Nouns and quantifiers
Countable and uncountable nouns, plurals, possessives and quantifiers (much/many, little/few, some/any, too/enough).
English nouns are either countable or uncountable, and this difference controls almost every choice you make about plurals and quantifiers. Countable nouns can be counted and have plural forms (one book, two books), while uncountable nouns name things we usually do not count one by one (water, money, information, advice) and have no plural and no a/an. We use 'many' and 'few' with countable plurals, but 'much' and 'little' with uncountable nouns; 'a few'/'a little' mean a small but sufficient amount, while 'few'/'little' alone stress that there is almost none. 'Some' is normal in positive sentences and offers/requests, whereas 'any' is used in negatives and questions, and 'a lot of'/'plenty of' work with both types. Remember too that many nouns are irregular (children, feet, women, mice) and that 'too' means more than we want while 'enough' means the right amount. For example: 'There isn't much milk left, so I bought a few bottles, but we still don't have enough sugar.'
Rules
- 1Use 'many'/'(a) few' with countable plural nouns (many cars, a few apples); use 'much'/'(a) little' with uncountable nouns (much time, a little water).
- 2'a few'/'a little' = a small, positive amount; 'few'/'little' (without 'a') = almost none, a negative idea.
- 3'some' is used in positive statements and offers/requests; 'any' is used in negatives and questions; 'a lot of'/'plenty of' fit both countable and uncountable nouns.
- 4Uncountable nouns (information, advice, news, furniture, money, luggage) take a singular verb and never take 'a/an' or a plural -s.
- 5Learn irregular plurals (child→children, foot→feet, tooth→teeth, man→men, woman→women, mouse→mice); 'too + adjective' = more than needed, 'enough' = the right amount.
Practice
10 easy · 10 medium · 10 hard