Show how much....

Question

His strength of character and kindness will continue to be an example for generations to come and his message of tolerance and understanding really showed how much other world leaders have to learn.

Hi,
What part of speech is much? Noun?
Thanks.

Ferdis · Accepted Answer

'much' is a determiner (some will subclass it as a quantifier; others will name it an indefinite adjective; I guess it dependson your exact grammar system...)

Clive · Answer

Hi guys,

In a context like 'I don't have much money', I'd call it a determiner or an adjective.

But in the context quoted in the original query, my dictionary indicates it is a noun.

Clive

CalifJim · Answer

Liveinjapanshowed how much other world leaders have to learn.
...
What part of speech is much? Noun?

I would say it's a noun, yes. It's essentially the direct object of the verb learn (They have to learn much), so what else could it be?

It is related to the adjectival use, however, in that the adjective much is promoted to noun status by the absence of an explicit noun after much. (They have to learn much 'information'.)

I put information in single quotes because it's not really information that they have to learn. Actually, it's very indefinite what they have to learn -- tolerance, understanding, etc. Nevertheless, information (or a word like it) can represent the missing noun for purposes of illustrating the underlying adjectival nature of much.

You could probably make a case for calling much an 'indefinite pronoun of quantity', but 'noun' seems close enough!

CJ

Liveinjapan · Answer

Thanks so much, guys!

Show how much....

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions