Much, many, little, few, a lot, plenty

Question 1

We use much and little with un____ nouns.

Answer 1

We use much and little with uncountable nouns.

Much time _(beaucoup)

Much luck.

Little energy _(peu)

Little money

Question 2

We use many an few with pl___ nouns.

Answer 2

We use many an few with plural nouns.

Many friends _(plusieurs)

Many people

Few cars _(quelques)

Few countries

Question 3

We use a lot of / lots of / plenty of with both un____ and pl___ nouns.

Answer 3

We use a lot of / **lots of **/ **plenty of **with both uncountable and plural nouns.

A lot of luck / a lot of friends / lots of time / lots of people / plenty of money / plenty of ideas

Plenty : more than enough.

There’s no need to hurry. We’ve got plenty of time.

Question 4

Much is unusual in pos____ sentences (especially in spoken English.

Answer 4

Much is unusual in positive sentences (especially in spoken English.

We didn’t spend much money _but We spend a lot of money.

^{Do you see david much} _but I see David a lot. _{(<em>not</em> I see David much)}

We use many, a lot of, and lots of in all kinds of sentences:

Many people drive too fast _or Lots of people drive too fast.

Do you know many people _or Do you know a lot of people.

Note that we say many years/weeks/days (not a lot of…):

We live here for many years.

Question 5

Little and few (whitout a) are neg____ ideas (= not much / not many.

Answer 5

Little _(peu) and few _(quelques) (whitout a) are negative ideas (= not much / not many.

Gary is very busy. He has little time for other things.

Jill doesn’t like live in Paris. She has few friends there.

You can say very little and very few:

Gary has very little time for other things.

Jill has very few friends in Paris.

Question 6

A little and an a few have a more pos___ meaning.

A little = some, a smal am____.

A few = some, small n___.

Answer 6

A little and an a few have a more positive meaning.

A little = some, a smal amount. _{(un peu de…)}

^{We have <strong>a little</strong> time before the plane leaves.}

^{Do you speak English. <strong>A little</strong>.}

A few = some, small number. _{(un peu de…)}

^{I have a few friend in this town. (= not many but enough)}

^{When did you see Clara? A few days ago (= some days ago)}

Compare:

^{He speaks <strong>litte</strong> English (difficult to communicate with him).}

^{He speaks <strong>a little</strong> English (possible to communicate with him).}

We can say only a little and only a few:

^{Hurry we have <strong>only a little</strong> time.}

Question 7

Change much to many or a lot (of) where necessary.

Joe always puts much salt on his food.

Answer 7

Change much to many or a lot (of) where necessary.

Joe always puts a lot of salt on his food.

^{(much is unsual in positivesentences)}

Question 8

Change much to many or a lot (of) where necessary.

We’ll have to hurry. We don’t have much time.

Answer 8

Change much to many or a lot (of) where necessary.

We’ll have to hurry. We don’t have much time.

^{(uncountable + negative sentence)}

Question 9

Change much to many or a lot (of) where necessary.

Did it cost much to fix the car?

Answer 9

Change much to many or a lot (of) where necessary.

Did it cost much to fix the car?

^{(uncountable + question = negative)}

Question 10

Change much to many or a lot (of) where necessary.

I don’t know much people in this town.

Answer 10

Change much to many or a lot (of) where necessary.

I don’t know many/a lot of people in this town.

^{(many because people is a plural noun)}

Question 11

Change much to many or a lot (of) where necessary.

There wasn’t much traffic this morning.

Answer 11

Change much to many or a lot (of) where necessary.

There wasn’t much traffic this morning.

^{(negative sentence / traffic is uncountable)}

Question 12

Change much to **many **or a lot (of) where necessary.

I use the phone much at work.

Answer 12

Change much to **many **or a lot (of) where necessary.

I use the phone a lot at work.

^{(not much causepostive sentence)}

Question 13

Change much to **many **or a lot (of) where necessary.

You need much money to travel around the world.

