Collins Cobuild

Unit 29
Quantity 1
Main points
You  use  ‘much’  and  ‘little’  with  uncount  nouns  to  talk  about  a
quantity of something.
You use ‘many’ and ‘few’ with plural nouns to talk about a number
of people or things.
You use ‘much’ in negative sentences and questions, and ‘a lot of’
or ‘plenty of’ rather than ‘much’ in affirmative sentences.
You  use  ‘more’  and  ‘less’  with  uncount  nouns,  and  ‘more’  and
‘fewer’ with plural count nouns.
1
You use ‘much’ to talk about a large quantity of something, and ‘little’
to talk about a small quantity of something. You only use ‘much’ and
‘little’ with uncount nouns.
I haven’t got much time.
We’ve made little progress.
2
You use ‘many’ to talk about a large number of people or things, and
‘few’ to talk about a small number of people or things. You can only
use ‘many’ and ‘few’ with plural count nouns.
He wrote many novels.
There were few visitors to our house.

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3
You normally use ‘much’ in negative sentences and questions.
He did not speak much English.
Why haven’t I given much attention to this problem?
In affirmative sentences you do not use ‘much’, you use ‘a lot of’, ‘lots
of’, or ‘plenty of’ instead. You can use them with both uncount nouns
and plural nouns.
He demanded a lot of attention.
I make a lot of mistakes.
They spent lots of time on the project.
He remembered a large room with lots of windows.
I’ve got plenty of money.
There are always plenty of jobs to be done.
Note  that  you  can  use  ‘so  much’  and  ‘too  much’  in  affirmative
sentences.
She spends so much time here.
There is too much chance of error.
4
You use ‘so much’ to emphasize that a large quantity of something is
involved.
I have so much work to do.
They have so much money and we have so little.
You  use  ‘too  much’  and  ‘too  many’  to  say  that  the  quantity  of
something,  or  the  number  of  people  or  things,  is  larger  than  is
reasonable or necessary.
He has too much work.
Too many people still smoke.
You use ‘very many’ to emphasize that a large number of people or
things are involved.

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Very many old people live alone.
Note that ‘very much’ is used with nouns and verbs.
There isn’t very much time.
I liked it very much.
5
 You  use  ‘few’  and  ‘little’  to  emphasize  that  only  a  small  quantity  of
something or a small number of people or things are involved. They
can be used with ‘very’ for greater emphasis.
The town has few monuments.
I have little time for anything but work.
Very few cars had reversing lights.
I had very little money left.
He spread a little honey on a slice of bread.
I usually do a few jobs for him in the house.
6
You use ‘more’ with uncount nouns and plural count nouns to refer to
a quantity of something or a number of people or things that is greater
than another quantity or number.
His visit might do more harm than good.
He does more hours than I do.
You use ‘less’ with uncount nouns to refer to an amount of something
that is smaller than another amount.
The poor have less access to education.
This machinery uses less energy.
You use ‘fewer’, or ‘less’ in informal English, with plural nouns to refer
to a number of people or things that is smaller than another number.
There are fewer trees here.
They have sold less computers this year.

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