Advanced Determiners and Quantifiers

The each of / either of / neither of construction uses of followed by a specified plural noun phrase, with words such as the, these, those, my, their or two before the noun. Without the required specification, the phrase is incomplete or incorrect: each of students is not acceptable; use each of the students.

Instead of repeating a noun already mentioned, you can use them: each of them, either of them, neither of them. No determiner is needed in that case: the pronoun itself points to a specific previously mentioned group.

Either and neither refer to exactly two items or people: either means ‘one of the two, whichever one’, while neither is its negative counterpart, ‘not one of the two’. Either does not contain negation of its own; neither already does.

Each applies to two or more items and considers every one separately, without built-in negation or a choice. It is more about distribution — each person doing their own part — than the number of options.

Formal writing, such as official reports, academic texts and legal documents, consistently uses the singular pattern after each of / either of / neither of. In conversation, plural agreement by meaning also occurs, particularly with either/neither of and when the plural noun after of stands immediately before the verb: the focus is on ‘they’ rather than the individual members.

This does not mean that conversational alternatives never occur in real language. However, the formal singular is the target of this rule and what the following exercises check. Keep register in mind when writing for an official reader.

When the intended meaning is ‘not one of the two’, do not add not after neither: Neither is ready. An additional negative can create a different logical meaning rather than always being grammatically impossible: neither is impossible means that neither option is impossible.

Not … either often negates both alternatives, not just one: I don’t like either option means that neither option is liked. If only one of the two is unsuitable, name it or say one of the two; do not use this expression to mean ‘only one is not’.

In questions and in the Present Perfect or Passive, the auxiliary — does, has or is — shows number, rather than the main lexical verb: Does each of… + base form? Has either of… + past participle?

The main error here is leaving -s on the main verb after an auxiliary that has already taken the singular marking.

A common error in this construction is attraction: the verb matches the nearest plural noun instead of the quantifier that actually heads the subject. The longer the phrase between the quantifier and the verb, the stronger that attraction can feel.

A simple check helps identify the error: mentally remove the of + noun phrase and see whether the verb still agrees with what remains — each/either/neither is/has/was….

This rule concerns only each of / either of / neither of followed by a plural noun or the pronoun them. The single-word determiners each, either and neither before singular nouns, as in each option and either answer, follow a different, simpler structure: there is no neighbouring plural to cause attraction.

Related rules for a number of, the number of and the majority of use different agreement patterns and are studied separately; do not automatically apply this rule’s singular agreement to them.

In actual speech, including oral presentations and informal meetings, conversational plural agreement, especially with either/neither of, is common and usually does not hinder understanding. In business correspondence, reports and academic texts, consistent formal singular agreement is the expected model here.

In the number of X, number is the head of the subject phrase. The noun after of only specifies what is being counted, so the verb agrees with number, not X: it is singular in this pattern.

When it means “several”, a number of functions as a quantifying expression with plural agreement: a number of invoices were paid. This is notional agreement — agreement by meaning — not a “notational” plural.

Negatives and questions follow the usual Present/Past Simple or Perfect rules: choose the auxiliary as in the affirmative, and it is the auxiliary that participates in negation or inversion.

Do not add an extra auxiliary or change the phrase itself when making a negative or question: the auxiliary reflects the singular or plural agreement.

Adjectives such as great, large, small, considerable, growing and tiny can go between the article and number: they describe the quantity but do not cancel the agreement rule.

In the ordinary meaning “many / several people or things”, an adjective does not remove plural agreement: a large number of readers have… . But when a sentence discusses the numerical value itself, analyse number as a noun: a higher number is preferable. Meaning is decisive, not a alone.

For the two meanings practised here, the contrast is stable: a number of members disagree means several members; the number of members is seven concerns the quantity itself.

Do not extend this to every sentence containing number. A certain number of participants is required can express a requirement for a particular quantity as a whole. Before choosing agreement, establish whether the sentence concerns people doing something or the numerical value itself.

In the meanings “several items / the quantity of items”, number of is followed by plural countable units. For an uncountable quantity, use amount of information or a counting unit, as in a number of pieces of information. The noun number also has other constructions without of: a phone number.

Neighbouring quantifying expressions follow their own patterns. Each of normally takes a singular verb; either/neither of allows variation depending on usage. Majority/minority/proportion also cannot be reduced to one mechanical rule. The main point here is distinguishing several participants from the quantity itself.

In business and academic language, this pair appears in descriptions of statistics, progress reports and explanations of causes. Choose the phrase according to what you actually want to say: refer to several individual cases or name the total figure.

When planning a sentence, decide the meaning first (several cases or the figure itself), then choose the article and verb: form follows meaning, not the other way around.

Uncountable nouns such as evidence, funding, equipment, feedback and traffic are the most common reason for singular agreement, but not the only one. An ordinary countable noun used in the singular, such as the budget, the report, the building or one specific study, also gives singular agreement because it names one item rather than several.

The number of the noun phrase after of is an important clue, not a universal mechanical law. Distinguish part of one budget, individual people and a numerical quantity treated as a whole.

Modifiers can separate the head noun of the phrase after of from the verb. In the changes proposed by the director, the head is changes, while director belongs to a different construction. First identify what you are making a statement about, then choose the appropriate agreement.

A practical check: mentally remove the intervening modifier and see whether the sentence still makes sense with the head noun immediately before the verb.

Majority means the larger part, minority the smaller part, and proportion a share. None is inherently a positive or negative evaluation: a majority opposed the plan may report an outcome the speaker dislikes. Whether the result counts as success depends on what the majority or minority actually did.

Proportion is the most neutral: it names a share without saying whether it is large or small. Formal writing therefore often adds a size adjective: a large/small/significant proportion of.

Without of, majority and minority can still take singular or plural agreement. The singular presents the group as a whole; the plural, especially in British English, can emphasise its members: the majority support it.

Context must make the relevant group clear. The absence of of does not itself require singular agreement.

Each of normally takes singular agreement. Formal usage often also favours the singular with either of and neither of, but plural agreement occurs depending on meaning, variety of English and register.

A number of meaning “several” or “many” normally takes a plural verb; the number of names the quantity itself and normally takes a singular verb. The reading matters, not just the article: a certain number can name a required quantity as a single measure.

With majority/minority/proportion, consider both the noun phrase after of and how the share is presented. Do not automatically transfer the agreement patterns of a number of or each of.

Formal, academic and business writing often modifies majority, minority and proportion with size adjectives: an overwhelming/a substantial/a significant majority, a small/tiny/negligible minority, a large/small proportion. These do not change the agreement principle; they make the meaning more precise.

The definite article in the majority of usually suggests a specific group already known to the reader. The indefinite article in a majority of more often introduces a statement for the first time or gives it a slightly more general presentation.