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Using all, both and half with nouns and pronouns.
All, both and half are determiners that express totality or division.
They are used before nouns to refer to complete groups, two members or equal parts.
All the students passed the exam.
Все студенты сдали экзамен.
"All" refers to every member of the group.
Both students passed the exam.
Оба студента сдали экзамен.
"Both" refers to the two members of the group.
Half the cake is gone.
Половины торта уже нет.
"Half" refers to one of two equal parts of the cake.
All the money was spent on the house.
Все деньги были потрачены на дом.
"All" can refer to the entire amount of an uncountable noun.
Both cars are parked outside.
Обе машины припаркованы снаружи.
"Both" is used with the plural countable noun "cars".
Half the students were absent.
Половина студентов отсутствовала.
"Half" refers to one of two equal parts of the group.
All the water in the tank was used.
Вся вода в баке была использована.
"All" works with the uncountable noun "water".
Both answers are correct.
Оба ответа правильные.
"Both" refers to two alternatives.
All refers to every member or the whole amount of a group.
It can be used with plural countable nouns and uncountable nouns.
All the employees received an email.
Все сотрудники получили электронное письмо.
"All" refers to every employee in the group.
All my friends live nearby.
Все мои друзья живут неподалеку.
"All" is followed by the possessive determiner "my".
All this information is useful.
Вся эта информация полезна.
"All" refers to the whole amount of the uncountable noun "information".
All the cars were covered with snow.
Все машины были покрыты снегом.
"All" modifies the plural countable noun "cars".
All the food was gone by midnight.
К полуночи вся еда закончилась.
"All" modifies the uncountable noun "food".
All students need enough sleep.
Всем студентам нужно достаточно спать.
"All" can appear without a central determiner when "students" is used generally.
All of the students passed.
Все студенты сдали экзамен.
"All of the" refers to the complete specific group.
All of us were ready to leave.
Все мы были готовы уйти.
"All of us" refers to every member of the group represented by "us".
Both refers to the two members of a pair.
It is used only with plural countable nouns.
Both students passed the exam.
Оба студента сдали экзамен.
"Both" refers to the two students.
Both cars need new tires.
Обе машины нуждаются в новых шинах.
"Both" modifies the plural noun "cars".
Both answers are correct.
Оба ответа правильные.
"Both" refers to the two available answers.
Both parents attended the meeting.
Оба родителя присутствовали на собрании.
"Both" refers to two parents.
Both houses are on the same street.
Оба дома находятся на одной улице.
"Both" is used with the plural countable noun "houses".
Both options are available.
Оба варианта доступны.
"Both" identifies the two available choices.
Both brothers work in Chicago.
Оба брата работают в Чикаго.
"Both" refers to exactly two brothers.
Both teams played well.
Обе команды хорошо сыграли.
"Both" refers to the two teams in the competition.
Half refers to one of two equal parts.
It may be used with singular, plural and uncountable nouns depending on the context.
Half the cake is gone.
Половины торта уже нет.
"Half" refers to one of two equal parts of the cake.
Half the students were absent.
Половина студентов отсутствовала.
"Half" refers to one equal part of the group.
Half an hour is enough.
Полчаса достаточно.
"Half" combines with the singular countable noun phrase "an hour".
Half of the money was spent on rent.
Половина денег была потрачена на аренду.
"Half of" is used before the specific noun phrase "the money".
Half the apples were already gone.
Половина яблок уже исчезла.
"Half" refers to half of the plural group.
We spent half the day at the beach.
Мы провели полдня на пляже.
"Half the day" is a common expression for half of a specific period.
Half a pizza was left after dinner.
После ужина осталась половина пиццы.
"Half a" is used before a singular countable noun.
Half of the room was empty.
Половина комнаты была пустой.
"Half of" refers to a specific part of the room.
These determiners are commonly followed by of before pronouns and specific noun phrases.
Examples include all of the students, both of us and half of the cake.
All of the students passed.
Все студенты сдали экзамен.
"All of the" is used before a specific noun phrase.
Both of us were ready.
Мы оба были готовы.
"Both of us" refers to the two people represented by "us".
Half of the cake is gone.
Половины торта уже нет.
"Half of" introduces the specific noun phrase "the cake".
All of my friends came to the party.
Все мои друзья пришли на вечеринку.
"All of" is followed by the possessive noun phrase "my friends".
Both of the cars need repairs.
Обе машины требуют ремонта.
"Both of the" refers to the two specific cars.
Half of the employees work remotely.
Половина сотрудников работает удаленно.
"Half of the" refers to half of a specific group.
All of them agreed with the decision.
Все они согласились с решением.
"All of them" is used before a pronoun.
Both of you should bring your IDs.
Вы оба должны принести свои удостоверения.
"Both of you" refers to exactly two people.
All may appear before articles, demonstratives and possessives.
Examples include all the books, all these problems and all my friends.
All the books are on the shelf.
Все книги находятся на полке.
"All" comes before the article "the".
All these problems need to be fixed.
Все эти проблемы нужно исправить.
"All" appears before the demonstrative determiner "these".
All my friends live nearby.
Все мои друзья живут неподалеку.
"All" appears before the possessive determiner "my".
All those houses are for sale.
Все те дома продаются.
"All" comes before the demonstrative "those".
All our employees received the new policy.
Все наши сотрудники получили новую политику.
"All" combines with the possessive determiner "our".
All the available seats were taken.
Все доступные места были заняты.
"All" is followed by "the" and then an adjective modifying the noun.
All this information is important.
Вся эта информация важна.
"All" can precede the demonstrative determiner "this" with an uncountable noun.
All her children live in California.
Все ее дети живут в Калифорнии.
"All" comes before the possessive determiner "her".