Answer 13

Change much to **many **or a lot (of) where necessary.

You need a lot of money to travel around the world.

^{(positive sentence)}

Question 14

Complete with plenty (of).

Come and sit with us. There’s ____ room.

Answer 14

Complete with plenty (of).

Come and sit with us. There’s plenty of room.

Question 15

Change much to many or a lot (of) where necessary.

She knows a lot, but she she still has ____ to learn.

Answer 15

Change much to many or a lot (of) where necessary.

She knows a lot, but she she still has plenty to learn.

^{(pas de <em><strong>of</strong> </em>avec un infinitif)}

Question 16

Much / many / few / little?

Ann is very busy these days. She has ____ free time.

Answer 16

Much / many / few / little ?

Ann is very busy these days. She has little free time.

^{(uncountable)}

Question 17

Much / many / few / little ?

Did you take ____ pictures on vacation?

Answer 17

Much / many / few / little ?

Did you take many pictures on vacation?

^{(countable / positive sentence)}

Question 18

Much / many / few / little ?

I’m not very busy today. I don’t have ____ to do.

Answer 18

Much / many / few / little ?

I’m not very busy today. I don’t have much to do.

^{(uncontable + negative sentence)}

Question 19

Much / many / few / little ?

This is a very modern city. There are ___ old building.

Answer 19

Much / many / few / little ?

This is a very modern city. There are few old building.

^(countable)

Question 20

Much / many / few / little ?

The weather has been very dry recently. We’ve had very ___ rain.

Answer 20

Much / many / few / little ?

The weather has been very dry recently. We’ve had very little rain.

Question 21

Much / many / few / little ?

Do you know Boston? No, I haven’t been there for ____ years.

Answer 21

Much / many / few / little ?

Do you know Boston? No, I haven’t been there for many years.

^{(we say many years/weeks/days)}

Question 22

She’s lucky. She has a few/few problems.

Answer 22

She’s lucky. She has few problems.

Question 23

Things are not going so wel for her. She has a few/few problems.

Answer 23

Things are not going so wel for her. She has a few problems.

Question 24

Can you lend me a few/few dollars?

Answer 24

Can you lend me a few dollars?

^{<span>(few/litte = negative ideas)</span>}

Question 25

There was a little traffic/little traffic, so the trip didn’t take very long.

Answer 25

There was little traffic, so the trip didn’t take very long.

(little = not much)

Question 26

It was a surprise that he won the match. A few/few people expected him to win.

Answer 26

It was a surprise that he won the match. A few people expected him to win.

^{<span>(only a small numbers of people)</span>}

Question 27

I don’t know much Spanish, only few/a few words.

Answer 27

I don’t know much Spanish, only a few words.

^{<span>(a small number, enough to know it little)</span>}

Question 28

I wonder how Sam is. I haven’t seen him for a few/few months.

Answer 28

I wonder how Sam is. I haven’t seen him for a few months.

^{<span>(a small number, quelques)</span>}

Question 29

Listen carefully. I’m going to give you little/a little advice.

Answer 29

Listen carefully. I’m going to give you a little advice.

^{<span>(<strong>a little</strong> is less negative /<strong>little</strong> = not many)</span>}

Question 30

Do you mind if I ask you a few/few questions?

Answer 30

Do you mind if I ask you a few questions?

^{<span>(few = small number / a few = not many - negative)</span>}

Question 31

It’s not a very interesting place to visit, so a few/few tourists come here.

Answer 31

It’s not a very interesting place to visit, so few tourists come here.

^{<span>(few = not many - negative)</span>}

Question 32

I don’t think Jill would be a good teacher. She has a little/little patience.

Answer 32

I don’t think Jill would be a good teacher. She has little patience.

^{<span>(= not much patience)</span>}

Question 33

Would you like some cream in your coffee? Yes, please, little/a little.

Answer 33

Would you like some cream in your coffee? Yes, please, a little.

^{<span>(= a smal amount)</span>}