165 much and many __ _________________

1 the difference
Much is used with singular (uncountable) nouns; m any is used with plurals.
I haven't got m uch time. I d on't know m a n y o f your friends.

2 much/many o f
We use m uch/m any o f before another determ iner (article, possessive, etc) or a
pronoun. Compare:
- She didn't eat m uch breakfast, ( n o t . . . much o f breakfast.)
She d id n ’t eat m uch o f her breakfast.
She didn't eat m uch o f it.
- There aren’t m a n y large glasses left.
There aren't m a n y o f the large glasses left.
There aren’t m a n y o f them left.
However, m uch o f can be used directly before personal and geographical names.
I ’ve seen too m uch o f Howard recently.
Not m uch o f D enm ark is hilly.

3 much/many without a noun

We can drop a noun after m uch or many, if the m eaning is clear.
You h a ven’t eaten much.
‘D id you fin d any mushrooms?’ ‘N ot m any.’
Note that much and m any are only used like this w hen a noun has been
dropped.
There w asn't m uch (food), (but not The fo o d wasn 't much. No noun has been
dropped. You couldn't say The fo o d wasn't m u eh fo o d .)
M any is not usually used alone to m ean 'm any people’.
M any people think it's time fo r a change. (More natural than M any think . . .)

4 not used in affirmative clauses

In an informal style, we use much and m any mostly in questions and negative
clauses. In m ost informal affirmative clauses they are unusual (especially much)-,
other words and expressions are used instead.
‘How m uch money have you got?’ ‘I've got plenty.’ (not I've got m uch.)
H e’s got lots o f m en friends, but he doesn't know m a n y women.
(More natural than H e’s got m any m en friends . . .)
‘D id yo u buy any clothes?’ ‘Yes, lots.’ ( not Yes, m any.)
In a formal style, much and m any are m ore com m on in affirmative clauses.
M uch has been written about unemployment. In the opinion o f m any
economists, . . .
Far and long (= a long time) are also used mostly in questions and negative
clauses. ►461, 517

gram m ar «165 much and many

 Determiners: Quantifiers Section 13

5 after so, as and too

So m uch/m any, as m uch/m any and too m uch /m a ny are quite natural in
affirmative clauses.
There was so m uch traffic that it took me an hour to get home.
I play as m uch tennis as I can. You m ake too m a n y mistakes.
6 m y m any friends, etc
Note that m any can follow possessives in expressions like m y m any friends,
her m any prizes. This is rather formal.
7 much as adverb
We can use m uch as an adverb in questions and negative clauses.
Do you work m uch a t weekends? I d o n ’t travel m uch these days.
We can also use much before com parative adjectives and adverbs, in affirmative
clauses as well as questions and negatives.
She's m uch older than her brother. I d o n ’t drive m uch fa ster than you.
Much can be used before some verbs expressing enjoyment, preference and
similar ideas, in affirmative clauses as well as questions and negatives, especially
in a formal style.
I m uch appreciate your help. We m uch prefer the country to the town.
I did n 't m uch enjoy the concert.
Very m uch can be used in affirmative clauses as an adverb.
I very m uch like your new hairstyle. Thank you very much.

For much and very with past participles (e.g. m uch/very amused), ►96.8

166 more
1 more (of)
We can use more as a determ iner before uncountable or plural nouns. Before
another determ iner (article, possessive, etc) or a pronoun, we use more of.
Compare:
- We need m ore butter.
We need m ore o f th a t salted butter.
We need m ore o f it.
- More climbers have been found.
More o f the missing climbers have been found.
More o f them have been found.
However, more o f can be used directiy before personal and geographical names.
It would be nice to see m ore o f Ray a n d Barbara.
Five hundred years ago, much m ore o f B ritain was covered with trees.
2 more without a noun
We can drop a noun after more if the m eaning is clear.
I'd like some more, please.
3 one more, etc
Note the structure one more, two more, etc. In this case more can be used
before a countable noun.
There's ju st one m ore river to cross.

gram m ar «166 more

 4 more as an adverb
More can also be used as an adverb.
I couldn’t agree more.
More and more is used to talk about continual increase.
I hate this jo b more a n d m ore as the years go by.

