Most vs. Most of the

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Refer to lớn a quantity in a group

Students in class

Most vs. Most of the

MOST STUDENTS
When speaking in general, we use most to lớn refer to lớn a quantity of an unspecific group of people or things. Below, most is a determiner (a quantifier) to lớn the subject noun. Determiners such as a, the, this, some, most and every are placed before the noun. See Determiner List.
SUBJECT NOUN PHRASE	REST OF THE CLAUSE
DETERMINER + NOUN
The students the [Article]; students [N]	ask questions.
Most students most – quantifier	ask questions.
All students all – quantifier	want less homework.
Many / Several / A lot of¹ students ¹an exceptional multi-word quantifier	try to lớn earn A's.
Some students	need tutoring. (extra help)
Few / A few² students ²an exceptional multi-word quantifier	have to lớn repeat the class.
None / Any students No students	want to lớn fail.

MOST STUDENTS

When speaking in general, we use most to lớn refer to lớn a quantity of an unspecific group of people or things. Below, most is a determiner (a quantifier) to lớn the subject noun. Determiners such as a, the, this, some, most and every are placed before the noun. See Determiner List.

SUBJECT NOUN PHRASE

REST OF THE CLAUSE

DETERMINER + NOUN

The students

the [Article]; students [N]

ask questions.

Most students

most – quantifier

ask questions.

All students

all – quantifier

want less homework.

Many / Several / A lot of¹ students

¹an exceptional multi-word quantifier

try to lớn earn A's.

Some students

need tutoring. (extra help)

Few / A few² students

²an exceptional multi-word quantifier

have to lớn repeat the class.

*None / *Any students

No students

want to lớn fail.

MOST OF THE STUDENTS
When speaking specifically, we use most with a prepositional phrase that limits the number to lớn a specific group. Note the prepositional phrase defines the group by including a modifier—an adjective, another prepositional phrase or a clause.
SUBJECT NOUN PHRASE	REST OF THE CLAUSE
NOUN + PREP PHRASE
Those in my class [PP] specific to lớn students in my class	ask questions.
Most of the students [PP] an understood (known) group of students	ask questions.
All of the students in my English class specific to lớn students in my English class	want less homework.
Many / Several / A lot of the students intending to lớn go to lớn college specific to lớn students intending to lớn go to lớn college	try to lớn earn A's.
Some of the students who fall behind specific to lớn students who fall behind	need tutoring.
Xem thêm: con rùa tiếng anh là gì Few / A few of the students who earn low grades specific to lớn students who earn low grades	have to lớn repeat the class.
None of the students with failing grades specific to lớn students with failing grades	passed the class.

MOST OF THE STUDENTS

When speaking specifically, we use most with a prepositional phrase that limits the number to lớn a specific group. Note the prepositional phrase defines the group by including a modifier—an adjective, another prepositional phrase or a clause.

SUBJECT NOUN PHRASE

REST OF THE CLAUSE

NOUN + PREP PHRASE

Those in my class [PP]

specific to lớn students in my class

ask questions.

Most of the students [PP]

an understood (known) group of students

ask questions.

All of the students in my English class

specific to lớn students in my English class

want less homework.

Many / Several / A lot of the students intending to lớn go to lớn college

specific to lớn students intending to lớn go to lớn college

try to lớn earn A's.

Some of the students who fall behind

specific to lớn students who fall behind

need tutoring.

Xem thêm: con rùa tiếng anh là gì

Few / A few of the students who earn low grades

specific to lớn students who earn low grades

have to lớn repeat the class.

None of the students with failing grades

specific to lớn students with failing grades

passed the class.

A group modifier could be one of the following: an adjective (advanced students), a prepositional phrase (students in my class), a relative clause (students who are applying to lớn college), a reduced clause [nonfinite clause or gerund clause] (students planning to lớn go to lớn college).

¹a lot of (quantity expression) — a large number. "A lot of" is an expression that was formed from a prepositional phrase; however, it no longer has a word-for-word meaning. A lot of people left early. *The lot of people left early. .

²a few (quantity expression) — a small but sufficient number. "A few", an expression (the words combine to lớn sườn a new meaning), is unlike "the few", which is understood literally (word for word). A few people left early. *The few people left early. See Little/Few vs. A Little/A few.

Article [Art]; Determiner [Det.]; Gerund [Ger]; Noun [NP]; Prepositional Phrase [PP]; Relative Clause [Rel Cls]

Related pages: Superlatives | Quantifiers, Determiners, Demonstratives

Also see: Be the best. / *Be best.

A Number of vs. The Number of

Several vs. Amount

students studying

A number of vs. The number of

A NUMBER OF
A number of means several or a lot. When a verb follows this phrase, it is plural.
A number of students study engineering. (unspecific group)
A number of the students in my class are honor students. (specific)
A number of the students there received scholarships. (specific)
We couldn't count a number of students because they were unregistered. (unspecific group, unknown quantity)

A NUMBER OF

A number of means several or a lot. When a verb follows this phrase, it is plural.

A number of students study engineering. (unspecific group)

A number of the students in my class are honor students. (specific)

A number of the students there received scholarships. (specific)

We couldn't count a number of students because they were unregistered. (unspecific group, unknown quantity)

THE NUMBER OF
The number of states a quantity, an exact or inexact amount. A singular verb follows the phrase: is, equals, has risen, has decreased, has increased.
The number of students is forty. (an unspecific group, an exact quantity – forty.)
The number of the students in my class is unusually high. (a specific group, an exact – thirty – or an inexact quantity – low, high)
The number of the students in my class is unexpected. (a specific group, an inexact quantity)
We couldn't count the number of students in my class because many were unregistered. (a specific group, an inexact quantity – many.)

THE NUMBER OF

The number of states a quantity, an exact or inexact amount. A singular verb follows the phrase: is, equals, has risen, has decreased, has increased.

The number of students is forty. (an unspecific group, an exact quantity – forty.)

The number of the students in my class is unusually high. (a specific group, an exact – thirty – or an inexact quantity – low, high)

The number of the students in my class is unexpected. (a specific group, an inexact quantity)

We couldn't count the number of students in my class because many were unregistered. (a specific group, an inexact quantity – many.)

Also see Quantity Phrases (agreement) and Pop-Q " Quantity".

Common Mistakes

Errors and Solutions

Error and Solution

ERROR
*Most of students have a good time Saturday night. (A mixed expression: use "most" or "most of the".)
*Some of people don't care what they vì thế in public. (A mixed expression: use "some" or "some of the".)
We are noticing that the number of students are buying their textbooks online.

ERROR

*Most of students have a good time Saturday night.

(A mixed expression: use "most" or "most of the".)

*Some of people don't care what they vì thế in public.

(A mixed expression: use "some" or "some of the".)

We are noticing that the number of students are buying their textbooks online.

SOLUTION
Most students have a good time on Saturday night. Most of the students in college have a good time on Saturday night.
Some people don't care what they vì thế in public. Some of the people I know don't care what they vì thế in public.
We are noticing that a number of students are buying their textbooks online. the number – a quantity (e.g., 10, 25, 100); a number – several, a lot; See number.

SOLUTION

Most students have a good time on Saturday night.

Most of the students in college have a good time on Saturday night.

Some people don't care what they vì thế in public.

Some of the people I know don't care what they vì thế in public.

We are noticing that a number of students are buying their textbooks online.

the number – a quantity (e.g., 10, 25, 100); a number – several, a lot; See number.

*Yellow highlighted words are examples of incorrect usage.