====== All, no, none ======


 
===== Introduction =====

| {{http://www.e-exercises.com/img/bibliotheque/1383_9f8d357c84bb94205897f25f083f110a.png?151x119 |Image}} | We interviewed <color blue>all</color> the candidates last week but <color blue>none</color> of them were suitable. We had <color blue>no</color> luck at all. |

 
===== Definition =====

<color blue>All, no</color> and <color blue>none</color> are quantifiers.
<color blue>All</color> refers to the whole amount or quantity of something that is indicated. <color blue>No</color> and <color blue>none</color> refer to ‘not any’ or ‘not one’. 

===== Construction =====

Here are some examples: 

|   |   |   |
|   All | + singular noun | [See note 4. below.]  |
| ::: | + plural countable noun | <color blue>All</color> children like sweets. |
| ::: | + uncountable noun | <color blue>All</color> information will be provided. |
| ::: | + ‘of’ + plural or uncountable noun | <color blue>All</color> __of__ my colleagues are English.\\  <color blue>All</color> __of__ the information was useful. |
| ::: | + ‘of’ + pronoun | <color blue>All</color> __of__ them are English. All __of__ it was useful. |
| ::: | + ‘the’, possessive adjective or determiner | <color blue>All</color> __the__ invitations were sent.\\  <color blue>All</color> __my__ colleagues are English.\\  <color blue>All</color> __these__ computers are broken. |
| ::: | without a noun | <color blue>All</color> is well. |
|   No | + singular noun | <color blue>No</color> child likes bedtime. |
| ::: | + plural countable noun | <color blue>No</color> children like bedtime. |
| ::: | + uncountable noun | <color blue>No</color> information was provided. |
|   None | + ‘of’ + plural or uncountable noun | <color blue>None</color> __of__ my colleagues are English.\\  <color blue>None</color> __of__ the information was useful. |
| ::: | + ‘of’ + pronoun | <color blue>None</color> __of__ them are English.\\  <color blue>None</color> __of__ it was useful. |
| ::: | without a noun | <color blue>None</color> are English. |


===== Subject verb agreement =====
 

**1. We can use either a singular or a plural verb with none and ‘none of’.**

In the following sentence, <color blue>none</color> could mean ‘not one’ [in a singular sense] or ‘not <color violet>any</color>’ [a plural sense]. In formal written English, a singular verb is preferred but in conversation, we often use a plural verb:

  * None of the delegates __has/have__ responded to the invitations yet.
 
Sometimes, the context suggests a sense that’s clearly plural and a plural verb is required:

  * Almost <color blue>none</color> of my colleagues __work__ from home. [suggests a large number]
  * <color blue>None</color> but the best __are__ recruited by my company. [not talking about one person]
 
With uncountable nouns, we have to use a singular verb:

  * They gave us a lot of information but <color blue>none</color> of it __was__ very useful.

See <color violet>subject verb agreement</color> for more information.

 
**2. <color blue>No</color> can take either a singular or plural verb with the same meaning but a singular noun is more formal:**

  * There was <color blue>no</color> computer in the meeting room.
  * There were <color blue>no</color> computers in the meeting room.

**3. We can use ‘not’ with <color blue>all</color> to make negative sentences:**
 
  * __Not__ <color blue>all</color> of my colleagues are English.
  * My colleagues are__n’t__ <color blue>all</color> English.

 But ‘not <color blue>all</color>’ does not have the same meaning as none:

  * Not <color blue>all</color> of my colleagues are English. [but some of them are]
  * <color blue>None</color> of my colleagues are English. [I have no English colleagues]

 
**4. We can use a singular noun with <color blue>all</color> when we are referring to periods of time:**

  * I spent <color blue>all</color> week working on that report.
  * I waited <color blue>all</color> morning for him to call but he didn’t.

