✍️ Quantifiers

Study notes with clear rules and solved examples.
Creative Grammar and Writing · 7th grade · Costa Rica · Unit 1

Learning goals

By the end of this topic you can...

• Tell the difference between countable and uncountable nouns.
• Use some and any in affirmative, negative and interrogative sentences.
• Choose between much, many, a lot of and lots of.
• Use a few / a little and few / little with the right meaning.
• Ask questions with How much...? and How many...?

What is a quantifier?

A quantifier is a word (or a group of words) that we put before a noun to say how much or how many of something there is.

• I have three apples. → the exact number
• I have some apples. → we don't say the exact number

Quantifiers answer the question "How much?" or "How many?"

Step 1: Countable or uncountable?

Before you choose a quantifier, you must ask: can I count this noun?

Countable nouns are things you can count (one, two, three...). They have a singular form and a plural form: one book → two books; one apple → three apples.

Uncountable nouns are things you cannot count one by one (water, milk, rice, money, time, homework). They have no plural form and they take a singular verb.

Careful! These nouns are uncountable in English, even if they are countable in Spanish: money, homework, information, advice, furniture, bread.
We say much homework, never many homeworks.

Step 2: some and any

Both some and any mean "an amount that we don't say exactly". They go with plural countable nouns and with uncountable nouns. The difference is the type of sentence.

We use some in affirmative sentences

• There is some milk in the fridge.
• She bought some bread this morning.

We use any in negative sentences and in questions

• There isn't any milk in the fridge.
• Do you have any questions?
• Are there any eggs in the box?

Careful! There is one important exception. We use some in questions when we offer or ask for something:
Would you like some tea? · Can I have some water, please?

Step 3: much, many, a lot of and lots of

These quantifiers talk about a big quantity.

many + plural countable noun · much + uncountable noun

• There aren't many cars in the street. · How many students are there in your class?
• I don't have much time. · There isn't much sugar in my coffee.

Careful! In everyday English, much and many are used mostly in negative sentences and questions. In affirmative sentences they sound very formal, so we prefer a lot of.
✗ I have much homework. → ✓ I have a lot of homework.

a lot of / lots of + countable or uncountable noun

They mean the same thing; lots of is a little more informal.

• I have a lot of friends. (countable) · I have a lot of homework. (uncountable)
• She drinks lots of water every day.

Step 4: a few / a little and few / little

These quantifiers talk about a small quantity.

a few + plural countable noun → a small number, but enough

• I have a few coins, so I can buy a soda.
• We have a few eggs. Let's make a cake!

a little + uncountable noun → a small amount, but enough

• There is a little milk in the glass. You can drink it.
• I need a little help, please.

Now look at the same words without the article "a". The meaning changes and becomes negative: almost none, not enough.

few + plural countable noun

• She has few friends, so she feels lonely.
• Few students passed the test. The teacher was sad.

little + uncountable noun

• He has little patience. He gets angry very fast.
• We have little time. Hurry up!

Careful! One little word changes everything.
I have a few friends. = I am happy, I have some friends.
I have few friends. = I am sad, I have almost no friends.

Step 5: How much...? and How many...?

How many + plural countable noun

• How many brothers do you have?
• How many books are there on the desk?

How much + uncountable noun

• How much water do you drink every day?
• How much homework do you have?

Careful! We also use How much...? to ask about prices, because money is uncountable: How much is this book? · How much does the ticket cost?

Quick summary

• First ask: is the noun countable (apples) or uncountable (water)?
• some → affirmative sentences; any → negatives and questions (but some in offers and requests).
• many + countable, much + uncountable; both are typical in negatives and questions.
• a lot of / lots of work with both types of nouns and are perfect for affirmative sentences.
• a few / a little = small but enough (positive meaning) · few / little = almost none (negative meaning).
• Ask How many...? with countable nouns and How much...? with uncountable nouns and prices.

Key vocabulary