1.246 There are three comparatives that are determiners. More is used in front of plural and uncountable nouns, usually with than, to refer to a quantity or amount of something that is greater than another quantity or amount.
He does more hours than I do.
His visit might do more harm than good.
But more is also often used to refer to an additional quantity of something rather than in comparisons.
More teachers need to be recruited.
We need more information.
Less is used to refer to an amount of something that is smaller than another amount. Fewer is used to refer to a group of things that is smaller than another group. Less is usually used before uncountable nouns and fewer before plural nouns, but in informal English less is also used before plural nouns.
The poor have less access to education.
…machinery which uses less energy.
As a result, he found less time than he would have hoped for his hobbies.
There are fewer trees here.
For more information about comparison, see paragraphs 2.103 to 2.139.
other expressions
1.247 Some other expressions also behave like indefinite determiners: a few, a little, a good many, a great many. These have a slightly different meaning from the single word determiners few, little, and many.
If you are mentioning a small number of things, but without any emphasis, you can use a few with plural countable nouns.
They went to San Diego for a few days.
A few years ago we set up a factory.
I usually do a few jobs for him in the house.
Similarly, if you are just mentioning a small amount of something without any emphasis, you can use a little with uncountable nouns.
He spread a little honey on a slice of bread.
I have to spend a little time in Oxford.
Charles is having a little trouble.
However, a good many and a great many are more emphatic forms of many.
I haven’t seen her for a good many years.
He wrote a great many novels.
modifying determiners: four more rooms, too much time
1.248 Some indefinite determiners can be modified by very, too, and far, or sometimes by another indefinite determiner.
You can modify more with numbers or with other indefinite determiners.
Downstairs there are four more rooms.
There had been no more accidents.
You will never have to do any more work.
You can use too many or too much to say that a quantity is more than is wanted or needed, and too few or too little if it is not enough.
There were too many competitors.
They gave too much power to the Treasury.
There’s too little literature involved.
You can use very before few, little, many, and much. You can also say a very little or a very great many.
Very many women have made their mark on industry.
Very few cars had reversing lights.
I had very little money left.
using one
1.249 You use one as a determiner when you have been talking or writing about a group of people or things and you want to say something about a particular member of the group. One is used instead of a or an and is slightly more emphatic.
We had one case that dragged on for a couple of years.
They criticise me all the time, wrote one woman.
I know one household where that happened, actually.
The use of one as a number is explained in paragraphs 2.214 to 2.215.
1.250 Many determiners are also pronouns; that is, they can be used without a following noun. For more information about these, see paragraphs 1.154 to 1.161.
predeterminers: all the people, quite a long time
1.251 Normally, a determiner is the first word in a noun phrase. However, there is a class of words called predeterminers which can come in front of a determiner.
Here is a list of predeterminers:
all
both
double
half
many
quarter
twice
~
quite
rather
such
what
The first group are used to talk about amounts or quantities. All can also be used to refer to every part of something. When used with this meaning it is used with an uncountable noun.
All the boys started to giggle.
He will give you all the information.
All these people knew each other.
I shall miss all my friends.
I invited both the boys.
Both these parties shared one basic belief.
She paid double the sum they asked for.
I’m getting twice the pay I used to get.
In the second group, quite and rather can be used either to emphasize or to reduce the effect of what is being said. In speech, the meaning is made clear by your tone of voice. In writing, it is sometimes difficult to know which meaning is intended without reading more of the text.
It takes quite a long time to get a divorce.
It was quite a shock.
Seaford is rather a pleasant town.
It was rather a disaster.
Such and what are used for emphasis.
He has such a beautiful voice.
What a mess!
2 Giving information about people