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Quantifiers and
Indefinite Pronouns
(part 1)

Presentation / Objective

In this topic, you can review the use of indefinite quantifiers and pronouns through affirmations, negatives and questions, to express the existence or absence of something or someone in a non-specific way.

At the same time, you will explore through communicative activities and meaningful activities courtesy rules in the workplace.

Through learning activities and self-assessment, it is intended that you put into practice the grammatical issues reviewed to achieve the proper use of indefinite pronouns and quantifiers.

I suggest you check all the material and read the instructions for each activity carefully, to keep on learning English and have fun.

You are welcome to this unit!

Objective

By the end of this topic, you will:
Recognize quantifiers and their use in affirmative, negative and interrogative sentences for the existence of something or someone; know how indefinite pronouns are constructed and the contexts in which they are used in a non-specific way through activities related to the working environment.

Content

Anybody can learn something

Heiber, W. (2014). Men Employees Suit Work Greeting Business Office [photo].
Retrieved on 2017, May 25 from https://pixabay.com/photo-1979261/

Think of the answers to these questions:

Is there anybody wearing casual clothes?
Is there anything you don’t like about this kind of job?
Are there some advantages of working in an office?
Is there somebody you know who works like in the photo?

Do you know the use of these words?

any,

some,

anybody,

anything,

somebody

We use quantifiers (with words like before, when, until and by the time) as determiners to express or indicate the quantity of something. Most of the times, we use any or some in non-affirmative contexts or to refer to unspecified things.

 

Uses of Quantifiers and Indefinite Pronouns

Click on each use to see some examples.

SOME

vivienviv0. (2014). Friends Celebration Dinner Table Meal Food White [photo]. Retrieved on 2017, May 25 from https://pixabay.com/photo-581753/

Where were you yesterday? I was with some friends.
Before serving, pour some yoghurt and cereal on it.

Abdullah, S. (2016). Ballot Box Cut Out Voting White Background [image]. Retrieved on 2017, May 25 from https://pixabay.com/photo-1359527/

Some eighty percent of the people voted in the elections.

• When we can’t say exactly which person or thing we are talking about because we don’t know, can’t remember, or we want to emphasize that it is not important, we can use it with a singular noun.

Skitterphoto. (2016). Speaking Presentation Man Person Conference [photo]. Retrieved on 2017, May 25 from https://pixabay.com/photo-1453068/

He was interrupted by some troublemaker in the audience.

Pexels. (2016). People Shopping Streets [photo]. Retrieved on 2017, May 25 from https://pixabay.com/photo-1838754/

Henry bought something in that shop in New Street.

The teacher asked someone to open the door.

Adamovich, O. (2016). Girls Whispering Best Friends Young Teen Secret [photo]. Retrieved on 2017, May 25 from https://pixabay.com/photo-914823/

Someone / Somebody is not telling the truth. (There is some person who is not telling the truth).

caio_triana. (2016). Work Stressed Accounts [photo]. Retrieved on 2017, May 25 from https://pixabay.com/photo-2005640/


I didn’t want to repeat something so rude of Paul.



ANY

Tluke. (2010). Jar Ball Jar Glass Glass Jar [photo]. Retrieved on 2017, May 25 from https://pixabay.com/photo-106855/

There is not any sugar left.
It’s impossible to see anything in the dark.

PublicDomainPictures. (2009). Female Girl Isolated Looking [photo]. Retrieved on 2017, May 25 from https://pixabay.com/photo-15814/


Do you have any brothers or sisters? I didn’t have the tickets, but we got into the theater without any difficulty.

Wittlieb, E. (2017). Living Room Chair Sofa [photo]. Retrieved on 2017, May 25 from https://pixabay.com/photo-2155376/

I cleared the mess before anyone saw it.
The fabric felt softer than anything she had ever touched before.

Exercise 1

This or that pronoun?

Begin to implement what you have learned so far. Are you able to recognize which quantifier or indefinite pronoun corresponds in the following exercises?

Remember that you can check the content section as many times as necessary.

 

Exercise 2

Choose wisely!

In this case, write the correct quantifier or indefinite pronouns in the gaps.

Read the phrase carefully. The context will tell you which is the best option. Do not forget to check the spelling of your answer and write it in lowercase letters.

 

Reading

Activity 1

Are you working for a small business or a big enterprise? Is there any difference?

StartupStockPhotos. (2014). Entrepreneur Startup Start-Up Man Woman Team [photo]. Retrieved on 2017, May 25 from https://pixabay.com/photo-593362/

• Is there any place you’d like to work for?
• What are the differences between working for a small business or a big company?
• Is there anything you’d like to know about big enterprises?

Read the text about working for different places: small businesses or big companies. Pay close attention to vocabulary and what the general idea of the book is.

Working for a small business or
for a big enterprise?
Is there any difference?

 

Listening

Activity 2

When someone works…

Unsplash. (2014). Corporate Businessman Suit [photo]. Retrieved on 2017, May 25 from https://pixabay.com/photo-593362/

Are there any disadvantages of having a good or a bad boss?

What kind of problems could you have if you have a terrible boss?

Listen to the conversation between Alan and Kathy and pay close attention to the use of indefinite pronouns.



 

Writing

Activity 3

My own business

coffeebeanworks. (2017). Web Mockup Small Business [photo]. Retrieved on 2017, May 25 from https://pixabay.com/photo-1953129/

Imagine you have your own business or office. Think about the rules or actions your employees can do in their job.

Write a set of 10 rules using quantifiers and indefinite pronouns. Follow the example and evaluate your sentences yourself with the rubric.:

  • In my office, there is not anyone who is not appreciated as a worker.
  • In my office, you can have some good perks.

 

 

Speaking

Activity 4

Random sentences

Aguilar, V. (2011). That's Not My Job, Sherlock Holmes Museum, London [photo]. Retrieved on 2017, May 25 from https://flic.kr/p/aDgejF

Look at these quantifiers and indefinite pronouns:

any some anything
something anybody
somebody anyone someone

Write ten sentences where you can use the words in the box at least once. Take into account aspects of daily life, work environment, courtesy rules and other situations where you can use quantifiers and indefinite pronouns

Check the grammar, practice your speaking and record your sentences. Before recording, check the rubrics know the aspects you will be evaluated on.

  

When you are ready, you can record your voice here.

Self-assessment

Choose the word!

Finally, let's put into practice what you learned. Are you able to recognize which quantifier or indefinite pronoun corresponds in the following exercises?

Remember that you can go back to the content section as many times as necessary.

 

 

Is there anything correct?

 

Finally, let's put into practice what you learned. Are you able to recognize which quantifier or indefinite pronoun corresponds in the following exercises?

Remember that you can go back to the content section as many times as necessary.


References

Basic references

• Hewings, Martin. (2005). Advanced Grammar in Use. Cambridge: CUP (2nd ed).
• Murphy, R. (2012).English Grammar in Use. Intermediate. Cambridge: CUP [4th ed].

Complementary references

•BBC Learning English. (2014). Grammar Challenge. Subject-verb agreement 2 - singular and plural subjects. Retrieved on 2017, April 13 from Retrieved 13/04/17 from http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/radio/specials/1056_gramchallenge48/
• British Council. (2017). Indefinite Pronouns. Retrieved on 2017, April 13 from https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/es/english-grammar/pronouns/indefinite-pronouns