Quantifiers

A few and few, a little and little

These expressions show the speaker’s attitude towards the quantity he/she is referring to.

A few (for countable nouns) and a little (for uncountable nouns) describe the quantity in a positive way:

“I’ve got a few friends” (= maybe not many, but enough)

“I’ve got a little money” (= I’ve got enough to live on)

Few and little describe the quantity in a negative way:

Few people visited him in hospital (= he had almost no visitors)

He had little money (= almost no money)

Some and any

Some and any are used with countable and uncountable nouns, to describe an indefinite or incomplete amount.

Some is used in positive statements.

It is also used in questions where we are sure about the answer.

“Did he give you some tea?” (= I’m sure he did.)

“Is there some fruit juice in the fridge?” (= I think there is)

Some is used where the question is not a request for information, but a way of making a request, encouraging or giving an invitation.

“Could I have some books, please?”

“Why don’t you take some books home with you?”

Any is used in questions and with not in negative statements.

“Have you got any tea?”

“He didn’t give me any tea.”

“I don’t think we’ve got any tea left.”

Any can also be used in positive statements to mean ‘no matter which’, ‘no matter who’, ‘no matter what’:

“You can borrow any of my books.”

“They can choose anything from the menu.”

“You may invite anybody to dinner, I don’t mind who comes.”

Enough

Enough is placed before the noun, to indicate the quantity required or necessary:

“There is enough bread for lunch.”
“She has enough money.”

Enough is also used with adjectives and adverbs:

“We didn’t have enough time to visit The London Museum.”
“Is there enough milk for breakfast?”
“She has enough talent to become an international pop star.”