Quantifiers

QUANTITIES a) 1st match: SOME vs. ANY SOME ANY 1) In positive sentences: I need some butter. 2) In questions when offering or requesting something that is there: Could I have some water, please? 1) In questions: Is there any cheese left? 2) In negative sentences: There isn't any milk left. b) 2nd match: MUCH vs. MANY MUCH MANY MUCH + singular There is much traffic. MANY + plural There are many cars.

TEST Choose the correct answer. a) I have (some/any) homework to do for tomorrow. b) I don't see (some/any) ducks there! c) Can I have (some/any) wine, please? d) Are there (some/any) vegetables left? e) There are (much/many) people in the cinema. f) Don't eat (much/many) sugar.

 ANSWERS

a) I have some homework to do for tomorrow.
b) I don't see any ducks there!
c) Can I have some wine, please.
d) Are there any vegetables left?

e) There are many people in the cinema.
f) Don't eat much sugar.

     A few and few, a little and little

These expressions show the speaker's attitude towards the quantity he/she is referring to.

A few (for countable nouns) and a little (for uncountable nouns) describe the quantity in a positive way:

·         "I've got a few friends" (= maybe not many, but enough)

·         "I've got a little money" (= I've got enough to live on)

Few and little describe the quantity in a negative way:

·         Few people visited him in hospital (= he had almost no visitors)

·         He had little money (= almost no money)

Fill in the gaps with: little, a little, few or a few.

A) Look at the sky, there is _________   hope for bright and sunny weather tomorrow.

B) Is there? The weather forecast says there is still _________   hope.

C) _________   people attended the meeting. I counted only four.

D) _________   people asked me how to felt. That was nice.

E) I´m glad so many people have passed the test. In fact, there were _________   who haven´t.

F) “I will succeed, with _________   help from my friends”, she said.

G) She's gone already? And I am only _________   minutes late!

Answers:

A.   little

B.    a little

C.    few

D.   a few

E.    few

F.    a little

G.    a few

Fill in the blanks with appropriate quantifiers: little / a little / few / a few. 

1. We must be quick. We have  time. 

2. Listen carefully. I'm going to give you  advice.

3. Do you mind if I ask you  questions?

4. This town is not a very interesting place to visit, very 
tourists come here. 

5. I don't think Jill would be a good teacher. She's got  patience. 

6. 'Would you like milk in your coffee?' 'Yes, please .’ 

7. This is a very boring place to live. There's  to do.

8. 'Do you ever go to Atlantic City?' 'Yes, I go there  times
every year.'

B. Complete the following exercise with appropriate quantifiers: a / an, some or any. 

1. Are there  computers in the library? 

2. Are there  ripe cherries on the tree? 

3. Excuses me, is this  English apple or  French apple?

Actually, it’s South African. We haven’t got  French or English

apples today. 

4. Is there  lake in the middle of London? 

5. Oh! These chips are horrible. There isn’t  salt on them.

Well, there’s  in the pot over there. 

6. There are  people at the bus stop. 

7. There is  bridge over the river. 

8. There is  milk in the bottle. 

9. There is  big airport in Holland. 

10. There isn’t  furniture at home.     

                                                                                   

           Answer Key

Fill in the blanks with appropriate quantifiers: little / a little / few / a few. 

1. We must be quick. We have little time.

2. Listen carefully. I'm going to give you a little advice.

3. Do you mind if I ask you a few questions?

4. This town is not a very interesting place to visit, very few
    tourists come here.

5. I don't think Jill would be a good teacher. She's got little patience.

6. 'Would you like milk in your coffee?' 'Yes, please a little .’

7. This is a very boring place to live. There's little to do.

8. 'Do you ever go to Atlantic City?' 'Yes, I go there a few times
    every year.'

B. Complete the following exercise with appropriate quantifiers: a/an, some or any.

1. Are there any computers in the library?

2. Are there any ripe cherries on the tree?

3. Excuses me, is this an English apple or a French apple?

    Actually, it’s South African. We haven’t got any French or English

    apples today.

4. Is there a lake in the middle of London?

5. Oh! These chips are horrible. There isn’t any salt on them.

    Well, there’s some in the pot over there.

6. There are some people at the bus stop.

7. There is a bridge over the river.

8. There is some milk in the bottle.

9. There is a big airport in Holland.

10. There isn’t any furniture at home.