Понятно, откуда может возникнуть путаница между словами many и much: по-русски они имеют одинаковое значение. Оба слова передают идею множественности и указывают на большое количество тех объектов, к которым они относятся.
В чем же тогда между ними разница? И когда употребляется many, а когда much? Чтобы не путать между собой эти два слова, нужно запомнить небольшие правила.
Исчисляемые и неисчисляемые существительные
Каждое из слов much и many относится к объекту, который за ним следует. Именно от типа последующего существительного зависит выбор одного из этих двух слов.
Все существительные можно разбить на две группы: исчисляемые (countable) и неисчисляемые (uncountable). В основе разбиения на эти два класса лежит возможность посчитать объекты. Разберем этот принцип на примере: возьмем слово chair (стул). Оно имеет как форму единственного, так и множественного числа: chair (стул) — chairs (стулья). Если мы представим себе множество стульев, то сможем пересчитать, сколько предметов в него входит: один стул, два стула и так далее. Если же мы возьмем другое существительное, например, snow (снег), то пересчитать, из каких элементов состоит множество снега, у нас не получится.
Существительные первого типа, которые ведут себя как слово chair, называются исчисляемыми, а существительные второго типа, как слово snow, называются неисчисляемыми.
Many and much: правило употребления
Какое отношение к этому имеют much и many? Самое прямое: категория исчисляемости существительного определяет, какое из этих слов будет употребляться. Обратимся к уже знакомым нам примерам. Chair – счетный предмет, поэтому с ним будет употребляться many. Snow – существительное неисчисляемое, значит, если мы хотим передать идею большого количества, с ним мы будем использовать much.
I need many chairs for the party — Мне нужно много стульев к празднику.
There is much snow in the city — В городе много снега.
Таким образом можно вывести для many или much правило: many выступает с исчисляемыми существительными, а much – с неисчисляемыми.
Many years have passed since I was here — Много лет прошло с тех пор, как я был здесь.
Much information has been found — Нашлось много информации.
Особенности неисчисляемых существительных
Само правило различения, когда many, когда much, довольно простое. Сложность может заключаться в определении, какое существительное относится к какому типу: неисчисляемому или исчисляемому.
Языки следуют разным стратегиям и по-разному распределяют существительные между группами, и те существительные, которые в русском языке попадают в группу исчисляемых, в английском могут относиться к другому типу. Поэтому рассмотрим подробнее, какие слова относятся в английском языке к неисчисляемым существительным.
- Вещества и материалы: water (вода), snow (снег), sand (песок) и другие. В веществах и материалах невозможно выделить элементы, из которых они строятся. Если часть стула (chair) — это особый предмет, а час дня (day) — это особый промежуток времени, а не сам день, то любая часть снега (snow) или воды (water) по-прежнему является снегом и водой.
- Абстрактные существительные: work (работа), time (время), knowledge (знание), information (информация) и другие. Абстрактные понятия не существуют в материальном мире: мы не можем их увидеть и не можем их посчитать.
- Чувства и состояния: love (любовь), fear (страх) и прочие. Подобные слова выделяются из группы абстрактных существительных в отдельный тип.
Это три основных типа несчетных существительных. Такие слова употребляются в единственном числе и при указании на большое множество требуют при себе much.
They said there was gonna be much snow this weekend — Они сказали, на выходных будет много снега.
Such people are unlikely to have much knowledge of computers — Такие люди вряд ли обладают серьезным знанием компьютеров.
She could quietly observe the other guests without much fear — Она могла тихо наблюдать за остальными гостями без особого страха.
Выбор much и many в английском языке не всегда совпадает с привычным типом существительного в русском. Например, к неисчисляемым существительным в английском относятся слова: news (новости), work (работа), traffic (транспортное движение), furniture (мебель), damage (урон), advice (совет), baggage (багаж). На эти слова стоит обратить внимание: с употреблением с ними many or much часто возникают ошибки.
She did not have much baggage with her — У нее с собой было не много вещей.
There wasn’t much traffic on the roads until they approached the city centre — На дорогах не было большого потока машин, пока они не приблизились к центру города.
There was much furniture in the room — В комнате было много мебели.
