much, many – a little, a few
1. When do we use much and when many?
1.1 Before Nouns
- We use much with uncountable nouns (water, coffee, money, time etc.)
- We use many with plural countable nouns ( cars, tables, people, trees etc.,)
1.2 For Questions and Negative Sentences
- How much money have you got?
- How many people were at the party?
- I haven’t got much money.
- There weren’t many people at the party.
In every day English these questions you can be answered in a positive way with a lot of, lots of. There is no difference between the two phrases. Using much and many in positive sentences sounds very formal.
- I have got a lot of money.
- There were lots of people at the party.
2. When do we use a little/little and when a few/few?
- We use a little with non countable nouns (water, coffee, money, time etc.)
- We use a few with plural countable nouns ( cars, tables, people, trees etc.,)
Examples:
- He has a little money left.
- There were a few people at the party.
We use few and little without the article a to give a more negative meaning.
Examples:
- I have a little money. ( Some money, not a large amount, but some.)
- I have little money. ( Almost none.)
- There were a few people. (There were some people, not many, but some.)
- There were few people. (Almost none.)