EXPRESSIONS

Pay attention to the expressions you can use in front of a noun or in front of an adjective + noun structure:

1

WITH COUNTABLE NOUNS

many   another   both   each   every
either   neither   a few   few   several   various

2

WITH UNCOUNTABLE NOUNS

much    a little    little

3

WITH BOTH KINDS OF NOUN

a lot of    lots of    all    most
any    some    no    other

Many –not all of them– may also be used as pronouns. Let us check the following text:,

Firewalking has little to do with mind over matter. A hundred people crossed the coals. None had had any "spiritual training" but all were able to walk home comfortably.

You can also use the pattern:

all/another etc.  +  of (+ the/this/my etc.) + noun/pronoun

Some examples are: all of the increase, some of her students, neither of them, most of us.

SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THE EXAMPLES

You may find the following tips very useful:

A

Each foot is in contact with the embers.

Why can't you say Every foot here?

Every is used for more than two, and a person only has two feet!!

What happens if you say Both feet?

You must say: Both feet are in contact with the embers.

B

Firewalking has little to do with mind over matter.

Can you rephrase this using much?

Firewalking doesn't have much to do with mind over matter.

How does using a little change the meaning?

A little makes the meaning positive rather than negative.

C

Few people thought they would be able to walk on fire.

How does using A few instead of Few change the meaning?

A few makes the meaning positive rather than negative, but indicates not a large number of people.

And what about using Several instead of Few?

Several indicates more people than a few but still not a large number.

On the next page you can practise this grammar.