 
===== Uses =====
 
^   ^ Uses ^ Examples ^
|  All | To talk about a whole amount | We drank all the water. |
| ::: | To talk about every person or object | We ate all the sandwiches. |
| ::: | To mean ‘the only thing(s)’ | All I’ve eaten today is a sandwich -- I’m so hungry.  |
| ::: | With time periods | I was busy all day. |
| No | To mean ‘not any’ or ‘not one’ | There’s no milk in the fridge.\\  There are no men in this team. |
| ::: | When something is forbidden | “No smoking in this building.” |
| None | To mean ‘not any’ or ‘not one’ | There’s none in the fridge.\\ There are none in this team.  |


===== With ‘of’ =====
 

We can use ‘of’ with <color blue>all</color> when we are referring to a more specific quantity or amount. For example:
  * <color blue>All</color> cars need fuel or electrical power. [cars generally]
  * <color blue>All</color> __of__ the cars in this country use petrol or diesel. [specific cars] 

**<color blue>Note that</color>**

**1. Unlike some other quantifiers e.g some, many, few, little, ‘of’ isn’t necessary with all when we are being specific**
  * All the cars in this country use petrol or diesel.{{:en:grammar:reported_speech:y.png?nolink&20|}}
  * All of the cars in this country use petrol or diesel.{{:en:grammar:reported_speech:y.png?nolink&20|}} 

**2. We can use ‘no’ generally and ‘none of’ specifically. For example:**
  * No cars were manufactured in the US from 1942-1946.  [any cars]
  * None __of__ the cars in this company is more than two years old. [specific cars]        

We can’t use ‘of’ + noun. We need to use ‘the’, a demonstrative, a pronoun or a possessive adjective.
  * All of friends live near me.{{:en:grammar:reported_speech:n.png?nolink&20|}}
  * All(of) __my__ friends live near me. {{:en:grammar:reported_speech:y.png?nolink&20|}}
  * I like none of books. {{:en:grammar:reported_speech:n.png?nolink&20|}}
  * I like none of __these__ books. {{:en:grammar:reported_speech:y.png?nolink&20|}}

===== ‘All’ or ‘everything’ or ‘everyone/everybody’? =====
 
<color blue>All</color> isn’t often used without a noun and it’s sometimes incorrect to do this:
  * I told all in the sales department. {{:en:grammar:reported_speech:n.png?nolink&20|}}       
  * I told everyone in the sales department. {{:en:grammar:reported_speech:y.png?nolink&20|}} 
 
  * I finished all. {{:en:grammar:reported_speech:n.png?nolink&20|}}             
  * I finished everything. {{:en:grammar:reported_speech:y.png?nolink&20|}}  

However, we can use <color blue>all</color> in this kind of sentence:
  * I told them <color blue>all</color> I know.               
  * I told them everything I know. 

Or with ‘about:
  * I told them all about the new project.              
  * I told them everything about the new project.
 
===== ‘All the time’ or ‘every time’? =====

‘<color blue>All</color> the time’ means ‘continuously’ or ‘often’:
  * This production line is in operation <color blue>all</color> the time.  [around the clock; it never stops]
  * He complains about his job <color blue>all</color> the time. [often, a lot]

‘Every time’ means ‘on each occasion’:
  * I stay in the same hotel every time I go to London.
  * Every time I hear that song, I feel happier.

===== ‘No’/‘none (of)’ or ‘not a/any’ =====

These have the same meaning but <color blue>no</color> and ‘<color blue>none</color> of’ are considered more emphatic:

^ Neutral ^ Emphatic ^
| There isn’t any milk. | There’s <color blue>no</color> chocolate! |   
| He didn’t have any of the skills we required. | He had <color blue>none</color> of the skills we required -- he was useless! |

Be careful not to use double negatives:
  * There is__n’t__ __no__ useful information. {{:en:grammar:reported_speech:n.png?nolink&20|}}
  * He did__n’t__ have __none__ of the skills. {{:en:grammar:reported_speech:n.png?nolink&20|}}
  * I have__n’t__ __never__ been to China. {{:en:grammar:reported_speech:n.png?nolink&20|}}
          
===== Word order =====

<color blue>All</color> can be placed later than a noun in a sentence as well as in front of the noun:        
  * My __friends__ <color blue>all</color> live near me. = <color blue>All</color> my friends live near me.
  * __We__ are <color blue>all</color> going to London tomorrow.  = <color blue>All</color> of us are going to London tomorrow.    
 
