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Countable vs Uncountable Nouns

Some, Any, A few, A little, Many, Much


Remember It
How much ....? = uncountable nouns For example: How much coffee do you drink? How many ....? = countable nouns For example: How many cups of coffee do you drink?

How much? How many?


In questions: Countable Nouns We use how many with plural countable nouns:"How many newspapers do you read every day?" "How many Euros have you got?" Uncountable Nouns We use how much with uncountable nouns:"How much paper is in the printer?" "How much Money have you got?"

Some, Any
Countable There are some people. cups. books. newspapers. chairs. shoes. Euros. Uncountable There is some money. traffic. paper. time. coffee. food.

Countable
We can use some in positive Statements: sentences with plural countable nouns:I read some books. Positive: Countable There aren't any people. cups. books. newspapers. chairs. shoes. Euros. Statement:

Uncountable
We can use some in positive sentences with uncountable nouns:I would like some coffee.

Uncountable There isn't any money. traffic. paper. time. coffee. food.

We can use any in negative sentences We can use any in negative sentences with plural countable nouns:with uncountable nouns:I don't read any books. I don't want any coffee. Negative: Countable Are(n't) there any people? cups? books? newspapers? chairs? shoes? Euros? Uncountable Is(n't) there any money? traffic? paper? time? coffee? food? We can use any in questions with plural

Questions: We can use any in questions with

plural countable nouns:Positive Q: Are there any books? Negative Q: Aren't there any books? ask a question using some.

uncountable nouns:Do you need any coffee? Don't you need any coffee?

!Note! When you expect the answer to be "Yes." to an offer or polite request, you can
Countable Question: A few, A little
There are a few people cups books newspapers chairs shoes Euros There is a little money traffic paper time coffee food Can I have some books, please?

Uncountable
Would you like some coffee?

Countable
Statements: Positive: "I meet a few people every day." "I only have a few Euros."

Uncountable
"There is a little paper in the printer." "I only have a little money."

Many, Much
There aren't many people cups books newspapers chairs shoes There isn't much money traffic paper time coffee food

Countable
Statements:

Uncountable
I don't drink much coffee. Do you need much coffee? Don't you need much coffee?

Negative: I don't read many books. Questions: Positive Q: Are there many books? Negative Q: Aren't there many books?

Few / a few, little / a little are determiners. Here is how to use them correctly: Few / a few A few is more than few. We use a few and few + a plural countable noun. A few is a positive idea. few people, few books, few letters a few people, a few books, a few letters Fortunately, our financial situation is good: we still have a few good customers. I'm very sad: I have few good friends. I'm very sad: I have very few good friends. (Both these sentences mean I don't have many good friends - I would like to have more.)

Few is a negative idea. It means 'almost none'. We can also use very few.

A few and few have irregular comparative and superlative forms. Little / a little A little is more than little. We use a little and little + an uncountable noun. A little is a positive idea. It means 'some but not much'. Little is a negative idea. It means 'nearly none, nearly nothing'. We can also use very little. A little and little have irregular comparative and superlative forms.

few - fewer - the fewest a few - more - the most

a little time, a little food, a little money little time, little food, little money Compare: I can help you: I speak a little English. I can't help you. I speak little English. I can't help you. I speak very little English. (Both these sentences mean My English is bad. I would like to speak English better.) little - less - the least a little - more - the most

Some & Any


Exercises on some and any
The words some and any are used for countable and uncountable nouns. In general, we could say that some means a few / a little and any means none in negative clauses or a few / a little in questions.

Positive Clauses
In positive clauses, we usually use some.

Example: I have bought some bread. I have bought some apples.

Negative Clauses
In negative clauses, we use any. Note, however, that any alone is not a negative - it must be not ... any

Example: I have not bought any bread. I have not bought any apples.

Questions
In questions, we usually use any.

Example: Have you bought any bread? Have you bought any apples?

Compound Words with some & any


Some & any can also be part of compound words such as: something / anything someone / anyone somewhere / anywhere Note that some & any have to be used with a noun while compound words with some & any can stand on their own.

Example:

I have bought some bread. I have bought something.


However, some and any need not stand directly before the noun. Sometimes, the noun appears somewhere before some or anyand is not repeated. So if you are not sure whether to use some or something for example, check if there is a noun in the sentence that you can place after some.

Example: I do not have to buy bread. Rachel has already bought some [bread].

Exceptions Positive Clauses with Any


We usually use some in positive clauses. But after never, without, hardly, we use any.

Example: We never go anywhere. She did her homework without any help. Theres hardly anyone here.
Also in if

clauses, we usually use any.

Example: If there is anything to do, just call me. Questions with Some
We usually use any in questions. But if we expect or want the other to answer yes, we use some.

Example: Have you got any brothers and sisters?


some people have brothers or sisters, others don't - we cannot expect the answer to be yes

Would you like some biscuits?


we offer something and want to encourage the other to say ja

Much / many
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Exercises on much and many


The words much and many mean a lot of. If a noun is in singular, we use much Example: much money If a noun is in plural, we use many Example: many friends

Use of much / many


In everyday English, we normally use much / many only in questions and negative clauses.

Example: How much money have you got? Carla does not have many friends.
In positive clauses with so, as or too, we also use much / many.

Example: Carla has so many friends. She has as many friends as Sue. Kevin has too much money.
In all other positive clauses, however, we prefer expressions like a lot of / lots of.

Example: Carla has a lot of / lots of friends. Kevin has a lot of / lots of money.
In formal texts, however, much / many are also common in positive clauses. This you will notice for example when you read English news.

Countable / Uncountable Nouns


In connection with much / many people often speak of countable nouns and uncountable nouns. Countable nouns have a singular and a plural form. In plural, these nouns can be used with a number (that's why they are called 'countable nouns'). Countable nouns take many.

Example: 100 friends many friends


Uncountable nouns can only be used in singular. These nouns cannot be used with a number (that's why they are called 'uncountable nouns'). Uncountable nouns take much.

Example: 100 money much Money

A Little / A Few Exercises on A Little and A Few


The expressions a little and a few mean some. If a noun is in singular, we use a little Example: a little money If a noun is in plural, we use a few Example: a few friends

Countable / Uncountable Nouns


In connection with a little / a few people often speak of countable nouns and uncountable nouns. Countable nouns have a singular and a plural form. In plural, these nouns can be used with a number (that's why they are called 'countable nouns'). Countable nouns take a few.

Example: 4 friends a few friends


Uncountable nouns can only be used in singular. These nouns cannot be used with a number (that's why they are called 'uncountable nouns'). Uncountable nouns take a little.

Example: 3 money a little money


Note: Of course you can count money but then you would name the currency and say that you have got 3 euro (but not 3 money).

A Little / A few or Little / Few


It's a difference if you use a little / a few or little / few. Without the article, the words have a limiting or negative meaning. a little = some little = hardly any Example: I need a little money. - I need some money. I need little money. - I need hardly any money.

a few = some few = hardly any Example: A few friends visited me. - Some friends visited me. Few friends visited me. - Hardly any friends visited me. Without the article, little / few sound rather formal. That's why we don't use them very often in everyday English. A negative sentence with much / many is more common here.

Example: I need little money. = I do not need much money. Few friends visited me. = Not many friends visited me.

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