Grammar Practice in Context - David Bolton, Noel Goodey 1997
66 All (of), most (of), some (of), etc. Both (of), neither (of), either (of)
Quick reference
• General
Most people watch TV.
Some music is just noise.
All children need love.
No tickets were sold.
Specific
most of the people I know
some of the music I listen to
all (of) the children in my class
none of the tickets I had
With a pronoun
most of it/you/us/them
some of it/you/us/them
all of it/you/us/them
none of it/you/us/them
• Most means ’nearly all’. Some means ’a part, but not all’.
• We often leave out of after all and half.
I’ve read all of the book, or I’ve read all the book.
He ate half of the chicken, or He ate half the chicken.
• But before a pronoun (it, you, us, them) we must use of.
Where’s the meat? - The dog's eaten all of it. Look at these apples. Most of them are bad.
• We can use all, most, some, a few, etc. on their own.
Some people smoke and some don’t. Many of my friends are here, but a few didn’t come.
• We can use a singular or plural verb after none of. None of the players was/were hurt.
• Two people or two things.
Both men are dead. - Both the men are dead. = Both of the men are dead.
Neither computer works. = Neither of the computers works.
Take either umbrella. = Take either of the umbrellas.
Both of you/us/them Neither of you/us/them Either of you/us/them
• Note the position of all and both used on their own in the sentence.
The people have all gone. Have you both finished? We ’re all very tired.
1 Complete the text, using the word in brackets with or without of.
(1 Most) ... British people aren’t very good at learning foreign languages. (2 Some) ... them speak one language very badly and (3 many) ... them don’t speak any foreign languages at all. Nearly (4 all) ... them have studied a language at school, but only (5 a few) ... them remember what they’ve learned. When they go abroad, (6 most) ... British tourists expect all foreigners to speak English. A Greek friend of mine said that (7 all) ... British tourists were lazy and could only say please and thank you in Greek. Last year I went with (8 some) ... my friends to Amalfi in Italy. The weather was beautiful, so we spent (9 most) ... the time oh the beach. (10 A few) ... the people on the beach were English. I don’t think (11 any) ... them could speak a word of Italian. One couple spent (12 half) ... the time complaining about the food and (13 half) ... the time complaining that (14 none) ... the taxi drivers spoke English. This wasn’t true, because we found that (15 most) ... Amalfi taxi drivers spoke English. But (16 a lot) ... them refused to speak English to (17 some) ... customers -the customers who didn’t make (18 much) ... effort to speak a word of Italian! (19 All) ... tourists should try to remember that, (20 all) ... the time they’re in a foreign country, they’re guests and not members of an invading army.
2 Read the information about these two cars.
a) Say if these sentences about the two cars are true or false.
1 Both cars have got a CD player.
2 Both of the cars have got air-conditioning.
3 Neither car has got an in-car phone.
4 There isn’t an airbag in either of the cars.
5 Neither car A nor car В has got electric windows.
6 Both the cars have got 4-wheel drive.
7 Neither of the cars has got power steering.
8 There aren’t sports seats in either of them.
9 Neither of them has got alloy wheels.
10 Both of them have got automatic transmission.
b) Now use both (of), neither (of) or either (of) to complete these sentences.
11 ... the cars have got an airbag.
12 There isn’t an in-car phone in ... them.
13 ... car has got 4-wheel drive.
14 ... them have got electric windows.
15 ... cars have got alloy wheels.
3 I went with some friends to Florida last summer. Put all or both in the right position. Mark the position with a *. There is sometimes more than one possible position.
1 (all) We were tired after the journey.
2 (all) We went to bed as soon as we arrived at the hotel.
3 (both) After sleeping for three hours Sophie and I were feeling hungry.
4 (both x2) We hate airline food, so we’d eaten nothing on the plane.
5 (both) We decided to have a sandwich at the hotel bar.
6 (both) The barman asked: ’Do you want relish with the sandwich?’
7 (both) I wasn’t sure what relish was, so we said no.
8 (all x2) The others were feeling energetic, so they went for a swim in the hotel pool.
4 Write ten sentences about your family. Use as many of the following expressions as possible: All (of), most (of), some (of), none (of), both (of), neither (of), either (of).
Check your sentences with a teacher.