"some" vs "some of the" in case a noun has a modifier

Question

Hi, thank you for your checking. I've got a question.

I've seen such as the following sentences that native English speaker made.

·I'll show you some people in my class.

·Some water that I spilled got under the refrigerator.

·Many shops in town will be opened from tomorrow.

However, I've learned that if a speaker can define the total amount of the thing represented by a noun with a modifier, the speaker should use the forms of like "some of the", "many of the", "most of the", and so on, even though a listener has no information about the noun before the speaker speaks. So, I think the correct sentences will be as follows;

·I'll show you some of the people in my class.

·Some of the water that I spilled got under the refrigerator.

·Many of the shops in town will be opened from tomorrow.

Here's another example;

·Most of the people watching the movie began to laugh.

A textbook says that you can't use "most people" in this sentence.

I'm confused. Which form should I use like in this case? Does it depend on the extent of the boundary by a modifer?

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

For example:

"I'll show you some people in my class." is okay. The meaning might be that you will bring out photos of a number of people in your class.

"I'll show you some of the people in my class." is okay. The meaning would be similar to the previous sentence.

"Some water that I spilled got under the refrigerator." is okay. The meaning would be that most or all of the water that you spilled got under the refrigerator.

"Some of the water that I spilled got under the refrigerator." is okay. The meaning would be that only a portion of the water that you spilled got under that refrigerator.

"Many shops in town will be opened from tomorrow." is okay. The meaning would be that the shops in town have been closed for a time, but tomorrow most of them will reopen.

"Many of the shops in town will be opened from tomorrow." is okay. The meaning would be similar to the previous sentence.

"Most of the people watching the movie began to laugh." is okay. The meaning is that the majority of the people in the theater began to laugh.

However, "Most people watching the movie began to laugh.", is not right. Why in the first three sentences you can say "Some people...", "Some water...", and "Many shops...", but you can't say "Most people watching the movie..." is difficult for a native English speaker like myself to explain - by instinct, I know it's not right, but I can't explain why. Apparently, this is an example of usage that is forbidden - with no rhyme or reason - based on tradition and established usage in English over hundreds of years. An adult learner just has to learn such things by experience.

GPY · Answer

anonymous·I'll show you some people in my class.
·Some water that I spilled got under the refrigerator.
·Many shops in town will be opened from tomorrow.

·I'll show you some of the people in my class.
·Some of the water that I spilled got under the refrigerator.
·Many of the shops in town will be opened from tomorrow.

As you sort of suggested, the versions with "of" more specifically express that the "some" is part of a known or defined whole. However, the "people in my class" and "shops in town" sentences express this anyway through the "in" phrase, so there is little difference in those cases. There is more difference in the "water" case.

anonymous·Most of the people watching the movie began to laugh.
A textbook says that you can't use "most people" in this sentence.

Personally I do not agree with the textbook. I don't see any important difference between this sentence and the others, in respect of the point you are asking about.

"some" vs "some of the" in case a noun has a modifier

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