Keyword: all
Grammatical Overview
All functions as a universal quantifier, pronoun, and intensifying adverb. It drives key quantifying prepositional frames (all of the...), limiting relative structures / pseudo-clefts (all I need is...), and continuous duration phrases (all day). It is also central to high-frequency spoken discourse markers (after all, at all).
🗺️ Pattern Map (Colligation & Grammar)
Pattern 1: all + (of) + Determiner / Pronoun (Quantifier Frame)
- Structure:
All + (of) + [the / my / these] + NounORAll + of + [us / them / it] - Meaning: Refers to the total number or entire amount of a specified group/entity.
- Examples:
-
- All (of) the students passed the final exam.*
- We ate all of it before anyone else arrived.
-
Pattern 2: all + (that) + Clause + be (Limiting / Focus Frame)
- Structure:
All + (that) + Subject + Verb + is / was + Complement - Meaning: Expresses "the only thing that..." to emphasize a singular necessity, limit, or condition.
- Examples:
- All I need is a couple of hours to review the document.
- All that matters right now is your health.
Pattern 3: all + Time Expression (Duration Frame)
- Structure:
All + day / night / week / time - Meaning: Indicates continuous action throughout the entire duration of a time period without interruption.
- Examples:
- She has been studying all day for tomorrow's test.
- It rained all night long.
🧩 Key Lexical Chunks (Collocations & Idioms)
Spoken & Written Formulaic Units
- all in all: Considering everything / on the whole.
- after all: Used to introduce a key reason or remind someone of an obvious fact.
- at all: In any way / to any extent (used with negatives and questions for emphasis).
- all over: Everywhere / finished or completed.
🎴 Interactive Web Practice (10 Questions)
Practice 1: She spent ______ day working on the lesson plan.
Answer:
all
Practice 2: All that I want is a little peace and ______ .
Answer:
quiet
Practice 3: ______ in all, the conference was a great success.
Answer:
All
Practice 4: Don't be too hard on him; after ______, he is only a beginner.
Answer:
all
Practice 5: Is there any coffee left at ______ ?
Answer:
all
Practice 6: All of ______ agreed to the proposed schedule changes.
Answer:
them
Practice 7: There were books scattered all ______ the living room floor.
Answer:
over
Practice 8: All you need ______ a little patience.
Answer:
is
Practice 9: I didn't enjoy the movie ______ all.
Answer:
at
Practice 10: They stayed up all ______ discussing the project details.
Answer:
night
🔗 Related Patterns & Chunks
- 🗺️ Pattern: all-of — Universal quantifier frames (all of the / all of us)
- 🗺️ Pattern: all-that — Pseudo-cleft and restrictive limiting structures (all I want is)
- 🧩 Chunk: all-in-all — Summarizing discourse marker
- 🧩 Chunk: after-all — Justifying discourse marker
- 🧩 Chunk: at-all — Emphatic negative/interrogative formulaic unit