English grammar: 100 main rules

All the milk wasfresh.

All the book wastorn out.

Note

You may use the whole + noun instead of all the + noun

when it goes with a singular countable noun.

The wholebook was torn out.

– If all precedes other noun modifiers (the, this, my, etc), then it can be used either as all + noun, or all of + noun.

Andrew invitedall his (all of his)friends.

It's important to answerall the (all of the)questions.

Note

Use all of before object pronouns, but just all after them.

Andrew invitedall of them (them all).

All of you (You all)have various questions.

– As the subject it agrees with either singular or plural verb, that depends on the context.

Allis well that ends well.

Allhave gone.

– If the subject is a personal pronoun, then all is put between and the verb.

Wealldecided to dinner out the next day.

Theyallskate in winter.

– If there is a linking verb, an auxiliary or modal one, then all goes after the first verb.

We areallhere.

They haveallseen the movie.

You shouldalltake part in this conference.

Note

All is quite often substituted by comounds everybody, everyone, everything.

Allare happy. => Everyone is happy.

Allis ready. => Everything is ready.

both

– with plural countables

– refers to two persons or things

I likeboth(ties).

Both(applicants) are equally experienced.

– agrees with a plural verb

Which project is better?Bothare good.

– Use of between both and another determiner.

Both of theserestaurants are expensive.

Olivia knowsboth of hisbrothers.

– Use both of with a personal object pronoun (him, her, them, etc); use both after a personal subject pronoun (he, she, they).

Both ofthem (They both) are suitable.

It's a game thatboth ofus (we both) can play.

RULE 26. Many/Much, Few/Little, Enough

many/much

– many with countable nouns; much with uncountable nouns

– refer to indefinitely large number of things or persons

Are theremanybooks on the desk?

Will it takemuchtime to get to the centre?

– mostly used in negative sentences and questions

Howmanyfriends have you got?

There isn'tmuchsense in it.

– If many/much are determined by as, so, too, very, use them in affirmative sentences as well.