Не всегда существительное можно однозначно отнести к первой или второй группе. Есть и такие слова, которые меняют свое значение при переходе из одного типа в другой: например, слово paper означает «бумага» в неисчисляемом употреблении и «газета» в исчисляемом.
I’m sure you already have too many papers to read — Уверен, у тебя уже есть много газет для чтения.
I don’t care how much paper I waste – Мне не важно, сколько бумаги я трачу впустую.
Хотя мы показали на примерах, как отделить исчисляемые существительные от неисчисляемых, сделать это, впервые столкнувшись со словом, может быть сложно. Поэтому если вы сомневаетесь, когда much, а когда many, исчисляемость лучше всегда проверять по словарю.
Употребление в речи
Итак, правило much или many: many ставится перед исчисляемыми существительными во множественном числе, much – перед неисчисляемыми.
Но сами слова many или much в речи могут употребляться в разнообразных конструкциях. Например, в отрицательных предложениях используются выражения not many и not much.
Not many years have passed since I saw you — С тех пор, как я тебя видел, прошло немного лет.
Not much chance for a million of young people who are trying to find a job — Для миллиона молодых людей, которые пытаются найти работу, шансы невелики.
Если мы хотим задать вопрос о количестве предметов, то используем конструкции how many / how much.
How many biscuits have you eaten? — Сколько печенья ты съел?
How much effort does it take to bring it about? — Сколько усилий требуется, чтобы это осуществить?
Оба слова much и many могут выступать в конструкциях с дополнительными усилительными словами: so many / so much (так много), too many / too much (слишком много):
Too many years have passed since I was here — Прошло слишком много лет с тех пор, как я был здесь.
We have spent so much money on education — Мы столько денег потратили на образование.
В предложении можно встретить и другую формулу: many of / much of. Значение такой конструкции — многие из, большая часть чего-то. Такие фразы выделяют большое множество из того объекта, о котором идет речь.
Many of the old people were injured — Многие из стариков были ранены.
How much of the total was spent? — Сколько от общей суммы было потрачено?
Передать идею равенства определенному значению позволит конструкция as much / as many as (столько, настолько много как):
He may have as many as 100 secret recordings — У него может быть до 100 секретных записей.
I want to find out as much as possible — Я хочу выяснить столько, сколько возможно.
Часто в предложении можно заменить many и much на конструкцию a lot of / lots of. Эти выражения могут выступать с обоими типами существительных, исчисляемыми и неисчисляемыми.
I know a lot of people who want that job — Я знаю много людей, которые хотят получить эту работу.
I need a lot of money — Мне нужно много денег.
Особенности слова much
Разбирая, когда much, когда many, мы говорили о конструкциях, в которых оба слова относятся к последующим существительным. Но слово much может также употребляться как наречие со значением «очень».
She hasn’t grown much since last week — С прошлой недели она не очень подросла.
Thank you very much — Большое спасибо.
I like it so much — Мне это очень нравится.
Слово much может также выступать в качестве усиления при сравнительных оборотах:
You can behave much better than you usually do — Ты можешь вести себя гораздо лучше, чем обычно.
I find it much more difficult than you think — Мне это кажется гораздо более сложным, чем ты думаешь.
Enjoy learning English online with Puzzle English for free
It is clear where the confusion can arise between the words many and much: in Russian they have the same meaning. Both words convey the idea of plurality and indicate a large number of those objects to which they refer.
What, then, is the difference between them? And when is many used, and when is much? In order not to confuse these two words with each other, you need to remember small rules.
Countable and uncountable nouns
The words much and many each refer to the object that follows it. The choice of one of these two words depends on the type of the subsequent noun.
All nouns can be divided into two groups: countable and uncountable. The division into these two classes is based on the ability to count objects. Let’s look at this principle with an example: take the word chair.
It has both singular and plural forms: chair — chairs. If we imagine a set of chairs, we can count how many items it contains: one chair, two chairs, and so on.
If we take another noun, for example, snow (snow), then we will not be able to count what elements a lot of snow consists of.
Nouns of the first type that behave like chair are called countable, and nouns of the second type, like snow, are called uncountable.
