All / Both: Quantifiers

Using "all" and "both" correctly in English

🟦All / all the; both / both (the)

We can use both or both the/my/etc. + noun to refer to two people or things.

We use all + noun (without the) to refer to things/people in general.

We use all + the/my/etc. + noun to refer to particular people or things.

✅ All the students in my class hate homework. (all the + plural countable nouns)
✅ All the music I download makes me feel something. (all the + uncountable nouns)

We can use all/both + of before the/my/Tom’s + noun. But of is often omitted.

❌ But we cannot use all/both of + noun when there isn’t a determiner (the, my, this, etc.) before the noun.

We can use all/both of + you/us/them before a verb (as the subject).

❗ Note: of is necessary; we cannot omit it.

We can use you/us/them + all/both after a verb (as the object).

✅ The judge sent them all to jail. (= The judge sent all of them to jail.)
✅ She loves them both. (= She loves both of them.)

All and both can be used in mid position:

➟ Before the verb.
✅ We both like going to the cinema. (= Both of us like...)
✅ They all left without saying goodbye. (= All of them left...)
➟ After the verb be when it’s the only verb.
✅ The boys were all happy. (= All the boys were happy.)
✅ The players are both tired. (= Both [the] players are tired.)
➟ After an auxiliary verb (or the first one if there are multiple).
✅ They are all going to disappear. (= All of them are going...)
✅ The robbers have both been arrested. (= Both [the] robbers have been arrested.)
➟ In questions, after the subject.
✅ Have they both finished?