===== Common expressions with ‘no’ =====

There are a lot of informal, conversational expressions with <color blue>no</color> + noun. Here are some examples:

| **Expression** | **Meaning** | **Examples** |
| No wonder | A lack of surprise | <color blue>No</color> wonder he didn’t pass the test -- he never works hard enough. |
| No idea | A complete lack of knowledge | “Where’s Jean?” |
|:::|:::| “<color blue>No</color> idea.” |
|:::|:::| I have <color blue>no</color> idea what to do next. |
| No comment | A refusal to answer a question -- often used by people interviewed by journalists or by the police | “Where were you on the night of 26<sup>th</sup> September?”\\ “<color blue>No</color> comment.” |
| No way | Great surprise or disbelief   | “They agreed to sign the contract.” |
|:::|:::| “<color blue>No</color> way!” |
|:::| Not in any circumstances | <color blue>No</color> way am I going to work on Saturday. |
| No chance | Certainly not/no possibility | “Do you think you’ll finish that by Friday?”\\ “<color blue>No</color> chance.” |
| No problem | No difficulty or reason to be upset | “Can you help me with this later?” |
|:::|:::| “Of course, <color blue>no</color> problem.” |
|:::|:::| “I’m sorry, I have to leave early.” |
|:::|:::| “<color blue>No</color> problem, see you tomorrow.” |
|:::| In response to ‘thank you’ | “Thanks, it was kind of you to help.” |
|:::|:::| “<color blue>No</color> problem.” |

===== Intensifiers  =====

We can use intensifiers to give extra information. Here are some examples:

^   ^ all ^ no ^ none ^
| ‘Almost’ and words with a similar meaning such as ‘nearly’ and ‘virtually’.\\_ ‘Almost <color blue>none/no</color>’ has a similar meaning to ‘hardly any’. | They ate nearly <color blue>all</color> the sandwiches. | We have virtually <color blue>no</color> time to finish this. |   Almost <color blue>none</color> of our clients speak French. |

 
===== Examples =====

| {{  http://www.e-exercises.com/img/bibliotheque/183_7b8124962c62a291c206cec324f2f215.jpg?157x118  |Image}} | I’m afraid there’s no easy solution to this. |
| {{  http://www.e-exercises.com/img/bibliotheque/90_bc57f3855fa967dd5f93625175205ef4.jpg?157x156  |Image}} | “How do you like your tea?”   “Milk, no sugar, thanks.” |
| {{  http://www.e-exercises.com/img/bibliotheque/1950_d21eaed548f2d4cd8a93ced9a9a3c555.jpg?165x110  }}  | There’s no swimming here. |
| {{  http://www.e-exercises.com/img/bibliotheque/284_b798c403d5765f7b23ccba4ab9f3c154.jpg?178x145  |Image}} | All I’ve done today is write this report -- I’ve had absolutely no time to check my email!     |
| {{  http://www.e-exercises.com/img/bibliotheque/512_c964c16ac7e44a22fb5c86c6b5f5ee75.png?133x172  |Image}} | Please change this one to: He ate all the cake -- there’s none left.   |
| {{  http://www.e-exercises.com/img/bibliotheque/1512_e992fe752b2d0e488fd29696070ec533.jpg?165x109  |Image}} | I think we have all we need now -- let’s start. |
| {{  https://www.e-exercises.com/img/bibliotheque/204_a1bef13c2ca7215a602b161d554e44b2.jpg?179x127  |Image}} | None of my previous jobs were as stressful as this one. |
| {{  http://www.e-exercises.com/img/bibliotheque/264_abb1f051774fb4746250d5fe1059ca07.jpg?227x149  |Image}} | He was awake all night. |