dark sword
04-30-2007, 06:00 PM
What are the differences in use between much, many, a lot of, little, a little, few and a few?
much and many
a lot of
much and a lot
little and a little
few and a few
much and many
Much is used with uncountable nouns and many is used with plural nouns. They are used mainly in questions and negative sentences:
In my Spanish exam, I didn’t have much time left for the third question.
I don’t have very many DVD discs.
a lot of (lots of, plenty of and loads of)
In conversation, a lot of, lots of, plenty of and loads of are more common with uncountable and plural nouns used in positive sentences:
There is a lot of pollution in this city, isn’t there?
There are loads of tourists in town today. (informal spoken English)
Note! In a more formal English style, much and many are preferred to a lot of of, lots, of, plenty of, loads of.
much and a lot
Much and a lot can be used as adverbs (used to say more about the verb) after certain verbs:
I still read a lot but I don’t write very much these days.
little and a little, few and a few
We use few and a few with plural nouns, and little and a little with uncountable nouns. Little and few carry negative ideas. A little and a few carry much more positive ideas and are similar in meaning to some:
He showed little interest in socialising (he wasn’t very sociable) and few people came to his twenty-first birthday party. (some people came, but not enough to make a ‘good’ party)
He had a little money in the bank (not a lot of money but enough to travel) and a few friends in the travel business and was able to go on holiday every year. (not many friends but enough to give him discounts on flights etc)
منقووول للفائدة
much and many
a lot of
much and a lot
little and a little
few and a few
much and many
Much is used with uncountable nouns and many is used with plural nouns. They are used mainly in questions and negative sentences:
In my Spanish exam, I didn’t have much time left for the third question.
I don’t have very many DVD discs.
a lot of (lots of, plenty of and loads of)
In conversation, a lot of, lots of, plenty of and loads of are more common with uncountable and plural nouns used in positive sentences:
There is a lot of pollution in this city, isn’t there?
There are loads of tourists in town today. (informal spoken English)
Note! In a more formal English style, much and many are preferred to a lot of of, lots, of, plenty of, loads of.
much and a lot
Much and a lot can be used as adverbs (used to say more about the verb) after certain verbs:
I still read a lot but I don’t write very much these days.
little and a little, few and a few
We use few and a few with plural nouns, and little and a little with uncountable nouns. Little and few carry negative ideas. A little and a few carry much more positive ideas and are similar in meaning to some:
He showed little interest in socialising (he wasn’t very sociable) and few people came to his twenty-first birthday party. (some people came, but not enough to make a ‘good’ party)
He had a little money in the bank (not a lot of money but enough to travel) and a few friends in the travel business and was able to go on holiday every year. (not many friends but enough to give him discounts on flights etc)
منقووول للفائدة