Lesson

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

Quantity expressions

≈ 15 min 8 block(s)

Text

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

These are quantifiers: words that tell us how much or how many of something there is. Choosing the correct quantifier depends on whether the noun is countable or uncountable and on the meaning you want (small amount, large amount, enough or not enough).

  • Use many with countable plural nouns: many documents, many clients.
  • Use much with uncountable nouns: much time, much information.
  • Use few / a few with countable nouns to express small quantity (few = negative idea, a few = positive).
  • Use little / a little with uncountable nouns to express small quantity (little = negative idea, a little = positive).
  • Use a lot of and plenty of with both countable and uncountable nouns to indicate large quantities (plenty often implies enough).

Table

Quantifiers: Usage and Examples

Quantifier Used with Example
many Countable plural There are many applicants for the position.
much Uncountable We don't have much time to finish the report.
few / a few Countable plural Few employees attended the meeting. / A few employees arrived early.
little / a little Uncountable Little progress was made. / We have a little information to share.
a lot of / lots of Countable & uncountable (informal) The team has a lot of experience. / There are lots of files to archive.
plenty of Countable & uncountable (often implies sufficient) We have plenty of data to analyze.

Tip

Key rule: Match noun type and meaning

Choose the quantifier based on whether the noun is countable or uncountable and on whether you mean 'small' or 'large' amount.

  • Use many / a few / few with countable nouns (apples, reports, clients).
  • Use much / a little / little with uncountable nouns (time, information, progress).
  • Use a lot of and plenty of with both countable and uncountable nouns when you mean 'a large amount'.
  • Remember: 'few' and 'little' often suggest insufficient quantity; adding 'a' (a few, a little) softens that meaning.

Think: Countable → many/few; Uncountable → much/little; both → a lot of / plenty of

Example

Examples in context

There are many proposals to review before Friday.

We don't have much time to prepare the presentation.

A few team members will attend the client meeting.

We have plenty of data to support the analysis.

Tip

Common mistakes to avoid

Watch for these common errors that many learners make with quantifiers.

  • Using many with uncountable nouns (e.g., 'many information') — incorrect.
  • Using much with countable plural nouns (e.g., 'much documents') — incorrect.
  • Confusing few and a few (few = almost none/negative; a few = some/positive).
  • Confusing little and a little (little = hardly any/negative; a little = some/positive).
  • Mismatching singular/plural verbs when using quantifiers (e.g., 'There is many...' vs 'There are many...').
  • Forgetting 'of' after quantifiers when required in formal contexts (use 'a lot of', 'plenty of').

If unsure, check whether the noun is countable (use many/few) or uncountable (use much/little).

Quiz

Choose the correct sentence:

Hint: Check whether the noun is countable and whether the verb should be singular or plural.

Quiz

Complete: We have _____ time to finish the report.

Hint: Think about what quantifier works with uncountable nouns to express a small amount.

Quiz

Choose the sentence that means there is an ample quantity:

Hint: Focus on which option expresses a large or sufficient quantity.

Key Points

Vocabulary

many

determiner/quantifier CEFR B1 //ˈmɛni//

a large number of (used with countable plural nouns)

Many clients prefer email communication.

Vocabulary

much

determiner/quantifier CEFR B1 //mʌtʃ//

a large amount of (used with uncountable nouns)

We don't have much time left for the meeting.

GrammarPoint

few / a few

determiner/quantifier CEFR B2 //fjuː/ /ə fjuː//

few = not many (negative); a few = some (positive) — used with countable nouns

Few employees met the target this quarter.

GrammarPoint

little / a little

determiner/quantifier CEFR B2 //ˈlɪtəl/ /ə ˈlɪtəl//

little = hardly any (negative); a little = some (positive) — used with uncountable nouns

We have little information about the new policy.

Vocabulary

a lot of / lots of

determiner/quantifier CEFR B1 //ə lɒt əv/ /lɒts əv//

a large quantity; informal and used with both countable and uncountable nouns

She received a lot of feedback from clients.

Expression

plenty of

expression/quantifier CEFR B2 //ˈplɛnti əv//

more than enough; used with countable and uncountable nouns to indicate sufficiency

We have plenty of resources to complete the project.