by R. S. Karunaratne

‘Most people’ and ‘most of the people’

Sometimes, we are not sure whether to use ‘most people’ or ‘most of the people.’ There is a clear distinction between the two phrases.

Most people

Some of the children were not wearing shoes

‘Most people’ means ‘people in general.’
Most people like dancing.
Most people waste their time doing nothing.
Most people are jealous of others.
Most people gossip about others.

Most of the people

‘Most of the people’ means ‘particular people.’
Most of the people at the party were dancing.
Most of the people in villages do farming.
Most of the people on my staff are jealous of others.
Most of the people living in the city lead a busy lifestyle.
Most of the people who sat the examination failed in the language paper.

Sometimes we use determiners such as ‘some, any, much, many, few’ or enough’ with ‘of.’

Some of

Some of the eggs were rotten.
Some of the children were not wearing shoes.
Some of the candidates could not answer the English question paper satisfactorily.
Some of the puppies were sleeping.
Some of the books I bought were very cheap.

Any of

You can take away any of these books.
I could not do any of the sums.
Did you solve any of the puzzles?
I do not know any of them.
I am sure any of you can do this job.

Much of

You seem to know much of this subject.
Children have eaten much of the ice cream.
He has wasted much of his earnings.
Much of the milk is spoilt.
Police stopped much of the traffic coming to the city.

Many of

I’ve read many of these books.
She knows many of the people working here.
Many of the children at the school wore uniforms.
How nice to see many of you coming back to my class?

Most people like dancing

Many of the films were not suitable for children.

Few of

A few of my friends are living abroad.
I know quite a few of them.
A few of the workers went on strike.
He knows a few of the people working there.
Can you give me a few of those toffees?

Enough of

I had enough of money when I was employed.
There is enough of food for everybody.
We distributed enough of milk to the children.
There is not enough of water in the tank.
Sometimes we use determiners without ‘of.’
Some people are ever ready to help others.
I have too many old books in my cupboard.
We invited a few friends to the party.
Most students want to be doctors and engineers.
There is enough milk for everybody.

Match words and meanings

Here’s an exciting way to enrich your vocabulary. Match the words in column A with their meanings in column B and check your answers with the key. The first has been done for you.

[Column A]

Y 1. demystify
... 2. den
... 3. deniable
... 4. denial
... 5. denigrate
... 6. denizen
... 7. denomination
... 8. denote
... 9. denouement
... 10. denounce
... 11. dense
... 12. dental
... 13. dentistry
... 14. dentures
... 15. denude
... 16. denunciation
... 17. deny
... 18. depart
... 19. dependency
... 20. depict
... 21. deplane
... 22. deplete
... 23. depletion
... 24. deplorable
... 25. deplore

[Column B]

A. the home for particular types of wild animals
B. a statement that something is not true
C. an animal that lives in a particular place
D. to criticise someone strongly
E. a unit of value
F. the end result of a situation
G. the work of a dentist
H. to remove the covering of something
I. public criticism of something
J. to say that something is not true
K. a country governed by another country
L. reduction
M. to say that something is very bad
N. to represent something
O. relating to the teeth
P. to go away
Q. to show something in a picture or story
R. very bad
S. to reduce something in size or amount
T. to leave an aircraft
U. false teeth
V. thick
W. to say that someone is not good
X. possible to deny
Y. to make something easier to understand

[Key]

2. A 3. X 4. B 5. W 6. C 7. E 8. N 9. F 10. D 11. V 12. O 13. G 14. U 15. H 16. I 17. J 18. P 19. K 20. Q 21. T 22. S 23. L 24. R 25. M

Starters:

‘Everyone, someone’ and ‘no one’

`Everyone, someone’ and `no one’ have different meanings.

