Skip to content
Zorg Space Open the app

English grammar

a few, a little, plenty of, hardly any

B1 · Intermediate Nouns and describing Questions 10

The rule

Beyond much and many, English has quantifiers that carry an attitude. a few and a little mean some, and sound positive: We have a few minutes. Drop the a and the meaning turns negative: few people came means almost nobody. a few and few go with countable nouns, a little and little with uncountable ones. plenty of means more than enough; hardly any means almost none but keeps the verb positive: There is hardly any milk left.

Pattern

a few / few + countable · a little / little + uncountable · plenty of · hardly any

Examples

  1. We still have a few minutes before the train.

  2. Few people applied for the job.

  3. There is plenty of room in the car.

  4. I have hardly any time this week.

Common mistakes

  • Wrong: I have a few money left.

    Right: I have a little money left.

    money is uncountable, so a little.

  • Wrong: A few people came, so the hall was almost empty.

    Right: Few people came, so the hall was almost empty.

    Without a, few means disappointingly not many.

  • Wrong: There is not hardly any bread.

    Right: There is hardly any bread.

    hardly is already negative, so the verb stays positive.

Practice questions

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

  1. 1Choose the correct sentence.

    1. Could I have a little more sugars?
    2. Could I have little more sugar?
    3. Could I have a little more sugar?
    4. Could I have a few more sugar?
    Show answer

    Answer: C Could I have a little more sugar?

    sugar is uncountable, so a little.

  2. 2Choose the correct sentence.

    1. Only a few seat were left.
    2. Only a few seats were left.
    3. Only a little seats were left.
    4. Only few seats were left over from many.
    Show answer

    Answer: B Only a few seats were left.

    seats is countable, so a few.

  3. 3Choose the correct sentence.

    1. There is plenty of time, do not rush.
    2. There is plenty of times, do not rush.
    3. There are plenty of time, do not rush.
    4. There is plenty time, do not rush.
    Show answer

    Answer: A There is plenty of time, do not rush.

    plenty of + uncountable, with a singular verb.

  4. 4Choose the correct sentence.

    1. He has hardly no friends here.
    2. He has not hardly any friends here.
    3. He has hardly any friends here.
    4. He has hardly any friend here.
    Show answer

    Answer: C He has hardly any friends here.

    hardly any + plural noun and a positive verb.

  5. 5Fill in the gap.

    I speak _____ Dutch — enough to shop.

    1. little
    2. a little
    3. a few
    4. few
    Show answer

    Answer: B I speak a little Dutch — enough to shop.

    Uncountable and positive: a little.

  6. 6Fill in the gap.

    _____ students passed, which worried the school.

    1. A little
    2. A few
    3. Little
    4. Few
    Show answer

    Answer: D Few students passed, which worried the school.

    Countable and disappointing, so few with no a.

  7. 7Fill in the gap.

    We had _____ of help from the neighbours.

    1. a few
    2. plenty
    3. many
    4. hardly
    Show answer

    Answer: B We had plenty of help from the neighbours.

    plenty of means more than enough.

  8. 8Fill in the gap.

    There is _____ any petrol in the tank.

    1. not
    2. no
    3. not hardly
    4. hardly
    Show answer

    Answer: D There is hardly any petrol in the tank.

    hardly any means almost none.

  9. 9Put the words in the right order.

    We have a few questions for you

    Show answer

    Answer: We have a few questions for you.

    a few + a countable plural.

  10. 10Put the words in the right order.

    There is hardly any milk left

    Show answer

    Answer: There is hardly any milk left.

    hardly any + uncountable, verb positive.

Practise this lesson in Zorg Space

In the app every rule becomes interactive practice: instant correction, reviews at the moment you are about to forget, and progress you can see from level to level — free.

Start for free

More in «Nouns and describing»