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Few, little, a few, or a little
Few and a few count things (not many, some); little and a little measure what you can't count (not much, some). The a makes it positive.
Quick rule
Countable? Few or a few. Uncountable? Little or a little. Not enough? No a: few, little. Some? With a: a few, a little.
With plural countable nouns and no a: not many, not enough. It sounds negative: few people came.
With uncountable nouns and no a: not much, not enough: little time, little money.
With plural countable nouns: some, a small number. It sounds positive: a few friends.
With uncountable nouns: some, a small amount. It sounds positive: a little sugar.
How to choose
| Question | few | little | a few | a little |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Does it go with plural countable nouns (books, friends)? | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| Does it start with a? | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Does it mean not enough? | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Why it trips people up
Two choices decide it. Countable or not: few and a few go with plural nouns, little and a little with uncountable ones. And the attitude: without a it means not enough (few people came), and with a it means some (a few people came).
How each one works
Few
Not many people
Few people know about this place.
Very few
There are very few buses after midnight.
Fewer than you'd like
He has few friends at his new school.
Little
Hardly any time
We have very little time.
Something abstract: hardly any
There's little hope of finding it now.
Not enough
She speaks little English.
A few
A small number
I have a few questions.
Some days or hours
We stayed for a few days.
With of: a few of my
A few of my friends are coming.
A little
A small amount
Can I have a little milk in my coffee?
Some, though not much
I speak a little French.
With a comparative: a little longer
Wait a little longer.
What comes next
(very) few plus plural noun
Very few students passed.
(very) little plus uncountable noun
There's very little sugar left.
a few plus plural noun
I need a few eggs.
a little plus uncountable noun
Add a little salt.
a little plus adjective: slightly
I'm a little tired.
Almost the same
I have a few friends here.
You have some, and that's fine.
I have few friends here.
You have hardly any: it is a complaint.
We have a little money left.
There is still some.
We have little money left.
There is hardly any left.
In a conversation
- A:
Do you have a few minutes? I need help with my homework.
- B:
Sure, but I know very little about chemistry.
- A:
That's OK. Few people in my class understand it.
- B:
Let's try. Give me a little time to read it first.
Common mistakes
Wrong: A few my friends live abroad.
Right: A few of my friends live abroad.
Before my, the, these, or a pronoun, add of: a few of my friends.
Wrong: I have little of time today.
Right: I have little time today.
Use of before the, my, this, or a pronoun (little of the money). Before a plain noun, leave it out.
Memory trick
Think of the a as a glass half full: a few and a little say there's some. Drop the a and the glass is nearly empty. Few is for things you can count on your fingers.
It depends
- Quite a few
- Despite the few, quite a few means a fairly large number: Quite a few people came.
- Few in conversation
- Cambridge notes that few on its own sounds a little formal. In conversation, people often say not many instead: Not many people came.
FAQ
Few or a few: which is correct?
Both are correct but mean different things. A few is neutral or positive (a few friends: some). Few stresses that it is not enough (few friends: hardly any).
Which is more, few or a few?
The number can be the same; what changes is the attitude. A few treats it as some, and few treats it as too small. Cambridge describes few as not as many as expected or wished for.