All, both and half follow specific word-order patterns in noun phrases.
The choice between forms with and without of depends on the noun phrase that follows.
All the students passed.
Все студенты сдали экзамен.
"All" appears before the central determiner "the".
All of the students passed.
Все студенты сдали экзамен.
"All of the" is used before a specific noun phrase.
Both cars are outside.
Обе машины снаружи.
"Both" comes directly before the plural noun.
Both of the cars are outside.
Обе машины снаружи.
"Both of the" is followed by a specific noun phrase.
Half the cake is gone.
Половины торта уже нет.
"Half" can be used directly before a noun phrase.
Half of the cake is gone.
Половины торта уже нет.
"Half of" is common before a specific noun phrase.
All of us were invited.
Нас всех пригласили.
"Of" is required before the object pronoun "us".
Both of them agreed.
Они оба согласились.
"Of" is required before the object pronoun "them".
Verb agreement depends on the noun phrase following these determiners.
Plural nouns normally take plural verbs, while uncountable nouns take singular verbs.
All the students are ready.
Все студенты готовы.
The plural noun "students" takes the plural verb "are".
All the money is gone.
Все деньги закончились.
The uncountable noun "money" takes the singular verb "is".
Both cars are outside.
Обе машины снаружи.
"Cars" is plural, so the verb is "are".
Half the students are absent.
Половина студентов отсутствует.
The plural noun "students" takes plural agreement.
Half the money is already spent.
Половина денег уже потрачена.
The uncountable noun "money" takes singular agreement.
All of the water is gone.
Вся вода закончилась.
"Water" is uncountable and therefore takes singular agreement.
Half of the employees work remotely.
Половина сотрудников работает удаленно.
"Employees" is plural, so plural agreement is used.
Both of the answers are correct.
Оба ответа правильные.
"Answers" is plural and takes "are".
All and both can be used for emphasis in various sentence patterns.
Examples include They both agreed and We all enjoyed the concert.
They both agreed with the decision.
Они оба согласились с решением.
"Both" is placed after the subject for emphasis.
We all enjoyed the concert.
Мы все наслаждались концертом.
"All" emphasizes that every member of "we" enjoyed the concert.
The two sisters both work in healthcare.
Обе сестры работают в сфере здравоохранения.
"Both" emphasizes that the action applies to the two sisters.
The children all fell asleep before midnight.
Все дети заснули до полуночи.
"All" is placed after the subject noun phrase for emphasis.
We all knew the answer.
Мы все знали ответ.
"All" emphasizes the whole group represented by "we".
The two managers both supported the proposal.
Оба менеджера поддержали предложение.
"Both" emphasizes that each of the two managers supported it.
You can all sit here.
Вы все можете сесть здесь.
"All" highlights the entire group addressed as "you".
You both need to sign this form.
Вы оба должны подписать эту форму.
"Both" emphasizes that the instruction applies to the two people addressed.
The use of all, both and half is generally consistent across spoken and written English.
Certain shortened forms are more common in conversation.
All of the participants completed the survey.
Все участники завершили опрос.
"All of the" is neutral and suitable in formal writing.
All the participants completed the survey.
Все участники завершили опрос.
The form without "of" is shorter and equally standard.
Both of the candidates were interviewed.
С обоими кандидатами провели собеседование.
"Both of the" is neutral and common in careful writing.
Both candidates were interviewed.
С обоими кандидатами провели собеседование.
Omitting "of" gives a concise alternative.
All of us agreed on the plan.
Мы все согласились с планом.
"All of us" is standard in both conversation and writing.
We all agreed on the plan.
Мы все согласились с планом.
Placing "all" after the subject is especially natural in conversation.
Both of you should review the document.
Вы оба должны проверить документ.
"Both of you" is standard in all registers.
You both should review the document.
Вы оба должны проверить документ.
This shorter placement of "both" is common in conversation.
These determiners occur in many common expressions.
Examples include all day, all year, both sides, half the time and half past six.
I worked all day yesterday.
Я работал весь день вчера.
"All day" is a common fixed time expression.
It rained all night.
Всю ночь шел дождь.
"All night" is a common expression for an entire period of night.
We stayed there all year.
Мы оставались там весь год.
"All year" refers to the complete year.
Both sides agreed to the deal.
Обе стороны согласились на сделку.
"Both sides" is a common expression referring to two opposing parties.
We spend half the time talking about traffic.
Мы половину времени говорим о пробках.
"Half the time" is a common expression meaning frequently or for a large part of the time.
The meeting starts at half past six.
Собрание начинается в половине седьмого.
"Half past six" is a fixed expression for 6:30.
We talked all evening.
Мы разговаривали весь вечер.
"All evening" refers to the complete period of the evening.
The two teams played on both sides of the field.
Две команды играли по обе стороны поля.
"Both sides" refers to the two sides of the field.
Choose all, both and half according to meaning and noun type.
Common mistakes include omitting of where required, using both with more than two items and incorrect agreement with uncountable nouns.
Both students passed the exam.
Оба студента сдали экзамен.
"Both" is used for exactly two people or things.
All three students passed the exam.
Все три студента сдали экзамен.
Use "all" rather than "both" when there are more than two people.
Both of us were invited.
Нас обоих пригласили.
"Of" is required before the object pronoun "us".
All of them were ready.
Все они были готовы.
"Of" is required before the object pronoun "them".
Half of the cake is gone.
Половины торта уже нет.
"Half of" is natural before a specific noun phrase.
All the money is gone.
Все деньги закончились.
The uncountable noun "money" takes singular agreement.
Both cars are new.
Обе машины новые.
"Both" is used with plural countable nouns, not uncountable nouns.
Half the students are absent.
Половина студентов отсутствует.
The plural noun "students" takes plural agreement.