NOUNS & ADJECTIVES → QUANTIFIERS · RULE 16
Quantifiers
How many friends? How much time? First ask one question: can you count it? Friends — yes. Time, money, water — no.
FORMULA
many / much
COUNTABLE — YOU CAN COUNT
many friends
a few friends
UNCOUNTABLE — ONE MASS
much time
a little time
PICK YOUR WORD
C
How many friends? — quite a few.
countable
U
How much time? — a little.
uncountable
∗
a lot of friends · a lot of time
works with both
some — in yes-sentences and offers. any — in questions and negatives: I have some news. Do you have any questions?
SMALL AMOUNTS
a few + countablea few books · a few friends
a little + uncountablea little money · a little time
few / little alone = sadly not enoughHe has few friends.
ALWAYS UNCOUNTABLE
advice · information · newsnever with -s
money · time · workHow much money?
water · bread · musica little water
COMMON MISTAKES