For more in comparatives (e.g. more comfortable), ►Section 17.

For no more, not any more/longer, ►535. For fa r more, much more, m any more, etc, ►207.

167 most
1 m ost (of)
We can use most as a determ iner before uncountable or plural nouns. Note that
we do not use the before m ost in this case.
Most children like ice cream, ( n o t The m ost children-. . .)
Before another determ iner (article, possessive, etc) or a pronoun, we use
most of. Compare:
- M ost fru it is imported. - M ost people can sing a little.
M ost o f our fru it is imported. M ost o f these people can sing a little.
M ost o f it is imported. M ost o f them can sing a little.

However, most o f can be used directly before personal and geographical names.
I've read m ost o f Shakespeare. The Romans conquered m ost o f England.

2 most w ithout a noun

We can drop a noun after m ost if the m eaning is clear.
Some people had difficulty with the lecture, but m ost understood.

3 the most (= 'more than any other/others') with nouns

In com parisons (when m ost m eans ‘m ore than any other/others’) it is normally
used with the before nouns.
Susan fo u n d the m ost blackberries.
The is som etim es dropped in an informal style.
Who earns (the) m ost m oney in your fam ily?

4 the most as an adverb

(The) most can also be used as an adverb. The is often dropped in an
informal style.
They all talk a lot, but your little girl talks (the) most. The truth hurts most.
For most in superlatives (e.g. the most beautiful), ►Section 17.

168 (a) little and (a) few

1 uncountable and plural
We use the determ iner (a) little with singular (usually uncountable) words, and
we use (a) fe w with plurals. Compare:
I have little interest in politics. Few politicians are really honest.
We've got a little bacon and a fe w eggs.

gram m ar «167 most

 Determiners: Quantifiers Section 13

Before another determ iner (article, possessive, etc) or a pronoun, we use

(a) little o f and (a) fe w of. Compare:
- Could I have a little butter?
Could I have a little o f that butter?
Could I have a little o f that?
- Few people always tell the truth.
Few o f the people questioned told the truth.
Few o f them told the truth.

2 use of a
There is a difference betw een little and a little, and betw een fe w and a few.
W ithout a, little and fe w usually have rather negative meanings, close to no or
none. They may suggest 'not as m uch/m any as one would like’, ‘not as m uch/
m any as expected', and similar ideas.
The average MP has little real power.
Few people can speak a foreign language perfectly.
A little and a fe w are m ore positive: their m eaning is generally closer to some.
They may suggest ideas like ‘better than nothing' or ‘m ore than expected’.
Would you like a little soup?
You d on't need to go shopping. We've got a fe w potatoes and some steak.
Compare:
- Cactuses need little water, (not m uch water)
Give the roses a little water every day. (not a lot, but some)
- His ideas are difficult, and fe w people understand them.
His ideas are difficult, but a fe w people understand them.
Quite a fe w (informal) m eans ‘a considerable num ber'.
W e’ve got quite a fe w friends in the village.
3 formal and informal language
Little and fe w (with no article) are rather formal. In an informal style
(e.g. ordinary conversation), we generally prefer not m uch/m any,
or only a little/few.
Come on! We haven’t got much time!
Only a fe w people remembered m y birthday.
However, very little and very fe w are possible in an informal style.
He's got very little patience a nd very fe w friends.
4 (a) little and (a) few without nouns
We can drop a noun and use (a) little/few alone,if the m eaning isclear.
‘Some more soup?’ ‘Just a little, please.'
5 not used after be
(A) little and (a) fe w are determ iners. They are normally used before nouns, but
not after be.
They had little hope, ( b u t n o t Their hope was little.)
6 his few friends, etc
Note th a t/e w can follow possessives in expressions likehis few friends, m y few
visits to Scotland. This is rather formal.
For a little with comparatives (e.g. a little better), ►207.1. For the adjective little, ►580.

