Common Collocations in English

Collocation Examples

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Introduction. A collocation is a pair or group of words that habitually appear together. Adjectives and nouns can have a particular collocation to convey a specific meaning.

There are two types of quantifiers: universal quantifier and existential quantifier.

Quantifiers are words put before nouns to show how many there are. ‘A few’, ‘some’, ‘seven’ and ‘all’ are quantifiers. Pelmanism games are a good way to practise quantifiers, as is using the realia of the classroom itself, for example ‘some chairs’, ‘a few students’, ‘all the books’ etc.

A quantifier is a word or phrase which is used before a noun to indicate the amount or quantity: ‘Some’, ‘many’, ‘a lot of’ and ‘a few’ are examples of quantifiers. Quantifiers can be used with both countable and uncountable nouns. He’s got only a few dollars.

We use quantifiers when we want to give someone information about the number of something: how much or how many. Sometimes we use a quantifier in the place of a determiner: Most children start school at the age of five. We ate some bread and butter.

Some and any are used to state the quantity, amount of something. When using some or any, the exact number is not stated. Some and any are quantifiers. The exact number is not important or relevant. Some and any are used with countable and uncountable nouns.

1: Any can be used in a positive sentence to mean ‘it’s not important which one’. When we use any in this way, it’s most often used with singular countable nouns: You can take any bus.

Some as a determiner. We use some before nouns to refer to indefinite quantities. Although the quantity is not important or not defined, using some implies a limited quantity: Can you get me some milk? (The quantity isn’t specified. Some suggests a normal amount, not an unlimited amount..

In general, any is used in negative sentences and questions:

1. I didn’t get any nice presents for Christmas this year.
2. I looked in the cupboard but I couldn’t find any biscuits.
3. I don’t need any help.
4. She’s so rude.
5. I don’t have anything to wear to the dance.
6. I’m not hungry.
7. Do you have any brothers or sisters?

The Difference Between SOME and ANY As a general rule, we use ‘some’ for affirmative sentences, and ‘any’ for questions or negative sentences. Usually, both ‘some’ and ‘any’ can only be used with countable plural nouns or uncountable nouns.

The general rule is that any is used for questions and negatives while some is used for positive. Both may be used with countable and uncountable nouns. Some may also be used for questions, typically offers and requests, if we think the answer will be positive. …