# none of

CEFR A2 · Prepositional phrase

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/none-of
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

not any part or not any one of a group of things or people.

For teachers: a negative quantifier phrase used to indicate the total absence of a subset from a larger group or whole.

## Examples

- None of my friends are here yet.
- I tried three different keys, but none of them opened the front door.
- None of the proposed solutions addressed the underlying structural issues that had plagued the organization for decades.

## Pitfalls

- Not "None of the cake were eaten." but "None of the cake was eaten." — when 'none of' refers to an uncountable noun like 'cake', the verb must be singular.

## Usage notes

- followed by a plural noun or pronoun; in formal writing, it often takes a singular verb, though plural verbs are common in speech.
- Teaching tip: help students distinguish between 'none of' (for three or more) and 'neither of' (for exactly two).

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.