gram m ar • 168 (a) little and (a) few

169 less and fewer
1 the difference
Less is the com parative of little (used especially before uncountable nouns).
Fewer is the com parative of fe w (used before plural nouns). Compare:
I earn less money than a cleaner. I've got few er problem s than I used to have.
In an informal style, less is quite com m on before plural nouns. Some people
consider this incorrect.
I've got less problem s than I used to have.
2 less/fewer with and without o f
Before another determ iner (article, possessive, etc) or a pronoun, we use less of
and few er of. Compare:
- I f you w ant to lose weight, eat less food, ( n o t . . . less o ffo o d.)
Fewer people m ake their own bread these days, ( n o t Fewer-e f people . . .)
- I'd like to spend less o f m y time answering emails.
A t the college reunions, there are few er o f us each year.
3 less and few er without nouns
Nouns can be dropped after less and few er if the m eaning is clear.
Some people go to church, but less/fewer than 20 years ago.
Less can be used as an adverb (the opposite of the adverb more).
I worry less than I used to.
F o r lesser, ► 5 1 0 .

170 least and fewest

1 the least as determiner: superlative of little
The least can be used as a determ iner before uncountable nouns; it is the
superlative of little (= not m uch, ► 168), and the opposite of the most.
I think I probably do the least work in this office.
The least can be used w ithout a noun if the m eaning is clear.
Jess earns the m ost money in our fam ily; Dan earns the least.
We use the least o f before plural abstract nouns to m ean ‘the smallest o f.
‘ What will your mother think?’ ‘That’s the least o f m y worries.'
2 'any . . . at all'
With singular abstract nouns, the least can m ean ‘any . . . at all'.
Do you think there's the least chance o f Sm ith winning the election?
‘What's the time?' 'I haven’t got the least idea.'
3 the few est as determiner: superlative of few
The few est can be used before plural nouns as the superlative of fe w (► 168).
The translation with the few est mistakes isn’t always the best.
Least is often used instead of few est before plural nouns (. . . the least mistakes),
especially in an informal style. Some people feel this is incorrect.
For other uses of least, see the Index.

gram m ar *169 less and fewer

 Determiners: Quantifiers Section 13

4 (the) least with adjectives: the opposite of (the) most or

(the) .. .est
(The) least is used before adjectives in the sam e way as (the) m ost or (the) . . .est
(► 204), but with the opposite m eaning.
The least expensive trips are often the most interesting.
I ’m least happy when I have to work a t weekends.
For the use of the with superlatives, ►208.

5 least as adverb
Least can be used as an adverb (the opposite of most).
She always arrives when you least expect it.
I d o n ’t m uch like housework, a nd I like cooking least o f all.
6 at least
A t least m eans 'not less than (but perhaps m ore than)'.
'How old do you think he is? ‘A t least thirty.’
H e’s been in love a t least eight times this year.
We can also use a t least as a discourse m arker (► 284.3) to suggest that one
thing is certain or all right, even if everything else is unsatisfactory.
We lost everything in the fire. B ut a t least nobody was hurt.

7 not in the least

We can use not in the least in a formal style to m ean 'n o t at all’, especially when
talking about personal feelings and reactions.
I was n o t in the least upset by her bad temper.
For less and fewer, ► 169.

U enough
enough + noun
Enough can be used before a noun as a determ iner.
Have you got enough m ilk? There aren’t enough glasses.
Enough is occasionally used after a noun, but this is rare in m odern English
except in a few expressions.
I f only we had tim e enough . . . I was fo o l enough to believe him.
Before another determ iner (article, possessive, etc) or a pronoun, we use
enough of. Compare:
- I d o n ’t know enough Spanish to read this, ( n o t . . .-enough o f Spanish . . .)
I d o n ’t understand enough o f the words in the notice.
- We haven't got enough blue paint, ( n o t . . ,
We haven't got enough o f th a t blue paint.
- You did n 't buy enough cards, ( n o t .
You d id n ’t buy enough o f them.

gram m ar «171 enough

 Note the idiomatic structure I've had enough o f . . . This can be followed by a
noun w ithout a determ iner.
I’ve h ad enough o f mathematics; I'm going to give it up.
She’s had enough o f England; she's going back home.

