(Progressive forms are not usually in this case.) eu She looks like her
mother.
It looks as if it's going to rain. (NOT It's looking as if...) She looks as if she's dreaming.
She looks like she's dreaming, (informal) (NOT She looks Uke^FeaninsL) Look like being... is occasionally
used informally in British English with future reference.
It looks like being a wet night. (= It looks as if it will be...} For more about as if, and the use of like for as if,
see 74.
2 ordinary verb (= 'direct one's eyes')
When look means 'direct one's eyes', it is used with adverbs, not adjectives Before an object, a
preposition is necessary (usually at). A preposition is not used when there is no object.
The boss looked at me angrily. (NOT The boss looked at-me-angry:) Look carefully - it's changing colour.
(NOT Look careful...)
(NOT Look at carefully...)
3 not followed by if
We do not normally use if or whether after look. Instead, we use see or look to see.
Could you see if Ann's in the kitchen?
(NOT Could you look if Ann's in the kitchen?) 'What are you doing?' 'I'm looking to see whether these
batteries are OK.'
(NOT I'm looking whether...)
4 look after and look for
Note the difference between these two prepositional verbs. Look after means 'take care of; look for means
'try to find'. Compare:
Could you look after the kids while I go shopping?
I spent ages looking for her before I found her. Look for is not used to talk about going to get people or
things if one knows where they are.
I'm going to the station at three o'clock to fetch Daniel. (NOT ... to look for Daniel.)
For other phrasal and prepositional verbs with look, see a good dictionary. For the difference between look
(at), watch and see, see 489. For Look! and Look here! used as discourse markers, see 159.19.
325 lose and loose
Lose (pronounced /lu;z/) is an irregular verb (lose-lost-lost). Loose (pronounced /lu:s/) is an adjective (the
opposite of tight). I must be losing weight - my clothes all feel loose. (NOT I must be loosing weight...)
page
318
i26 a lot, lots, plenty, a great deal, a large number, the majority
1 introduction; use of of
These expressions have similar meanings to the determiners much, many and most, but the grammar is
not quite the same. In particular, of is used after these expressions even before nouns with no determiner.
Compare:
There's not a lot of meat left. (NOT -There's not a lot meat left.) There's not much meat left. (NOT There's
not much of meat loft.) Plenty of shops open on Sunday mornings. (NOT Plenty shops...) Many shops
open on Sunday mornings. (NOT Many ofshops^...)
For much, many and most with and without of, and other details of their use, see 348 and 347.
2 a lot o/and lots of
These are rather informal. In a more formal style, we prefer a great deal of, a large number of, much or
many. (Much and many are used mostly in questions and negative clauses - see 348.)
There is not much difference between a lot of and lots of: they are both used mainly before singular
uncountable and plural nouns, and before pronouns. It is the subject, and not the form lot/lots, that makes
a following verb singular or plural. So when a lot of is used before a plural subject, the verb is • plural;
when lots of is used before a singular subject, the verb is singular.
A lot of time is needed to learn a language.
Lots of patience is needed, too. (NOT Lots of patience arc needed, too.)
A lot of my friends want to emigrate. (NOT A lot of my friends wants...)
Lots of us think it's time for an election.
3 plenty of
Plenty of is usually rather informal. It is used mostly before singular uncountables and plurals. It suggests
'enough and more'.
Don't rush. There's plenty of time. Plenty of shops take cheques.
4 a large amount of, a great deal of and a large number of
These are used in similar ways to a lot of and lots of, but are more formal.
•A large amount of and a great deal of are generally used with uncountable
nouns.
I've thrown out a large amount of old clothing. Mr Lucas has spent a great deal of time in the Far East:
•A large number of is used before plurals, and a following verb is plural. A large number of problems still
have to be solved. (More natural than A large amount of problems ... o R A great deal of problems...)
Por articles after the number I amount of, see 69.8.
5 the majority of
T^e majority of (= 'most' or 'most of) is mostly used with plural nouns ^nd verbs.
The majority of criminals are non- violent. ^
page 319
6 measurement nouns
These expressions are not generally used before words for units ofmeas like pounds, years or miles.
Other words have to be used. re>
It cost several pounds. (NOT It cost a lot of pounds:)
They lived many miles from the town.
(NOT They lived plenty of miles from the town.)
7 use without following nouns
These expressions can be used without nouns if the meaning is clear. In rh'
case, of is not used.
'How much did it cost?' 'A lot.' (= 'A lot of money.') We should be all right for cheese - I've bought plenty.
He stays silent for long periods, but when he does speak he says a great deal.
8 use as adverbs
A lot and a great deal can be used as adverbs. On holiday we walk and swim a lot.
(BUT NOT ... we walkplenty OR ... swim lots.) The government seems to change its mind a great deal.
327 make
1 object + infinitive
When make + object is followed by another verb, we use the infinitive without to.
I made her cry.
(NOT I made her to cry.) (NOT I made her crying.) Note that the infinitive must follow the object. I can't
make the washing machine work.
(NOT I can't make work the washing machine.) In passive structures the infinitive with to is used. She was
made to repeat the whole story.
For information about other verbs which are used in similar structures, see 277.
2 reflexive object + past participle
In a few cases make can be followed by myself, yourself etc and a past participle. The structure is
common with understood, heard and liked/disliked/hated.
I don't speak good French, but I can make myself understood. (NOT ... make myself understand.)
She had to shout to make herself heard.
In his three months in the job he made himself thoroughly disliked.
320
3 with two objects
Make (meaning 'prepare', 'manufacture' etc) can be used in a structure with
two objects.
Can you make me a birthday cake by Friday?
For more information about verbs with two objects, see 583.
4 with object + object complement