Essential English Grammar: Quantifiers, Tags, and False Friends

Quantifiers and Question Tags Rules

Quantifiers (Context)

• Some: Used in positive statements.
• Any: Used in negative statements or questions.
• Something / Someone / Somewhere: Used in positive contexts.
• Anything / Anyone / Anywhere: Used in negative contexts.

Question Tag Examples

• He likes [it], doesn’t he? (Positive statement, negative tag)
• [She] ran [fast], didn’t she? (Past simple example)
• [They] have been [working], haven't they? (Correcting polarity for 'Have been...')
• I’m [tired], aren't I? (Special case for 'I am')
• Imperative: [Close the door], will you?

Common English False Friends (Falsos Amigos)

This section highlights common words that sound similar in English and Spanish but have different meanings.

• Actually (De hecho) / Actualmente (Nowadays)
• Advice (Consejo) / Aviso (Warning)
• Argument (Discusión) / Argumento (Plot)
• Career (Trayectoria profesional) / Carrera (Degree)
• Carpet (Alfombra) / Carpeta (Folder)
• College (Universidad/Uni) / Colegio (Primary School)
• Conductor (Revisor/Orchestra leader) / Conductor (Driver)
• Constipated (Estreñido) / Constipado (Catch a cold)
• Diversion (Desvío) / Diversión (Entertainment)
• Educated (Culto) / Educado (Polite)
• Embarrassed (Avergonzado) / Embarazado (Pregnant)
• Eventually (Finalmente) / Eventualmente (Temporarily)
• Firm (Empresa) / Firma (Signature)
• Idiom (Frase hecha) / Idioma (Language)
• Large (Grande) / Largo (Long)
• Lecture (Conferencia) / Lectura (Reading)
• Notes (Apuntes) / Notas (Marks/Grades)
• Parents (Padres) / Parientes (Relatives)
• Presume (Suponer) / Presumir (Show off)
• Professor (Profesor universitario) / Profesor (Teacher)
• Suburb (Barrio residencial) / Suburbio (Slum)
• Sympathetic (Empático) / Simpático (Friendly)
• Translate (Traducir) / Trasladar (Move)
• Vase (Florero) / Vaso (Glass)
• Vicious (Fiero) / Vicioso (Addict)

Quantifiers: Amount and Number

Quantifiers for Large Amounts

• Much: Used with uncountable nouns (unc).
• Many: Used with countable nouns (count).
• A lot of: Used with both countable and uncountable nouns (Meaning: Mucho).

Quantifiers for Small Amounts (Difference between A/No)

• Little: Almost none (Casi no hay). Used with uncountable nouns (unc).
• A Little: A small amount (Poco). Used with uncountable nouns (unc).
• Few: Almost none (Poco). Used with countable nouns (count).
• A Few: A small number (Poco). Used with countable nouns (count).

Group and Specific Quantifiers

• One: (Uno)
• Both: Both of two (Ambos).
• Neither: None of two (Ninguno de dos).
• None: None of three or more (Ninguno de tres o más).
• All: (Todos).

Correlative Conjunctions

• Neither … nor: Neither one nor the other (Ni uno ni otro).
• Either … or: One or the other (Uno o el otro).
• Both … and: Both this and that (Tanto uno como otro).

Usage of As and Like

As (Conjunction/Adverb)

• To describe a job or function (e.g., As a teacher).
• In comparisons (e.g., as tall as [adjective]).
• Used as a conjunction (e.g., As I was leaving...).

Like (Preposition)

• To show similarity (e.g., It looks like rain).
• Used as a preposition (e.g., Like Charles’ car).

Expressing Possession

Possessive Apostrophe ('s / s')

• Used to show possession by a person or living thing (e.g., Maria's book).

Of (Prepositional Phrase)

• Used to show possession of an object or thing (e.g., The roof of the house).