Distributives

7 8 9 10 11 12 13

5.18 'Both', 'all' and 'half + nouns [> 5.4]

5.18.1 'Both', 'all' and 'half + plural countable nouns - examples and notes

Both books are expensive All books are expensive

Both the my these books All the my'these books Half the my, these

are expensive are expensive eggs are bad

Both of the/my these All of the'my/these books Half of the'my'these

books are expensive are expensive eggs are bad

1 Both all and half can be used equally with:

- people: both (the) women'all (the) women half the women

- things: both (the) forks all (the) forks half the forks

Distributives

2 Both refers to two people, things, etc. only:
e.g. both books/both the books/both of the books (interchangeable).
The reference is to specific items (e.g. the books on this subject).
Both means 'not only one, but also the other' and refers to two
things together. By comparison, the two (the two things are
different) refers to the two considered separately.

3 Half + plural countable refers to 'more than two':
e.g. half the eggs/half of the eggs (interchangeable).

Half (of) cannot be used without a determiner {the this my, etc.) before plural countables [compare > 5.18.3n1].

4 All refers to 'the whole number of people, things, etc.:
e.g. all the books all of the books (interchangeable).

With the, the reference is to specific items: (e.g. the books on this subject). However, all books is general, referring to e.g. all (the) books in the world. It is not interchangeable with all the books all of the books. 5 All with or without the, however, refers to specific items when it is followed by a number before a plural countable: All (the) thirty passengers on the boat were saved

5.18.2 'All' and 'half + uncountable nouns

- examples and note

All bread gets stale quickly -

All the bread was stale Half the bread was stale

All of the bread was stale Half of the bread was stale

The first statement with all is general; the second and third are interchangeable and refer to a specific amount of bread. The two statements with half are interchangeable and refer to a specific amount of bread. The word both cannot be used with uncountable nouns because it refers to two units.

5.18.3 'All' and 'half + singular countable nouns
- examples and notes

All the country was against it Half the country was against it All of the country was against it Half of the country was against it

1 When we are referring to a specific thing, we must use the or of the after all and half [compare the whole, > 5.22]. However, all and half can be used directly in front of many proper nouns: All London/Half New York was buzzing with gossip

2 Half a can be followed by singular countables as in half a loaf half a minute half an orange, etc. to refer to one thing divided into halves.

'Both' and 'all': word order with verbs

'Both' and 'all' after auxiliary verbs

Both and all as pronouns are normally used after auxiliary verbs (be have [> 10.1] and modal auxiliaries like can could [> 11.1]):

The girls are both ready

(= Both girls/Both the girls/Both of the girls are ready.)

5 Quantity

The girls are both waiting

(= Both girls/Both the girls/Both of the girls are waiting.)

The girls have all left

(= All the girls/All of the girls have left.)

The girls can/must, etc. all go home now