2 w ithout a noun
Enough can be used alone w ithout a n o u n to refer to an am ount, if the meaning
is clear.
H a ifa pou n d o f carrots will be enough.
That's enough, thank you. Enough is enough.
but n o t Th e m eat is enough. (The m eat is not an am ount.)

For other uses of enough, and word order with nouns and adjectives, ►450.

172 quantifying expressions: a lot, lots,

a great deal, the majority, etc
1 introduction; use of o f
Expressions of this kind have similar m eanings to the determ iners much, many
and most, but the gram m ar is not quite the same. In particular, o f is used after
these expressions even before nouns with no determ iner. Compare:
- There's not a lot o f m eat left.
There’s not much m eat left, ( n o t -
- Plenty o f shops open on Sunday mornings, ( n o t Plenty shops . . .)
M any shops open on Sunday mornings, ( n o t M any o f shops . . .)
2 a lot o f and lots o f
These are rather informal. In a m ore formal style, we prefer a great deal of,
a large num ber of, much or many. There is not m uch difference betw een a lot of
and lots of. they are both used m ainly before singular uncountable and plural
nouns, and before pronouns. It is the subject, and not the form lot/lots, that
makes a following verb singular or plural. So w hen a lot o f is used before a
plural subject, the verb is plural; w hen lots o f is used before a singular subject,
the verb is singular.
A lot o f tim e is needed to learn a language.
Lots o f patience is needed, too. ( n o t Lots o f patience are-needed, too.)
A lot o f m y friends w ant to emigrate, ( n o t A lot o f m y friends wants . . .)
Lots o f us think it's time fo r an election.
3 plenty o f
Plenty o f is usually rather informal. It is used mosdy before singular
uncountables and plurals. It suggests ‘enough and m ore'.
D on't rush. There's plenty o f time. Plenty o f shops sell batteries.

4 a great deal of, a large amount o f and a large num ber o f

These are used in similar ways to a lot o f and lots of, but are m ore formal.
A great deal o f and a large a m o u n t o f are generally used with uncountable nouns.
M r Lucas has spent a great deal o f tim e in the Far East.
I ’ve thrown out a large am ount o f old clothing.

gram m ar • 172 quantifying expressions: a lot, lots, a great deal, the majority, etc
 Determiners: Quantifiers Section 13

A large num ber o f is used before plurals, and a following verb is plural.
A large num ber o f problem s still have to be solved. (More com m on than
A large a m o u n t o f problems . . . or Л great deal o f problems . . .)
Some people think it is a mistake to use a plural noun after a large am ount or
a great deal, but the usage is quite com m on in standard English speech.

5 the majority o f
The m ajority of{= ‘m ost’ or 'm ost o f) is mostiy used with plural nouns and
verbs.
The m ajority o f criminals are non-violent.
However, if it is used with a singular noun, any following verb is singular.
The majority o f his work is concerned with children's artistic development.

6 not used with measurement nouns

These expressions are not generally used before words for units of measure, like
pounds, years or miles. Other words have to be used.
It cost several pounds, ( n o t It cost a lot o f pounds.)
They lived m any miles fro m the town.

7 use without follow ing nouns

These expressions can be used w ithout nouns if the m eaning is clear. In this
case, o f is not used.
‘How m uch money did it cost? ‘A lot.’ ( n o t A lot of.)
We should be all right fo r cheese - I’ve bought plenty.
He does not often speak, but when he does he says a great deal.
For a couple of, ► 128.2.

gram m ar «172 quantifying expressions: a lot, lots, a great deal, the majority, etc