Definite Numeral Quantities

Definite Numeral Quantities :



FEW, A FEW & THE FEW :

Each of these expressions has a distinct meaning of its own.

(a) FEW is a Negative Adjective and signifies NOT MANY.

1. He read few books (he did not read many books).
2. Few women can keep a secret.

(b) A FEW is an Affirmative Adjective and signifies SOME AT LEAST - a certain number & however few.

1. He read a few books. (That is….he read some books at least, though the number was small).

2. He had only a few rupees left.
3. A few days' rest is needed.

(c) THE FEW implies two statements - one Negative and the other Affirmative.

He read the few books he had.

That is...

(1) The books he had were not many. (Negative)
(2) He read all the books he had. (Affirmative)


MANY A

Here a = one - MANY A MAN means many times one man or many men. It is used with a Noun and Verb in the singular, but has in reality a plural meaning. MANY MEN takes the men collectively. MANY A MAN takes them singly.

1. Many a young man has served his country nobly.

Definite Numeral Quantities are sometimes Collective Nouns and as in the case of MANY, the OF is understood after them.

2. A dozen (of) sheep…
3. A million (of) stars…
4. A hundred (of) years…
5. A thousand (of) years…
6. A hundred-thousand rupees…

But we must say A LAKH OF RUPEES and not A LAKH RUPEES.

With a score and a gross the OF must be expressed, but not with two score.

1. A score of….
2. A gross of…

RELATED PAGES :

1. The Adjective
   
2. An Adjective
   
3. Attribute Position of Adjective
   
4. Predicative Position of Adjective
   
5. Kinds of Adjectives
   
6. Proper Adjectives
   
7. Descriptive Adjectives
   
8. Quantitative Adjectives ( Adjectives of Quantity )
   
9. Qualitative Adjectives ( Adjectives of Quality )
   
10. Numeral Adjectives ( Adjectives of Number )
    
11. Definite Numeral Adjectives
    
12. Indefinite Numeral Adjectives
    
13. Demonstrative Adjectives ( Demonstrative Adjective )
    
14. Definite Demonstrative Adjectives
    
15. Definite Demonstratives
    
16. Indefinite Demonstrative Adjectives
    
17. Indefinite Demonstratives
    
18. Distributive Adjectives
    
19. Interrogative Adjectives
    
20. Exclamatory Adjectives
    
21. Possessive Adjectives
    
22. Possessive Determiners
    
23. First Person Possessive Adjectives
    
24. Second Person Possessive Adjectives
    
25. Third Person Possessive Adjectives
    
26. Emphasizing Adjectives
    
27. Coordinate Adjectives
    
28. Paired Adjectives
    
29. Cumulative Adjectives
    
30. Non-Coordinate Adjectives
    
31. Two Uses of Adjectives
    
32. Attributive Use of Adjectives
    
33. Predicative Use of Adjectives
    
34. The Degrees of Comparison
    
35. Comparison of Adjectives
    
36. Latin Comparatives of Adjectives
    
37. Irregular Comparisons of Adjectives
    
38. Formation of Comparatives and Superlatives
    
39. Formation of Comparative and Superlative
    
40. Uses of Quantitative Adjectives
    
41. Uses of Numeral Adjectives
    
42. Uses of Demonstrative Adjectives
    
43. Uses of Distributive Phrases
    
44. Uses of Distributive Adjectives
    
45. Example Sentences with suitable Adjectives
    
46. Uses of Degrees of Comparison of Adjectives
    
47. Uses of Positive Degree of Comparison of Adjectives
    
48. Uses of Comparative Degree of Comparison of Adjectives
    
49. Uses of Superlative Degree of Comparison of Adjectives
    
50. Use of The Comparative Degree
    
51. OTHER after Positives and Comparatives
    
52. Preferables in English Grammar
    
53. Double Comparatives
    
54. Double Superlatives
    
55. Comparatives which have lost their force
    
56. Latin Comparatives
    
57. English Comparatives
    
58. Adjectives used as Nouns
    
59. Adjectives in Pairs
    
60. Adjectives preceded by THE
    
61. Position of Adjectives
    
62. Adjectives Used Attributively
    
63. Adjectives Used Predicatively
    
64. The Adjective Clause
    

Definite Numeral Quantities :

Definite Numeral Quantities To HOME PAGE

The Sentences Index