Should “many”, “much”, “a lot (of)”, “(a) little”, or “(a) few” be used?

Date: 2015-10-07; view: 473.

a. We use much and (a) little with uncountable nouns, and “many” and “(a) few” with plural countable nouns.

much information many tradeoffs

(a) little money (a) few problems

We use “a lot of”, “lots of” with both uncountable and plural countable nouns.

a lot of money a lot of choices

lots of milk lots of questions

plenty of time plenty of jobs

(a lot / lot = a great quantity or number;
plenty = more than enough)

b. We use much and many mostly in questions and in negative sentences.

How much work do you have?

Has he got many problems?

I haven't got much money.

But we often use “much” and “many” after “too”, “as”, “so”, “very”.

I've spent too much money.

I've got so many jobs today.

Note:The plan is much too complicated.

c. A little and a few are positive ideas. A little means a small amount, but some; a few means a small number, but some.

I've got a little money, so I could lend you some if you want.

I think he cashed a check a few minutes ago.

d.Little and few, without a are more negative ideas. Little means not much or almost no; few means not many, almost no.

It is an extremely poor country: it has few natural resources and
little good agricultural land.

e. Little and few, without a are rather formal. In everyday speech, it is more common to use “not much”; “not many”, “only a little (a few)”, or “hardly any” (= “almost no”).

I've got very little money.

I've got not much money.

Hardly any students passed the exam.