turning brown

[Ginevra]

English Grammar Tests, Elementary Level

ESL/EFL Test #230 "Adverbs of Quantity (3)", question 7

......... of the leaves on our trees in the backyard are turning brown. We have to water them soon.

(a) All
(b) Every
(c) Any
(d) Numerous

English Grammar Tests, Elementary Level

ESL/EFL Test #230 "Adverbs of Quantity (3)", answer 7

All of the leaves on our trees in the backyard are turning brown. We have to water them soon.

Correct answer: (a) All

Your answer was: incorrect
Numerous of the leaves on our trees in the backyard are turning brown. We have to water them soon.
_________________________

Why not "numerous" ?
Is it an incorrect aswer definitely?
Many thanks

[Beeesneees]

'numerous' and 'of the' do not work together. You could say
'Numerous leaves on our trees', but because 'numerous' actually means 'a number of' you cannot say 'numerous of' because you would basically be saying,' a number of of the leaves...'

Numerous + of is always incorrect.
_________________
"Inside every old person is a young person wondering what happened."
Terry Pratchett

[Kati Svaby]

"Any of the leaves on our trees in the backyard are turning brown. We have to water them soon."

Why is the sentence incorrect with 'any'. I can imagine that not all leaves became brown only some.
_________________
Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend.

[Beeesneees]

'Any' does not allow for the fact that some would not turn brown.
_________________
"Inside every old person is a young person wondering what happened."
Terry Pratchett

[Kati Svaby]

Hello Bez,

Many thanks for your help and explanations. They are very clear. I was meditated on the last one:
'Any' does not allow for the fact that some would not turn brown."

any -used with singular countable nouns to refer to one of a number of things or people, when it does not matter which one
Take any book you like.
Any colour will do.
Any teacher will tell you that students learn at different rates.

So my sentence would mean:

"Any of the leaves on our trees in the backyard are turning brown. We have to water them soon." = that only one leaf turned brown. Am I right?

I don't know that you had read my Xmas greeting for everyone. I hope your Xmas was happy and merry and I wish you for the second day of Christmas a jolly and merry time.
And I wish for you and for both of us PEACE for the year of 2013. I wish for myself that I could change and I never misunderstand anybody. I may never forget that there are 59523 learners on this course.

Best regards:
Kati


_________________
Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend.