B2 Quantifiers

B2 GRAMMAR: QUANTIFIERS

Two Of Everything

PICTURE

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"Most of it is just statistics wearing a spooky costume."

all / every / everybody · most (of) · both, neither, either · no, none, any

Reading

Speaking

A · LEAD-IN

Twins

Discuss in pairs.

1. Do you know any twins? What's the strangest similarity - or the most surprising difference - between them?

2. If you had an identical twin, what would you most want to be different about them?

3. Would you take part in a study about your own family? Why / why not?

PICTURE

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B · BEFORE YOU READ

Born eleven minutes apart

Nils and Otto Lindgren, 46, have been confusing people since 1979 - and taking part in twin studies all their adult lives.

READ ONCE AND ANSWER

PICTURE

1. In what ways are Nils and Otto identical?

2. Where do they completely diverge?

3. First: which do you think is stronger in the end - genes, or the choices people make?

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B · READING

Two of everything: a study in twins

"All the questions assume we're one person printed twice."

Nils and Otto Lindgren, 46, have been confusing people since 1979. Identical twins, born eleven minutes apart, they grew up sharing everything: a room, a bicycle, a face. Both of them became engineers. Both married in the same summer. Neither of them can explain why they both, independently, at nineteen, grew and then shaved off the same regrettable moustache.

Researchers love twins because they hold most variables still while life moves the rest, and the Lindgrens have taken part in studies all their adult lives. "Every questionnaire is the same," sighs Otto. "Everything about our childhood, everybody we've ever met, every meal we eat. All the questions assume we're one person printed twice."

They are not - and the differences are where it gets interesting. Nils has spent all his life within forty kilometres of their hometown; Otto has lived in six countries. Nils runs every morning, wet or dry; Otto claims that neither rain nor personal shame has ever made him exercise, and that both of his knees support this policy. Most of their preferences match to a degree that unnerves their wives - the same obscure films, the same allergy to celery, the same habit of finishing... - "each other's sentences," Nils finishes. But their politics diverged at university and have never reconverged. "We can discuss almost any topic," says Otto. "There are two we don't touch. Neither of us wants those arguments again; either topic can end a dinner, and both of them once ended a holiday."

B · READING (continued)

Two of everything: a study in twins

The strangest findings are the small ones. Both brothers hold a pen the same incorrect way, though nobody taught either of them. Both are afraid of no animal on Earth except geese - "any goose," Nils clarifies, "anywhere, for no reason we can name." When their father was ill, each of them, without telling the other, booked the same Tuesday flight home, and neither was surprised to find the other at the gate. "None of this feels mystical from inside," Otto insists. "Most of it is just statistics wearing a spooky costume."

And yet. Asked - separately, in different rooms - what single object they would save from a house fire, the twins gave the same answer, word for word: the photograph of the moustaches. Neither had ever mentioned it to the other. Both of them, shown the matching transcripts, said the identical thing again: "Well, obviously."

C · COMPREHENSION

Nils (N), Otto (O), both (B), or neither (X)?

1. Has lived in six countries.

2. Exercises every morning.

3. Believes the similarities are mostly statistical.

4. Is afraid of geese.

5. Was surprised to meet the other at the airport gate.

6. Named the moustache photograph as the thing to save.

D · GRAMMAR FOCUS

every, everything, all - and most

a) Every questionnaire is the same. / Everything about our childhood... everybody we've ever met.

b) All the questions assume we're one person. / Nils has spent all his life within forty kilometres.

c) Nils runs every morning.

d) Most of their preferences match. / Most of it is just statistics. vs Most people confuse them.

1. In (a): every + ______ noun; everybody / everything + ______ verb - even though the meaning is "all people / things".

2. In (b) and (c), what's the difference between every morning and all morning? And between all (in general) and all (of) the (a specific set)?

