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EXPRESSIONS OF QUANTITY: MUCH / MANY / LITTLE / FEW / A LOT (OF) / LOTS (OF) MUCH, MANY, LOTS OF and A LOT OF are expressions of quantity that indicate a large number or amount. LITTLE and FEW indicate a small number or amount of something. MUCH AND MANY MUCH is used with uncountable nouns in negative sentences and questions. MANY is used with countable nouns in negative sentences and questions. I don't drink much alcohol. Were there many people at the party? You didn't eat much last night. However, we usually use TOO MUCH / SO MUCH / TOO MANY / SO MANY in affirmative sentences. She spends too much money. There are so many cars that it's impossible to park. LITTLE AND FEW LITTLE is used with uncountable nouns in affirmative sentences. FEW is used with countable nouns in affirmative sentences. LITTLE and FEW (without “a") have a negative meaning and are equivalent to not much / not many. There were few people in class yesterday. = There weren’t many people in class yesterday. I have little patience with people who don't listen. We often say VERY LITTLE, VERY FEW, ONLY A LITTLE and ONLY A FEW. There were very few students / only a few students in class yesterday. = There weren't many students. I've got very little work to do today. / I've got only a little work to do today. = I haven't got much work to do today. A LITTLE (=some, a small amount) and A FEW (=some, a small number) have a more positive meaning. There's a little wine left. Would you like another glass? (There's enough wine for you to have some more.) There are a few new books in the library. Why don't you take one home to read? Compare: She spoke little Spanish, so it was difficult to communicate with her. She spoke a little Spanish, so I was able to communicate with her. A LOT (OF) AND LOTS (OF) LOTS OF and A LOT OF are used with both countable and uncountable nouns in affirmative sentences. I have a lot of friends who would disagree with you. This recipe requires lots of sugar and chocolate. (How many glasses of wine did you drink?) Lots. / A lot. They go out a lot.

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EXERCISES: A) Complete with the appropriate form of much, many, little, few or lot. 1. There were very ______________ people at the concert. The hall was almost empty. 2. – Cream? Yes please. But only _______________ sugar. I don’t like my coffee too sweet. 3. There weren’t ______________ students at the university yesterday. Were they on strike? 4. _____________ people go there because they’ve opened some nice cafés. 5. We’ve got very ___________ eggs, so we can only make one small omelette. 6. - Did you read any books during your holiday? - Not ______________. I didn’t have __________ time to sit down and relax. 7. - How _______________ money have you got? - Only _________________. 8. It’s a small car. There is very ________________ room in it. 9. There isn’t ______________ interesting news in the newspaper today. 10. I’m on a diet, so I can’t eat ______________. 11. My brother is very popular. He’s got ______________ friends. 12. I must hurry. I’ve got very ______________ time. B) Translation 1.

Translate these sentences into English.

Hay demasiados coches en el centro de Sevilla y muy pocos aparcamientos.

2. Voy a comprar fruta porque sólo hay unas cuantas manzanas en el frigorífico. 3. Muy poca gente resultó herida. 4. Trabajé durante unas semanas en una granja. 5. Tenían pocos muebles. 6.

Hay un poco de tarta de chocolate. ¿Te apetece?

7.

Había tanto ruido que no podía estudiar nada.

Answers: A) 1. few 2. a little 3. many 4. Lots of / A lot of 5. few 6. many – much 7. much – a little 8. little 9. much 10.much 11.a lot of /lots of 12. little B) 1. There are too many cars in the centre of Seville and very few car parks /parking lots. 2. I'm going to buy (some) fruit because there are only a few apples in the fridge. 3. Very few / Only a few people were hurt / injured. 4. I worked for a few weeks on a farm. 5. They had little furniture. / They had only a little furniture. 6. There's a little chocolate cake. Would you like some? 7. There was so much noise that I couldn't study at all.