Many and much: the rule of thumb
How much and many have to do with this? The most direct: the category of calculability of a noun determines which of these words will be used. Let’s turn to the examples we are already familiar with. Chair is a countable item, so many will be used with it. Snow is an uncountable noun, which means that if we want to convey the idea of a large number, we will use much with it.
I need many chairs for the party — I need many chairs for the holiday.
There is much snow in the city — There is a lot of snow in the city.
Thus, for many or much, the rule can be deduced: many appears with countable nouns, and much with uncountable nouns.
Source: https://puzzle-english.com/directory/muchmany
When to use a lot of and many. The use of much — many — a lot of in English — video tutorial
Hello, people! In this article, we will analyze in detail the rules for using the words «much», «many» and «a lot of» in English, find out the differences between them, discuss the nuances of using them in speech, and also show examples for clarity.
Translation and transcription: much — a lot, very, a lot, significantly, very;
Use: is used in a sentence when we mean a large number of uncountable nouns, i.e. those that cannot be counted by the piece;
Example:
there is much black paint left in the garage.
Left in the garage lotblack paint.
Also, it is usually used in negative or interrogative sentences:
Chris does not have muchchange. Only a few five dollar bills.
Chris doesn’t have a lot of money to trade. Just a few five dollar bills.
In affirmative sentences, «much» is sometimes used when a more formal and formal style is implied.
For example:
there is much concern about genetically modified food in the UK.
In the UK the question is acuterelatively genetically modified food.
Many
Transcription and Translation: like “much”, “many” [“menɪ] translates to“ many ”;
Use: used exclusively with countable plural nouns;
Example:
However, despite manymany problems remain unsolved.
However, despite Significantefforts, many problems remain unresolved.
В denials и issues with countable nouns «many» also occurs quite often:
How manyquail eggs are in this salad?
How many quail eggs in this salad? Anthony does not have many bottlesof winein his own private bar. At least that »s what he» s saying.
Anthony’s slightlybottles wine in his own bar. At least that’s what he says.
Can be used in affirmative offer when you need a shade formalities.
There were manyscientific articles taken into account to make a decision.
It was taken into account many scientific articles to make a decision.
A lot of
Transcription and translation: by meaning «a lot of» [ə lɔt ɔf] is similar to «much» and «many» and implies the same translation — a lot;
Use: used with both countable plural and uncountable nouns, mainly in colloquial and informal speech.
Example:
Jack had a lot ofpeanutbutter left in the jar.
Jack has left lotpeanutpastes in the bank.
The equivalent of «a lot of» is «lots of«(Even more informal form).
Lots of teenagers learn Korean because they are into k-pop.
ManyTeens are learning Korean because they are into the K-pop music genre.
Table: Difference between much, many and a lot
WORD | Use | Value |
countable nouns (plural) / negation + question / statement = formal style | ||
uncountable nouns / negation + question / statement = formal style | ||
more / more | ||
The most | uncountable + countable nouns / adjectives | most / most |
A lot (of) | uncountable + countable nouns / informal style | |
lots (of) | uncountable + countable nouns / extremely informal style |
The use of the words much, many, a lot of often causes some difficulties due to the fact that in the Russian language the word “many” is universal. In English, these words have the following rules:
1. Many: many and much
Much is used with uncountable nouns, usually in negative sentences and questions.
I don’t have much money.
/ I don’t have a lot of money. /
In addition, the word much has the meanings «very», «much», «significant», «much».
«But it doesn» t matter much, «thought Alice.
«/ But it’s not so important,» thought Alice. /
He did it much sooner than she expected.
/ He did it much sooner than she expected. /
Alice was not much surprised at this.
/ This did not surprise Alice. /
Many also means «many,» but is used with countable nouns, often in negative sentences and questions (but not limited to), and in phrases with the words «many of».
I have scarcely spoken of the customs of the Kukuanas, many of which are exceedingly quaint.
/ I hardly talked about the customs of the Kukuanas, many of which are extremely strange. /
Have you been to many countries?
/ Have you been to many countries? /
Many is used, for example, when we say many days, many years, many hours, many times.
We have known each other for many years.
/ We have known each other for many years. /
Also, many can mean many (people).
