2014-10-02 Structure: quantifiers (article test tomorrow)

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Homework: finish 10.3 (a/an/the) and do 10.4 (a/an/the/Ø) on the handout
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10.4
1 the (probably only one airport in Charlottesville)
2 The (there's only one director of the school)
3 a
4 The
5 a
6 a
7 the (they are specifically my suitcases)
8 an / the
9 Ø / the
10 a
11 a
12 a
13 a
14 Ø / the
15 Ø (school, home, prison, church, hospital (BrEng) - don't need an article if we're there for the 'expected' action: study in school, pray in church, etc.)
16 a
17 a
18 Ø / the
19 Ø / the
Roads here are nice and wide.
The roads here are nice and wide.
* Roads are nice and wide. (= roads everywhere)
The roads are nice and wide. (= specific roads, for example the ones here)
20 The
21 Ø (if only some of them) / the (if all of them)
22 Ø
23 a
24 the
25 Ø
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For specific meanings, in addition to "the" we can also use possessives and this/that/these/those.

All singular count nouns must have a determiner first. (articles, quantifiers, possessives, and this/that/these/those)

*I am teacher. (WRONG)
I am a teacher.
I am the teacher.
I am your teacher.
I am one teacher.
this teacher, that teacher, another teacher, ...
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QUANTIFIERS
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Quantifiers are words that tell us the quantity of some noun (how much / how many).

COUNT NOUNS:
numbers: one book, two books, three books, etc.

each book, every book ("each" and "every" have singular grammar)

both books (= all two of the books, exactly two, from two total)

a couple of books = around two, but the exact number is not important
("a couple" as a quantifier means "more or less 2", "a couple" as people in a relationship means exactly 2.)

a few books = more than 2, but less than "several" or "many"

a couple < a few < several = a number of < many < a great many

I have a few friends. (I'm not the most popular person in the world, but I'm fine.)
I have few friends. (I'm lonely. My number of friends is very small.)
= I have a lack of friends. = I lack friends.
I have a few problems. (I have some problems that we need to fix.)
I have few problems. (Basically everything is fine, there are no serious problems.)

NONCOUNT NOUNS:
I have a little money. (It's enough and I'm still happy.)
I have little money. (I'm poor.)
I have a little trouble. (Please help me.)
I have little trouble. (I can do it without many problems.)

"much" is uncommon in simple affirmative sentences: "I have much money."
(It sounds more normal to say, "I have a lot of money.")
so much, too much, very much, not much, how much, (other questions) - these are all normal and common

I have a great deal of money. I have a large/small amount of money.

BOTH COUNT AND NONCOUNT NOUNS:
I have some money and some friends. (affirmatives and questions I expect "yes" to)
Do you have any money or any friends? (negatives and other questions)
I have no money and no friends. (negatives)

I have enough money and enough friends.

I have a lot of money and a lot of friends. (= much or many)
I have lots of money. (less formal than "a lot of")

I have plenty of money and plenty of friends. (more than the minimum of "enough")

Most water is salt water. Most people have brown eyes. (more than 50%)

All water contains oxygen. All people have DNA. (= 100%)
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a couple, a lot, plenty + of
other quantifiers need "of" if the noun is specific ("the" or possessive)

Most people have brown eyes.
Most of the people here have blue eyes.
Almost all students want to learn.
Some of my students don't care.
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Homework: p. 125 exercise 1 and p. 126 exercise 2

(Articles test tomorrow.)