QuantifiersQuantifiers

WAYS OF TALKING ABOUT QUANTITYWAYS OF TALKING ABOUT QUANTITY

Do you remember these words?1. noun2. countable3. uncountable4. quantity5. number6. negative7. positive8. question

a) съществителноb) броимc) неброимd) количествоe) бройf) отрицателенg) положителенh) въпросителен

Much and manyWe use with

uncountable nouns- things we cannot count such as time, money, sugar to say that we have a big quantity of something.

Hurry up, we don’t have much time!

muchmuch

Much and many We use much,

mostly in

sentences and

Have you got much money?

We haven’t got much time.

negativenegative

questionsquestions

Much and manyWe usewith countable

nouns – things that we can count like people, buildings, animals and other.

Many people

Many books

manymany

Much and manyWe also use

many mostly in

sentences and

Have you got many lessons tomorrow?

I haven’t got many friends.

negative

questions

A lot of and lots ofWe use and

both with countable and uncountable nouns.

We prefer a lot of or lots of in

sentences

She has got lots of pets.

He has got a lot of homework.

a lot oflots of

positive

Plenty ofThe other way to

express big quantity is

and we use it both with countable and uncountable nouns.

He has got plenty of good ideas but he can’t realize them.

They have plenty of money but they are not happy.

plenty of

Much, many, a lot (of), lots (of)• Fill the right quantifiers in the

sentences:• I drink………………..coffee.• He likes reading. He has got…books.• We don’t have………time.• There weren’t……….people at the

disco last night.• Do you drink……….milk?• Do they have………..money?

Little and a littleWe use and with

uncountable nouns like milk, money, time .

We have little money we cant buy that computer. We must save some more.

We have got a little milk in the fridge.

little

a little

Little and a littleWe say

when we speak about a very small quantity. We mean almost not at all.

When we use little we express

We have little time we will miss the buss.

little

negative ideas

Little and a littleWe use a little

with uncountable nouns to express the idea of not much but enough. So it has

We have a little milk in the fridge and I’ll make some pancakes for breakfast.

positive meaning

Few and a fewWe use

and with countable nouns - for example people, students, books.

It is very cold. There are few people in the street.

She has got a few friends and she meets them quite often.

His essay was perfect. He had only few mistakes.

fewa few

Few and a few

When we use we express a

- almost no.

We have only few eggs. I can’t make an omelet.

He is very lonely. He has got only few friends.

few without a

negative idea

Few and a fewWe say when we

mean not many but enough. It is a

She is happy in her new school. She’s already made a few friends there.

I wrote a few letters to my friend but he didn’t answer.

a few

positive idea

Little and fewTo point out that

the quantity is very, very small and not enough at all we can also use very with little and few- very little and very few.

I have very little time so I have to hurry up.

At night there are very few people in the streets. They are almost empty.

A bit of

We use with uncountable

nouns to express a small quantity. We also can use a bit (of) alone>

There is a bit of cheese in the fridge.

Wait a bit! I am coming.

a bit (of)

Little, a little, few and a few• Fill in the gabs with the right quantifier• Very..........people survived after the accident.• There is………coffee left. I’ll make some.• They cant afford a car because they

have…….money.• We had very…….time and we missed the bus.• He has …….friends so he isn’t very lonely.• Very……students passed the exam.

Let’s summarize! with countable nouns we use:a lot (of) / lots (of) to express big

quantity – in positive sentences.many to express big quantity in negative

sentences and questions. a few to express small but enough quantityfew to express small and not enough quantity

Let’s summarize! with uncountable nouns we use:a lot (of) / lots (of) to express big

quantity – in positive sentencesmuch to express big quantity in negative

sentences and questionsa little to express small but enough quantitylittle to express small and not enough

quantity

Summarycountable

uncountable

both

Big quantity manyquestions negatives

muchquestionsnegatives

a lot of, lots of, plenty (of)

Small quantitybut enough

a fewpositive

a littlea bitpositive

Small quantitynot enough

fewpositive

littlepositive

Answers 1 • Fill the right quantifiers in the sentences:• I drink a lot of coffee.• He likes reading. He has got a lot of

( lots of) books.• We don’t have much time.• There weren’t many people at the disco

last night.• Do you drink much milk?• Do they have much money?

Answers 2

• Very few people survived after the accident.• There is a little coffee left. I’ll make some.• They cant afford a car because they have little

money.• We had very little time and we missed the

bus.• He has a few friends so he isn’t very lonely.• Very few students passed the exam.