Though he was a great help in his father’s business, there were many who doubted that he would become the heir to it.
/ Although he was very helpful to his father in his business, many doubted that he would become his heir. /
The words much and many are also used in the constructions as much as / as many as, too much / too many, so much / so many, how much / how many.
Source: https://sokurnso.ru/finansy/kogda-upotreblyat-a-lot-of-i-many-upotreblenie-much-many-a-lot-of-v-angliiskom/
Lesson 7. Words-parameters. The use of much and many
Words much, many (many, many, many) can be used as an addition to a noun, or be used instead.
much used only with uncountable nouns or instead of uncountable nouns:
- How much money did he spend?
- You haven’t much time if you want to catch the bus.
- Not much was written about it.
- He doesn’t eat much.He doesn’t eat much.
Many is used only with countable nouns or instead of countable nouns:
- How many books do you have?
- How many pupils are in this class?
- Many to play football. Many people like to play football.
- Not many have heard of her.
In modern English, often instead of words much и many their synonym is used a lot of (lots of). A lot of used with both countable and uncountable nouns:
- He always makes a lot of mistakes He always makes a lot of mistakes.
- we have a lot of bags.We have a lot of bags.
If the word «a lot» is preceded by too (too much), very (very), so (So), how (as), as (also) then you need to use much и many. Using A lot of in this case is incorrect.
- I have so much work to do
- She works too much.She works too hard.
- You have made very many mistakes You made a lot of mistakes.
In this lesson, the expression a lot of not used. Only much и many.
little, few
Words little, few (little, not enough) can be used as an addition to a noun, or be used instead.
Little used only with uncountable nouns:
- we have little money We don’t have much money.
- She at very little at lunch She ate very little at lunch.
- Little has been said about this event.
- John spends little time with his family. John spent little time with his family.
Few used only with countable nouns:
- He has few friends He has few friends.
- Few managers admit their mistakes.
- He has read few books He has read few books.
- Many people were invited but few came. Many people were invited, but few came.
Pronouns little и few can be used with an indefinite article in the meaning a little, a little.
Consider in comparison:
- I have a little time. I have a little time.
- I have little time. I have little time.
- I know a few words in spanish. I know a few words in spanish.
- I know few words in spanish. I know few words in Spanish.
Parameter words
AllPartNothingPeople Objects Place Time
everybody, everyone | somebody, someone | anybody, anyone | nobody, no one |
everything | something something, something | anything anything, anything | nothing |
everywhere | somewhere | anywhere anywhere, anywhere | nowhere |
always | sometimes sometimes | never |
examples:
- He sees todo MundoHe sees everyone.
- He speaks to somebody.He is talking to someone.
- I saw him somewhere. I saw him somewhere.
- I always say the truth. I always tell the truth.
- I saw someone there. I saw someone there.
- Anyone can help you. Anyone can help you.
- We bought everything.We bought everything.
- You can buy it anywhere.You can buy this anywhere.
- you will Sometimes hear them. You will sometimes hear them.
Note time parameters the sentence usually uses before the verb… All other parameters are used more often. after the verb.
В general issues the parameter is usually used Any (anybody, anyone, anything, anywhere), a not some.
As you can see from the table, the words somebody, something, somewhere can have the same translation with the words anybody, anything, anywhere.
To understand when which word to use, you need to go from the essence of the words.
Any — any, but some — some.
I saw somebody.
It’s about someone specific, so some.
I did not see anybody (I saw nobody)
Here we are talking about any person, so any.
Consider the following question-answer: Have you seen someone? I saw someone.
Did you see anyone? I saw someone.
Therefore, in the main questions, words with any are used, and in statements with some.
examples:
- Is anybody is there anyone here?
- there is somebody here. Someone is here.
- did you see anything interesting? Did you see anything interesting?
- I see something interesting there. I see something interesting there.
Using parameters is straightforward. Except for one case where the words nobody, nothing, nowhere, and never are used to convey negation:
- I didn’t tell him anything bad.
In this case, you should not copy the structure of the Russian sentence, because double negation will be a mistake in an English sentence:
- I didn’t say anything bad to him. Note tell him nothing bad. (wrong) I told him nothing bad. (right)
Let’s consider a few more suggestions:
- there is nothing interesting here. There is nothing interesting here.
