCH OF/ LITTLE OF	Most / Much of the class Most / Many of the kids Few of the kids Many kids	likes mathematics. (singular) like mathematics. (plural)
SOME OF	Some of the garden Some of the plants Some plants	needs water.(singular) need water. (plural)
HALF OF	Half of the book Half of the books *Half books	is about China. (singular) are about China. (plural)
TEN PERCENT OF	Ten percent of the cost Ten percent of the fees *Ten percent cost	is tax. (singular) are tax. (plural)
**NONE OF / NOT ANY OF	None of the class None of the children None children / None child	needs (singular) needs (singular) (formal) / need help. (plural) (informal)

*Not used
**none / none of – Formal usage agrees with the quantifier; informal usage agrees with the noun.
Also see Much / Many, Little / Few and Most /Most of the

Half

Fractional Quantities

A Half / Half a

A HALF [of a]	[a] HALF [of] A
An article (determiner) is used before a fraction: a half, a third, a fourth. A prepositional phrase is used after the quanity: of a kilo, of a dollar, of an apple. The expression a half + of a noun is often reduced to a half noun (less common with third, quarter, etc.) I'd like a half (of a) pound.	The expression a half + of a noun can be reduced to half + a noun before an expression of quantity or measurement (mile, pound, hour, degree, etc.) I'd like (a) half (of) a pound.
The Capitol is a half mile ahead. (common) % The Capitol is a quarter [of a] mile ahead. (% less common) * The Capitol is a third [of a] mile ahead. (*not used)	The Capitol is half a mile ahead. (not: half of a mile – of is usually omitted) * The Capitol isquarter a mile ahead. (*not used)
A half hour is a long time to wait. before a quantity expression % A quarter [of an] hour is a long time to wait.	Half an hour is a long time to wait. (not: half of an hour) * Quarter an hour is a long time to wait. (*not used)
We bought a half pound of peanuts. We bought one and a half pounds of peanuts. one and a half is plural	We bought half a pound of peanuts. * We bought one and half a pound of peanuts. (*not used)

Also note: We ordered a "half grapefruit". (a menu item) vs. We ate half a grapefruit. (a quantity); We ate "raw oysters on the half shell." (a menu item) vs. We ate oysters on half a shell. (a quantity-fraction)

Half of / Half

HALF OF	HALF
A prepositional phrase with of is commonly used after a fraction: a half + of a noun. (Also third, fourth, fifth, tenth, etc.)	Usually, we shorten the prepositional phrase – omitting 'of' – before a noun of measurement (inch, kilo, hour, etc.) We tend to say: 'half an inch, half a kilo, half an hour'. 'I'd like half a pound of nuts.' Include 'of' after other fractions 'a third of a pound' or with plurals 'two-thirds of a pound'.
Half of the tour was about history. before a noun	Half the tour was about history. before a noun
We spent half of our time visiting museums.	We spent half our time visiting museums.
We saw half of them. before a pronoun	*We saw half them. (Use half of before a pronoun.)
The two halves of Congress will meet. with a larger number	*The two halves Congress will meet. (Use two halves of.)

*Yellow highlighted words are examples of incorrect usage.

Quantity of

Negatives

NOT QUANTITY OF THE	NOT A UNIT OF (THE)
Use a negative word before a quantity of expression to indicate little or none.	Use not a before a unit amount to indicate few or none. Optionally, use the before the noun.
There's not much of the toilet paper left. / Little of the toilet paper is left. (some)	There's not a lot of toilet paper left. (some)
Not any of the toilet paper is left. (no amount)	Not a sheet of toilet paper is left. (0 pieces)
None of the toilet paper is left.	Not a one/ a bit/ a piece is left. one (pronoun) – refers to sheet

