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English grammar

all of them, most of us, none of it

B1 · Intermediate Nouns and describing Questions 10

The rule

When you talk about a group in general, use the determiner alone: Most children like sweets. When you talk about a PARTICULAR group, add of and a word that points — the, my, this, these, them: Most of the children in my class. Before a pronoun the of is compulsory: all of us, never all us. none of takes a singular verb in careful writing: None of the shops was open. And note the difference between all and every: every is followed by a singular noun, all by a plural one.

Pattern

most children (general) · most of the children (specific) · all of us (pronoun needs of)

Examples

  1. Most people pay by card these days.

  2. Most of the people in my street are retired.

  3. All of us were invited.

  4. None of the shops was open on Sunday.

Common mistakes

  • Wrong: Most of children like sweets.

    Right: Most children like sweets.

    Speaking generally, drop the of.

  • Wrong: All us were late.

    Right: All of us were late.

    Before a pronoun the of is compulsory.

  • Wrong: Every students must register.

    Right: Every student must register.

    every is followed by a singular noun.

Practice questions

Try each one yourself first, then open “Show answer” for the solution and the reason.

  1. 1Choose the correct sentence.

    1. Some my colleagues live abroad.
    2. Some of the my colleagues live abroad.
    3. Some of my colleagues live abroad.
    4. Some of colleagues live abroad.
    Show answer

    Answer: C Some of my colleagues live abroad.

    of + a pointing word such as my.

  2. 2Choose the correct sentence.

    1. Both of they arrived late.
    2. Both of them arrived late.
    3. Both of him arrived late.
    4. Both them arrived late.
    Show answer

    Answer: B Both of them arrived late.

    Before a pronoun, of and the object form.

  3. 3Choose the correct sentence.

    1. Every rooms have a window.
    2. Every the room has a window.
    3. Every room has a window.
    4. Every of the rooms has a window.
    Show answer

    Answer: C Every room has a window.

    every + singular noun + singular verb.

  4. 4Choose the correct sentence.

    1. All the seats was taken.
    2. All of seats were taken.
    3. All the seats were taken.
    4. All seats of the were taken.
    Show answer

    Answer: C All the seats were taken.

    all the needs no of, though all of the is also correct.

  5. 5Fill in the gap.

    _____ of the students passed the exam.

    1. Most
    2. The most
    3. Almost
    4. Every
    Show answer

    Answer: A Most of the students passed the exam.

    Most of the is the specific form.

  6. 6Fill in the gap.

    None _____ the answers was correct.

    1. from
    2. of
    3. in
    4. about
    Show answer

    Answer: B None of the answers was correct.

    none of is fixed.

  7. 7Fill in the gap.

    _____ child in the class got a certificate.

    1. All
    2. Most of
    3. None
    4. Every
    Show answer

    Answer: D Every child in the class got a certificate.

    Every + singular noun.

  8. 8Fill in the gap.

    Neither of _____ wanted to go first.

    1. ourselves
    2. our
    3. us
    4. we
    Show answer

    Answer: C Neither of us wanted to go first.

    After of a pronoun takes its object form.

  9. 9Put the words in the right order.

    Most of the flats have a balcony

    Show answer

    Answer: Most of the flats have a balcony.

    A specific group, so of the.

  10. 10Put the words in the right order.

    None of us knew the answer

    Show answer

    Answer: None of us knew the answer.

    none of + a pronoun in the object form.

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