Amanda's children go everywhere with her

Everyone / Everybody
`Everyone’ or `everybody’ means `every person.’ It takes a singular verb.
Is everyone ready to write the essay?
Everyone has their own ideas about who should govern the country.
Everyone knows where John lives.
Everyone suspects you for stealing the map.
Everyone involved in the robbery has been taken into custody.
Someone / Somebody

`Someone’ or `somebody’ refers to a single person when you do not know who they are. It takes a singular verb.

Someone is waiting at the door.
Somebody is calling me to the stage.
Someone has tried to open my cupboard.
Somebody speaks good about you all the time.
Someone who cares for you gave this parcel.

No one / Nobody

`No one’ or `nobody’ means `not anyone.’ `No one’ is always written as two words. It takes a singular verb.

Nobody knows where she works.
No one is bothered about my welfare.
Nobody is telling me what to do.
No one is at home today.
No one was allowed to leave the classroom.

Everything

`Everything’ means `all things.’ It takes a singular verb.
Is everything all right?
Is everything ready for the program?
Everything has to be done by the two of us.
Everything is going on smoothly.
Everything is topsy-turvy.

Something

`Something’ is an object, situation or quality which is not exactly known or stated'. It takes a singular verb.

Something is missing from my briefcase.
Something has happened to him.
There must be something wrong somewhere.
Is there something you would like to tell me?
Don't stand there, say something!

Nothing

`Nothing’ means `not anything.’ It takes a singular verb.
Nothing is impossible.
I have nothing new to tell you.
There's nothing else we can do for him.
Nothing will go wrong if you follow the rules.
I have nothing to say.

Everywhere

`Everywhere’ means `to, at or in all places.’
Amanda's children go everywhere with her.
I looked everywhere for my bunch of keys.
There are reasonable people everywhere.
Sweep sellers can be seen everywhere in the country.
Vegetable prices are the same everywhere.

Somewhere

`Somewhere’ means `in or at a place having a position which is not stated or not known.’

We know that Rex was living somewhere in Madrid.

I must have put the file somewhere.
I am looking for somewhere to stay.
Can we go somewhere else to talk?
I want to go somewhere during the holidays.

Nowhere

`Nowhere’ means `in, at or to no place.’
Some people have nowhere to live.
Nowhere does the report mention the names of the robbery suspects.
She is nowhere to be seen.
The horse I bet on is nowhere.

Quiz on idioms

An idiom is a special kind of phrase. It is a group of words which have a different meaning when used together from the one it would have if the meaning of each word were taken individually. Tick the meaning of each idiom and check your answers with the key.

1. If you go through something with a fine-toothed comb ...

(a) you go through it very carefully
(b) you go through it very carelessly
(c) you pretend to know everything in it

2. If someone comes out fighting ...

(a) they run away
(b) they are prepared to die for a cause
(c) they are prepared to do everything to win

3. If someone is as common as muck ...

(a) they are superior to you
(b) they are not sophisticated
(c) they are very lazy

4. If a plan is set in concrete ...

(a) it cannot be changed
(b) it can be changed
(c) it needs amendments

5. If someone has been caught with their hand in the cookie jar ...

(a) they have been accumulating wealth illegally
(b) they have been caught stealing
(c) they have been relieved of their posts

6. That's the way the cookie crumbles ...

(a) you should accept the way that things happen
(b) you should forgive wrongdoers
(c) you should be satisfied with what you get

7. If you describe someone as a tough cookie ...

(a) you refer to them as a tough men
(b) you admire their courage
(c) you resent their secretive ways of doing things

8. Too many cooks spoil the broth ...

(a) a plan can go wrong where there are too many people to implement it
(b) where there are too many workers nobody will do a proper job
(c) too many people create problems

9. If someone is as cool as a cucumber ...

(a) they always want to remain cool
(b) they tend to be violent
(c) they are calm and unemotional

10. If you keep your cool ...

(a) you keep your temper under control
(b) you sit under a fan
(c) you like to do what you wantey

Key:

1. (a) 2. (c) 3. (b) 4. (a) 5. (b) 6. (a) 7. (b) 8. (a) 9. (c) 10. (a)