Also see Quantifier Unit –negative

Compare

Similar but different

Each / Each of

EACH	EACH OF
Each is followed by a singular noun and singular verb. Each takes the place of a determiner (the, his, her, their, your)	Each of is followed by a plural noun but a singular verb. Each of is commonly followed by a determiner or possessive pronoun (the, his, her, their, your)
Each runner is taking his place at the start line of the race.	Each of the runners is taking his place at the start line of the race. Each of my runners …
Each person wants to succeed. (preferred)	Each of the persons wants to succeed. (awkward sounding) Each of the people wants to succeed. (awkward sounding)

hula hoop

A number of / The number of

A NUMBER OF	THE NUMBER OF
A number of means several. When a verb follows this phrase, it is plural.	The number of states a quantity, an exact or inexact amount. When a verb follows this phrase, it is singular: is (equals, has risen, has decreased, has increased)
A number of hula hoops are pink.	The number of hula hoops is fifteen.
We saw a number of hula hoops. (several)	We saw the number of hula hoops. (Use a BE verb.) We saw that the number of hula hoops was rather small. /We noticed the number of hula hoops. (the overall amount)
A number of hula hoops have disappeared. (are missing)	The number of hula hoops has increased.

Also see: A number of / The number of (articles)

Practice 1

Quantity Expressions

Select the option (verb) that best completes the sentence.
An asterisk * indicates an incorrect answer.

#	FEEDBACK	YOUR RESPONSE
1.	Every day a busy day for me.	is are
2.	Some of my weekends free.	is are
3.	Each of my Sundays a day of rest.	is are
4.	Everyone forward to relaxing.	looks look
5.	The number of days in a year 365.	is are
6.	A quarter of my telephone minutes been used up.	has have
7.	All of the garden water.	needs need
8.	One of the roses lethal. (dangerous)	is are
9.	A number of the roses sharp thorns.	has have
10.	Two-thirds of the book very difficult to understand.	is are

Practice 2

Quantifiers with Count Nouns

Which quantifiers can be used with these count-nouns?

Put a check in the box if the quantifier and noun can be used together.
An asterisk * indicates an incorrect selection.

#	SENTENCE	CHECK THE BOX IF SENTENCE IS CORRECT	FEEDBACK
1.	Martha has two suggestions.	two	answ 1:
2.	Martha has several dreams.	several	answ 2 :
3.	Martha has some thoughts.	some	answ 3:
4.	Martha has a lot of beliefs.	a lot of	answ 4:
5.	Martha has too much plansw.	too much	answ 5:
6.	Martha has too many opinions.	too many	answ 6:
7.	Martha has few opportunities.	few	answ 7:
8.	Martha has a little impressions.	a little	answ 8:
9.	Martha has a number of concepts.	a number of	answ 9:
10.	Martha has a great deal of ideas.	a great deal of	answ 10:
11.	Martha has hardly any reactions.	hardly any	answ 11:
12.	Martha has no feelings.	no	answ 12:
13.	Martha has plenty of objections.	plenty of	answ 13:

Practice 3

Quantifiers with Noncount Nouns

Which quantifiers can be used with these noncount-nouns?

Put a check in the box if the quantifier and noun can be used together.
An asterisk * indicates an incorrect selection.

#	SENTENCE	CHECK BOX IF SENTENCE IS CORRECT	FEEDBACK
1.	Bill has two advice.	two	ANS 1:
2.	Bill has several happiness.	several	ANS 2:
3.	Bill has some fun.	some	ANS 3:
4.	Bill has a lot of honesty.	a lot of	ANS 4:
5.	Bill has too much help.	too much	ANS 5:
6.	Bill has too many luck.	too many	ANS 6:
7.	Bill has a few knowledge.	a few	ANS 7:
8.	Bill has a little time.	a little	ANS 8:
9.	Bill has a number of difficulty.	a number of	ANS 9:
10.	Bill has a great deal of intelligence.	a great deal of	ANS 10:
11.	Bill has hardly any space.	hardly any	ANS 11:
12.	Bill has no progress.	no	ANS 12:
13.	Bill has plenty of energy.	plenty of	ANS 13:

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