Articles: 'most/some of' + plural noun

One common mistake that English learners often make is using the wrong article following the phrases 'most of' or 'some of' when referring to a plural noun.

Using 'the' after 'most of' or 'some of'

When you use 'most of' or 'some of' before a plural noun, you need to add 'the' before the noun. For example:

• Most of the students in the class are from Germany.
• Some of the books in the library have missing pages.

Notice how we use 'the' before 'students' and 'books' to indicate a specific group or subset. This is because 'most of' and 'some of' refer to a part of a larger group that is already known or implied.

Using no article after 'most of' or 'some of'

Alternatively, you can also omit the article altogether when using 'most of' or 'some of' followed by a plural noun. For example:

• Most of the students speak English fluently.
• Some of the books are on the top shelf.

In these sentences, we don't use the article 'the' because the noun is non-specific or represents a general group. It's important to remember that the noun following 'most of' or 'some of' is still plural.

In conclusion, when using 'most of' or 'some of' before a plural noun, it's essential to remember that you either need to include 'the' or omit the article depending on whether you are referring to a specific group or a general idea.

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