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English grammar

much, many and a lot of

A2 · Elementary Nouns and describing Questions 10

The rule

English divides nouns in two. You can count apples, so you say many apples, a few apples, How many? You cannot count milk, so you say much milk, a little milk, How much? a lot of works with both and is the usual word in a plain statement, while much and many belong most naturally in questions and negatives.

Pattern

countable: many · a few · How many? · uncountable: much · a little · How much? · both: a lot of

Examples

  1. How much sugar do you take?

  2. How many people are coming?

  3. There is not much milk left.

  4. We have a lot of work this week.

Common mistakes

  • Wrong: How much people are coming?

    Right: How many people are coming?

    people can be counted, so many.

  • Wrong: I do not have many time.

    Right: I do not have much time.

    time cannot be counted, so much.

Practice questions

Try each one yourself first, then open “Show answer” for the solution and the reason.

  1. 1Fill in the gap.

    How _____ bread do we need?

    1. much
    2. many
    3. few
    4. a lot
    Show answer

    Answer: A How much bread do we need?

    bread cannot be counted.

  2. 2Fill in the gap.

    How _____ eggs are in the box?

    1. much
    2. little
    3. many
    4. a lot
    Show answer

    Answer: C How many eggs are in the box?

    eggs can be counted.

  3. 3Fill in the gap.

    There are not _____ seats left.

    1. many
    2. much
    3. less
    4. a little
    Show answer

    Answer: A There are not many seats left.

    seats can be counted.

  4. 4Fill in the gap.

    We do not have _____ money this month.

    1. a few
    2. number of
    3. much
    4. many
    Show answer

    Answer: C We do not have much money this month.

    money cannot be counted.

  5. 5Fill in the gap.

    She has _____ friends in this city.

    1. much
    2. many of
    3. a lot of
    4. a little
    Show answer

    Answer: C She has a lot of friends in this city.

    a lot of works in a plain statement.

  6. 6Fill in the gap.

    Add just _____ salt.

    1. a few
    2. a number of
    3. a little
    4. many
    Show answer

    Answer: C Add just a little salt.

    salt cannot be counted.

  7. 7Choose the correct sentence.

    1. There were few of people at the market.
    2. There were a little people at the market.
    3. There were much people at the market.
    4. There were a few people at the market.
    Show answer

    Answer: D There were a few people at the market.

    people is countable, so a few.

  8. 8Choose the correct sentence.

    1. I do not drink a few coffee.
    2. I do not drink much coffees.
    3. I do not drink much coffee.
    4. I do not drink many coffee.
    Show answer

    Answer: C I do not drink much coffee.

    coffee as a drink in general is uncountable.

  9. 9This sentence is wrong. Choose the fix.

    Which sentence is wrong?

    1. How much hours do you work?
    2. How many hours do you work?
    3. How many days do you work?
    4. How much time do you work?
    Show answer

    Answer: A How much hours do you work?

    hours can be counted.

  10. 10This sentence is wrong. Choose the fix.

    Which sentence is wrong?

    1. We do not have many information.
    2. We have a lot of information.
    3. We do not have much information.
    4. We do not have many details.
    Show answer

    Answer: A We do not have many information.

    information is uncountable in English.

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