Tag Archives: Quantifiers

The difference between countable and uncountable nouns (unit and mass nouns)

Posted on April 12, 2017 by barnabyharward

Distinguishing between countable nouns (unit nouns) and uncountable nouns (mass nouns) can be very difficult. This area is the source of many mistakes. Unit nouns have two forms, singular and plural: e.g. a chair, chairs. You can say 1 chair, … Continue reading →

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How to use “all”, “whole” and “entire”

Posted on November 17, 2016 by barnabyharward

The words “all”, “whole” and “entire” are quantifiers. This means they indicate aspects of quantity. Their usage depends on the type of noun they describe, i.e. singular or plural, countable or uncountable. ALL “All (of the)” can generally be used … Continue reading →

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Is “data” singular or plural?

Posted on August 12, 2015 by barnabyharward

The answer is – both. The word “data” is a Latin word. It is the plural of “datum”. “Data” means facts or information; “datum” means one fact or a single item of information. “Data” and “datum” are usually used to … Continue reading →

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“Few” and “a few”; “little” and “a little”

Posted on October 18, 2010 by barnabyharward

There’s a big difference between “few” and “a few”. In fact they have opposite meanings. If you say, for example, “I have few friends”, it means you do not have many friends. However, if you say, “I have a few … Continue reading →

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