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Quantities, part 4 of 4
Much, Many, A Lot Of, A Few, and A Little
Many and a few go with countable nouns; much and a little with uncountable ones; a lot of goes with both: a lot of friends, a lot of time.
The idea
What quantifiers are
They say a lot or a little without a number. Which one you use depends on whether you can count the thing.
- A lot: a lot of. We get a lot of rain here.
- A small number: a few. I bought a few stamps.
- A small amount: a little. She speaks a little French.
When to use it
To say how much you have, how much is missing, or how much there is, without counting. These expressions go with it:
A lot
- a lot of fun
- a lot of people
- thanks a lot
A little
- a little more
- a few minutes
- a few days ago
- just a little
In negatives and questions
- not much
- not many
- Do you have many friends here?
Examples
- A lot, with anything
We have a lot of work today.
- A few
I have a few questions.
- A little
Add a little salt.
- In a negative
I don't have much time.
- In a question
Do you have many plants?
How to build it
3 steps
- A lot or a little?First, the idea:a lot / a little
- Can you count it?Countable: many, a few. Uncountable: much, a little.a few eggs / a little milk
- For a lot in a statement, a lot ofWith countable and uncountable nouns:We have a lot of eggs.
Countable
- Subject + verbShe has
- many / a few / a lot ofa few
- pluralcousins.
Uncountable
- Subject + verbI need
- much / a little / a lot ofa little
- uncountablehelp.
The rule
Which one to use
| To say | Countable | Uncountable |
|---|---|---|
| A lot (statement) | a lot of books | a lot of money |
| A lot (negative or question) | many books | much money |
| A small amount | a few books | a little money |
How to pronounce it
a lot of
/ə ˈlɑt əv/In fast speech it joins up: /əˈlɑɾəv/.
a few
/ə fju/The ew sounds like /ju/.
a little
/ə ˈlɪtəl/In American English the tt sounds like a quick /d/.
Check
We have (blank) milk. Can you buy more? Which one goes in the blank?
Don't confuse it with How much...?
How many books do you have?
The question
A lot. / Not many.
The answer
How much and how many ask the question; much, many, and a lot of answer it.
How much and how manyIn real life
If you are not sure in a statement, use a lot of: it works with everything and sounds natural. Much and many in statements sound formal, except with very, too, or so: too much, so many.
Frequently asked questions
Why not say I have much money?
People will understand, but it sounds odd: in statements, say a lot of money. Much goes mostly in negatives and questions: I don't have much money.
Are few and a few the same?
No: a few means some, which is positive (I have a few friends). Few, with no a, means almost none (Few people came). Little and a little work the same way.
Is lots of the same as a lot of?
Yes, lots of means the same and is a little more informal: lots of time, lots of friends.
In short
- Countable: many, a few. Uncountable: much, a little.
- A lot of goes with everything: a lot of ideas, a lot of time.
- Much and many, mostly in negatives: not much.
- A few means some; a little means a small amount.