Quantifiers

Quantifiers are words which we use to refer to a quantity of something without being precise. I quantificatori sono parole che indicano una quantit (quanto c di qualcosa). Much, many, a lot of show a great quantity of something/ indicano una grande quantit di qualcosa. Much is used with uncountable nouns in interrogative and negative sentences/ si usa con sostantivi non numerabili e sempre al singolare, in frasi negative ed interrogative: I dont have much money. Non ho molti soldi. Do you have much time? Hai molto tempo? Many is used with plural countable nouns in negative, interrogative and positive clauses/ si usa con i numerabili plurali, in frasi negative, interrogative ed affermative (nelle affermative, comunque, si preferisce a lot of): Do you have many Spanish books? Hai molti libri spagnoli? No, I dont have many Spanish books. No, non ho molti libri spagnoli. I have many English books. Ho molti libri inglesi. A lot of is used both with countable and uncountable nouns in positive clauses/ si usa con i numerabili e i non numerabili, in frasi affermative. I have a lot of friends. Ho molti amici. I have a lot of time. Ho molto tempo. A lot of is also used in questions if a positive answer is expected. If, instead, we expect a negative answer, much and many are used/ anche usato nelle domande quando ci si aspetta una risposta positiva, se invece ci si aspetta una risposta negativa si user much o many: Do you want a lot of spaghetti? I know you like it. Vuoi una buona porzione di spaghetti? So che ti piacciono. Do you want much spaghetti? Ne vuoi molti di spaghetti? Lots of is often used instead of a lot of in formal speech/ Lots of spesso sostituisce a lot of nel discorso informale. VERY MUCH and SO MUCH / MANY are also used in positive clauses/ VERY MUCH e SO MUCH / MANY (cos tanto/tanti) possono anche essere usati in frasi affermative. How much / many? Are used when we want to ask about quantities/ How much / many? sono usati per chiedere sulla quantit: How much is used to ask the price os something/ How much usato per chiedere il prezzo di qualcosa. How much is it? Quanto ? How much is that jacket in the window? Quanto costa quella giacca in vetrina?

How much money do you have? Quanti soldi hai? How many oranges does he eat? Quante arance mangia? How many novels have you read? Quanti romanzi hai letto? I havent read many novels Non ho letto molti romanzi. Too intensifies the strenght of much in front of uncountable nouns and of many in front of countable nouns/ too da maggior forza a much davanti a sostantivi non numerabili (too much=troppo) e a many davanti a sostantivi numerabili plurali (too many=troppi/e): I have seen too many films Ho visto troppi film. I have eaten too much bread. Ho mangiato troppo pane. So intensifies the strenght of much in front of uncountable nouns and of many in front of countable nouns/ so da maggior forza a much davanti a sostantivi non numerabili (so much=cos tanto) e a many davanti a sostantivi numerabili plurali (so many= cos tanti/e): I didnt believe he had so many cousins. Non credevo che avesse cos tanti cugini. Theres not so much sugar in the coffee. Non c cos tanto zucchero nel caff. Little and few can be used both with and without the indefinite article a. With the article we define the quantity in a positive sense, without the article we define the quantity in a negative sense/ Little e few possono essere usati con larticolo indeterminativo a inserito prima del quantificatore oppure senza. Con larticolo si descrive la quantit in modo positivo, senza articolo si descrive la quantit in modo negativo. A LITTLE is used in front of uncountable nouns to mean a short quantity of something/ A LITTLE significa un po (di), una certa quantit (di) ed usato davanti a sostantivi non numerabili. I have a little time, we can talk. Ho un po di tempo possiamo parlare. A FEW is used in front of countable nouns in plural to mean a short quantity of something / significa un po (di), qualche, alcuni ed usato davanti a sostantivi plurali. We are spending a few days in Spain. Trascorreremo alcuni giorni in Spagna. Only a little, only a few underline the shortage of quantity/ only a little, only a few sottolineano che la quantit scarsa. I have only a few minutes. Ho solo pochi minuti. Little and few mean a ver short quantity of something/ Little e few senza larticolo indeterminativo significano poco/pochi con senso negativo. Spesso sono preceduti da very. I have little time, we cant talk. I have very little time, we cant speak. Ho poco/pochissimo tempo, non possiamo parlare. Few people came to the party. Very few people came to the party. Poche/Pochissime persone sono venute alla festa.

*Interactive Exercises
http://www.1-language.com/englishcourse/unit14_grammar_exs.htm http://www.1-language.com/englishcourse/unit14_grammar_exs2.htm http://www.myenglishpages.com/site_php_files/grammar-exercise-many-lot.php http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/vocabulary/much-many/exercises?03 http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/vocabulary/much-many/exercises?05 http://www.tolearnenglish.com/exercises/exercise-english-2/exercise-english-25720.php http://www.english-test.net/esl/learn/english/grammar/ei080/esl-test.php http://www.better-english.com/easier/howmuch.htm

*Please note the videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uu4b5Gjl2JQ