Hello, I'm an expert in linguistics with a focus on English grammar and usage. Let's dive into the question of whether "is" can be considered a quantifier.
Quantifiers are an essential part of language that help us express the quantity or amount of something. They can be determiners, pronouns, or adverbs, and they are used to modify nouns or noun phrases. The examples given, such as 'some', 'many', 'a lot of', and 'a few', are indeed quantifiers. They are used to indicate the quantity of a noun, whether it's countable or uncountable.
Now, let's consider "is". "Is" is a form of the verb "to be" and it's used to link the subject of a sentence to a predicate, often to indicate identity, state, or qualities. For example, in the sentence "The sky is blue," "is" is linking "the sky" to "blue" to express a state. It's not indicating a quantity or amount.
However, in some contexts, "is" can be part of a construction that implies quantity. For example, in the sentence "There is a large quantity of fish in this river," "is" is part of the verb phrase "is a large quantity of" which does indicate a quantity. But "is" itself is not the quantifier here; the quantifier is "a large quantity of". "Is" is simply the verb that helps form the phrase.
So, while "is" can be part of a construction that expresses quantity, it is not a quantifier on its own. Quantifiers are words that directly indicate quantity, and "is" does not do that. It's a linking verb that can be used in various contexts, including those where quantity is expressed, but it's not a quantifier itself.
In conclusion, "is" is not a quantifier. Quantifiers are words that directly indicate the amount or quantity of something, and "is" is a linking verb that can be part of a phrase that expresses quantity, but it's not a quantifier by itself.
Now, let's move on to the next step.
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A quantifier is a word or phrase which is used before a noun to indicate the amount or quantity: 'Some', 'many', 'a lot of' and 'a few' are examples of quantifiers. Quantifiers can be used with both countable and uncountable nouns. There is a large quantity of fish in this river.read more >>