3. In (d): when do we need most of, and when plain most? Test it: Most twins... / Most of the twins in this study...

D · GRAMMAR FOCUS

both, neither, either - and zero quantity

a) Both of them became engineers. / Neither of them can explain why.

b) either topic can end a dinner / neither rain nor personal shame has ever made him exercise

c) Both are afraid of no animal on Earth except geese - "any goose, anywhere." / None of this feels mystical.

d) Both brothers hold a pen the same way, though nobody taught either of them.

1. Untangle (a) and (b): both (of)... · neither of... · either... · neither... nor... Which refers to two positively? Which negates two? Which means "one of the two"? After neither... nor, is the verb singular, plural, or either?

2. In (c): no + noun follows a ______ verb; none (of) stands alone or with of. And any here doesn't mean "some" - so what does any goose, anywhere mean?

3. In (d), where can both go besides both of them? (Before the ______ verb, or after be.) And what does either of them do after a negative?

D · THE RULES

Complete the rules

Complete the rules with one word in each gap.

• every + singular noun; everybody / everything + ______ verb; all (of) the = specific, all = ______; every day = each day, all day = ______.

• most + noun (general); most ______ + the / a pronoun (specific).

• Two people or things: both (... and) = both yes; neither (... nor) = both no; either (... or) = ______ of the two.

• Zero quantity: no + noun (+ positive verb); ______ alone or + of; any + negative verb - and any + positive verb = "it doesn't ______ which".

CAREFUL

Neither of them was/were surprised - both are heard, but a singular verb is safer in writing. And never double the negative: Neither of them came, not Neither of them didn't come.

E · CONTROLLED PRACTICE

Choose the correct option - or correct the mistake.

1. All / Every twin studies rely on comparing similarities and differences.

2. Everything are / Everything is ready for the interview - both chairs, both microphones.

3. Most / Most of people can't tell them apart; most / most of their own cousins can't either.

4. Neither Nils or / nor Otto enjoys the questionnaires.

5. "Coffee or tea?" - "Either / Neither is fine, honestly. I drink both / all."

6. I've met the brothers twice, and none / neither of them remembered me. Encouraging.

7. There's no / none photograph of the moustaches online. We checked. Any / None.

8. He worked all / every day on the study - from eight in the morning until midnight.

9. Anybody / Nobody can register for the twin database. It's open to everyone / every.

10. Both of them was / were born in March. Obviously.

F · FREER PRACTICE

The compatibility audit

In pairs, interview each other to find:

• Three things that are true of both of you.

• Two things that are true of neither of you.

• One topic where either of you could argue either side. Report back using full structures: Both of us... · Neither of us has ever... · Most of our answers matched, but... The pair with the spookiest coincidence wins the moustache award.

PICTURE

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TEACHER'S REFERENCE · HIDE OR DELETE BEFORE CLASS

Answer key

B GIST Identical: profession, wedding summers, moustache history, pen grip, celery allergy, goose fear, film taste, the fire-rescue answer. Divergent: geography (homebody versus six countries), exercise, politics.

C 1 O · 2 N · 3 O · 4 B · 5 X (neither was surprised) · 6 B.

D PART 1 1 Singular noun; singular verb. 2 every morning = each one, repeated; all morning = the whole duration of one. All = general, all (of) the = a specific set. 3 Most of before the / these / their / us; plain most before a general noun.

D PART 2 4 both (... and) = the two, positively (plural verb); neither (of / ... nor) = not one and not the other; either = one of the two (or each, in either side). After neither... nor the verb can be singular or plural. 5 Positive verb; none; any goose, anywhere = "it doesn't matter which goose - all of them, without exception". 6 Before the main verb or after be (They both became... / They are both afraid...); either of them after a negative means "not one of the two".

RULES singular · general · the whole day · of · one · none · matter.

E 1 All · 2 Everything is · 3 Most / most of · 4 nor · 5 Either / both · 6 neither · 7 no / None · 8 all · 9 Anybody / everyone · 10 were.