A little or a few, little or few

A little, a few, very little, very few

The expressions a little and a few mean some or enough.

The expressions (very) little and (very) few mean hardly any or not enough.

A little, a few, (very) little and (very) few are quantifiers

Study the following examples:

Examples Meaning

I've got a little money. I'm going to the cinema.

some/enough
I've got a few friends. We meet everyday.

I've got (very) little money. I need to borrow some.

hardly any / not enough
I've got (very) few friends. I need to make new friends.

The rules:

Affirmative sentences:

A little, a few, (very) little and (very) few are generally used in affirmative statements, not
negatives or questions.

Countable and uncountable nouns:

1. A little and (very) little are used with uncountable nouns (money, bread, water...)

2. A few and (very) few are used with countable nouns (friends, tables, teachers..)

Meaning:

1. A little and a few mean: some or enough.

Example:

"I have got a little money" = I have got some money. It's enough for me to do what I
want.
"I have got a few friends" = I have got some or enough friends. We meet every day.

2. (Very) little and (very) few mean; hardly any or not enough.

Examples:

I have got (very) little money = I have got hardly any. I haven't got enough. I'll borrow some
from my friend.
I have got (very) few friends = I have got hardly any. I haven't got enough. I need to make new
friends.
Decide whether you have to use "a little" or "a few".

1. We had snow last winter.

2. people were interested in the exhibition.

3. I speak French.

4. There are students in the classroom.

5. She has relatives.

6. There is water in the pond.

7. The professor spends time playing tennis on Sundays.

8. We have knowledge of this phenomenon.

9. There are mushrooms in my mushroom soup.

10. animals can survive in the desert.

 Countable and uncountable nouns
Countable and uncountable nouns

You will learn about countable and uncountable nouns. but before you continue the lesson, look at
the following chart and study the nouns.

Countable Uncountable

books money

friends meat

teachers juice

tables milk

Countable nouns (count nouns):

Countable nouns have a singular and a plural form. In plural, these nouns can be used with a
number- they can be counted. (That's why they are called "countable nouns").

Example:

1 friend, 2 friends, 3 friends...

1 book, 2 books, 3 books...

Countable nouns take many.

Example:
100 friends many friends

Uncountable nouns (uncount / non-count nouns):

Uncountable nouns can only be used in singular. These nouns cannot be used with a number-
they can't be counted. (That's why they are called "uncountable nouns").

Examples:

I have a lot of money. (Not 1000 money)

You say I drink a lot of milk. (Not 5 milk)

Uncountable nouns take much.

Example:

100 money much money

Note: Of course you can count money, milk, meat; but then you would use the currency, liter,
kilo, glass,...and say that you have got:

5 euros or dollars... (but not 5 money).

2 liters, pints, glasses... of milk (but not 2 milk)

3 kilos... of meat (but not 3 meat)

10 bottles of mineral water... (but not 10 mineral water)

Decide whether these nouns are countable (C) or uncountable (U)

1. The children are playing in the garden.

2. I don't like milk.

3. I prefer tea.

4. Scientists say that the environment is threatened by pollution.

5. My mother uses butter to prepare cakes.

6. There are a lot of windows in our classroom.

7. We need some glue to fix this vase.

8. The waiters in this restaurant are very professional.

9. My father drinks two big glasses of water every morning.

10. The bread my mother prepares is delicious.

11. Drivers must be careful; the road is slippery.

12. Some policemen are organizing road traffic to avoid any accidents.

13. I bought three bottles of mineral water for our picnic.

14. I'd like some juice please!

15. Successful candidates will join the camp later this year.

16. A rise in oil prices is inevitable since there is more and more world demand for energy.

17. The exercises on this website are interesting.

18. Dehydrated babies must drink a lot of water.

19. Adult illiterates learn through a special government program.

20. I met some nice people when I was walking along the beach.
 Much, many and a lot.
Much, many, a lot:

"Much", "many", and "a lot of" indicate a large quantity of something, for example "I have a lot of friends "
means I have a large quantity of friends.

Much, many, and a lot are quantifiers.

Study the examples below:

I haven't got much money.

How much money have you got? I have got a lot.
I have got a lot of money.
There aren't many.
How many students are in the classroom? There are a lot.
There are a lot of/lots of students.

In the interrogative forms we use:

much with uncountable nouns. (money, bread, water...)

Example:
How much money/bread/water...is there?

many with countable nouns. (students, desks, windows...)

Example:
How many students/teachers/desks... are there?

(See the lesson on countable and countable nouns )

In the negative forms we use:

much with uncountable nouns. (money, bread, water...)

Example:
I haven't got much money/bread/water...

many with countable nouns. (students, desks, windows...)

Example:
There aren't many students/teachers/desks...

In the affirmative forms:

In spoken English and informal writing we tend to use:

 a lot, a lot of, lots of with countable and uncountable nouns.
Example:
"How many students are there in the classroom?"
"There are a lot."
"How many students are there in the classroom?"
"There are a lot of / lots of students"..

In formal written English:

It is also possible (and preferable) to use many and much rather than a lot of, lots of and
a lot in formal written English.
Example:
There are many students.
Much time was spent on studying.

So if you're speaking or writing to friends (informal), use a lot, a lot of, lots of. But if you want to be more
formal, perhaps it is preferable to use much and many.

Remember:

In affirmative sentences with so, as or too, we also use much / many.

Examples:
"Carla has so many friends."
"She has as many friends as Sue."
"Kevin has too much money."

Summary:

Interrogative Negative Affirmative

How many books are there?
How much money have you got?
There are a lot.
There are a lot of books.
There aren't many.
There are lots of books.
There are many books (formal)
I've got a lot.
I've got a lot of money.
I haven't got much.
I've got lots of money.
I have got much money (formal)
Choose the right answer (much, many, a lot, a lot of, lots)

1. We have oranges.

2. We don't have bananas, and we don't have fruit juice.

3. Do you have any cereal? Sure, there's in the kitchen."

4. How is this? It's ten dollars.

5. How do you want? Six, please.

6. He's very busy; he has work.

7. David has rice, but Tyler doesn't have .

8. London has beautiful buildings.

9. They eat apples.

10. I wrote poems.

11. I have got money.

12. I visited European cities.

13. Do you like soccer? Yes .

14. Were there guests in the wedding? Yes, there were .

15. Leila is popular. She's got friends. Nancy does not have .

16. She hasn't got