¿Qué expresan los cuantificadores?
¿Qué tipo de palabra piensas que es el cuantificador del inglés?
some & any
algo, algún, alguno (a/s)
We use some and any for an amount which is not known e.g. Have you got any crisps?
some: affirmative statements, offers, requests and in questions when you expect the answer ›yes‹
any: negative statements, questions
Have you got any bananas? No, we haven't got any. But we've got some oranges.
I would like to buy fruit at a market. I see the man has wonderful apples so I can ask him:
Can I have some of these apples?
If I do not see apples or if I am not sure whether there are apples at all I use any in this question.
Have you got any apples?
compunds of some & any
palabras compuestas con some & any
The compounds with some and any are used like the single words some/any.
something, anything
There is something wrong with our car.
someone, anyone*
There is someone at the door.
somebody, anybody*
I would like to be somebody.
someday
Someday he'll be rich.
sometime, anytime
We saw her sometime last month.
sometimes
I sometimes take the bus to school.
someplace, anyplace, somewhere, anywhere
Can't you sing somewhere else?
somehow, anyhow, someway, anyway
She looked ill, somehow.
anymore
I can't help you anymore.
* The compounds someone/anyone and somebody/anybody are nearly identical.
someone is used for a more special person and somebody for a person in general.
There's someone at the door.
I'd like to be somebody.
much & many
mucho, muchos
much: uncountable nouns (milk, marmalade, money, time etc.)
many: countable nouns (bottles of milk, jars of marmalade, dollars, minutes etc.)
Examples:
How much money have you got?
How many dollars have you got?
In informal English these questions are often answered with a lot of, lots of. There is no much difference between the two phrases.
a little & a few
poco, pocos
a little: non countable nouns (milk, marmalade, money, time etc.)
a few: countable nouns (bottles of milk, jars of marmalade, dollars, minutes etc.)
Examples:
He has a little money left.
He has a few dollars left.
We use few and little without the article a to point out a more negative meaning.
Examples:
A few students of our school know this. (There are some student who know it.)
Few students know this. (It is almost unknown.)
each & every
cada
The words each and every have similar meanings.
Each/Every time I go to work, the red car is parked in front of the office.
But each and every are not always interchangeable. There are situations where you can either use each or every.
each is used when you see the persons in a group as individuals.
every is used when you see the persons in a group as a unit.
The word each can be used alone or before an of-phrase.
There are two boys. Each is smiling.
There are 5 worksheets. Please take one of each.
The students each received a free copy of the magazine.
The manager wants to speak to every employee in his office.
They enjoyed every minute of their holidays.
I get up at 6 o'clock every morning.
The show will be broadcast every other Monday.
Every time I go shopping I choose the wrong queue.
There's a tram every ten minutes.
If each is used after a subject in the plural (the girls), the verb is used in the plural (have):
The girls each have written an e-mail.
The girls each have written e-mails.
If every should be used in this sentence, the singular of the verb is used (has):
Every girl has written an e-mail.
a lot of / lots of
mucho
These phrases are mainly used in informal English – lots of sounds a bit more informal than a lot of. Both forms are used in singular and in plural sentences.
It is not the phrase a lot of or lots of which determines singular or plural, but the noun of the sentence (here: water and computers).
A lot of water is wasted.
Lots of water is wasted.
A lot of computers are needed at schools.
Lots of computers are needed at schools.
In formal English we use plenty of or much and many instead of a lot of/lots of.
Plenty of water is wasted.
Much water is wasted.
Plenty of computers are needed at schools.
Many computers are needed at schools.
References:
https://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises_list/mengen.htm
https://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/grammar_list/mengen.htm