- Nobody cares about my plans.
Words anyone, anybody, anything, anywhere are not negatives, therefore in negative sentences they are used as a general rule.
- I didn’t say anything bad to him. Note tell him anything bad or I told him nothing bath.
- I didn’t see anything interesting here. Note see anything interesting here or I saw nothing interesting here.
Words todo Mundo, everyone, somebody, someone, anybody, anyone, nobody и no one in English refer to singular… Therefore, the verb with them is used in the singular.
- Someone calls you.
- Does anyone hear me? can anyone hear me?
- No one was at home. Nobody was at home.
Source: https://polyglotmobile.ru/polyglot-english-base/lesson-7/
Much and Many in English. Brief instruction
Much and many in English refer to quantitative pronouns. Pronoun many is used with countable nouns, pronoun much — with uncountable.
Yesterday he spent much money. He spent a lot of money yesterday.
Many friends came to his party. Many friends came to his party.
The quantitative pronouns much and many can be used as adjective pronouns and as noun pronouns.
Pronouns-adjectives
Here much and many will mean «many».
- In affirmative sentences, they can be used:
- With adverbs of degree. These include the frequently used adverbs so — so, so; very — very, too — too, etc. They are used with pronouns to reinforce meaning. You work too much. I found so many mistakes in your work. I found a lot of mistakes in your work.
- As definitions to the subject. Much money will be spent for your classes. A lot of money will be spent on your classes. Many students study foreign languages. Many students study foreign languages.
- In relative clauses if and whether.I’ll be glad if many children come tomorrow. I will be glad if many children come tomorrow.
- Interrogative sentences also often contain much and many: How many people were there? How many people were there? Did you find much information? Did you find a lot of information? Much becomes «how much» or «how much» — with the question how much? How much oil should I use? How much oil should I use? How much is this car?
- The pronouns much and many are also used in negative sentences meaning little (not many, not much). Not many animals live in this forest. Few animals live in this forest. I have not got much money on me. I don’t have much money with me.
Pronouns — nouns
Here many is used to mean «many» and the pronoun much is used to mean «many.» Very often here these pronouns are accompanied by the preposition of. They can be used as:
- Subject. Many study English. Many are learning English. Many of them decided not to come. Many of them decided not to come. Much happened that night. A lot happened that night. Much of what she s is not interesting for me. Much that she likes is not interesting to me.
- Supplement (answers the questions of what? Who?) They ask much of us. They demand a lot from us. We saw many in this cafe.
- Circumstance (if much refers to the predicate and answers the question how?) You sleep too much. He was very much disappointed. He was very disappointed.
Comparative and superlative
Pronouns much and many can form comparative и superlative: much / many — more — (the) most. At the same time, much can act not only as a quantitative pronoun, but also as an adverb.
Much and many are used in the comparative degree more:
- With uncountable nouns and the pronoun some. Can I have some more coffee? Can I have some more coffee?
- To reinforce meaning (followed by the pronoun much). She has much more work than I do. She has a lot more work than me.
- More is used with countable nouns to indicate the exact number (followed by a numeral). I want to buy three more books. I want to buy three more books.
- With the preposition of to concretize the statement. He needs more of this fabric. He needs more (more) such fabric.
Much and many are superlative (the) most:
- To denote most of the total or number. Moreover, most is used with a noun without an article. Most students are busy now. Most of the students are busy now. Most children to play outside. Most children love to play outside.
- To denote most of a limited quantity or number. In this case, most will be used with the preposition of and with a noun with the article the or possessive pronoun. Most of the flowers in this shop were brought from Holland. Most of the flowers in this store were sourced from Holland. Most of your friends are very polite. Most of your friends are very polite.
Article recommended by an expert: Maria Solomatina
Source: https://1hello.ru/grammatika/much-many-v-anglijskom-yazyke-kratkaya-instrukciya.html
Rules for the use of much, many, few, little, a lot of and plenty of
In English, there are words called quantifiers. They are used to indicate quantity. Unlike numerals, which denote an exact amount, these words refer to an approximate amount. In this article, we will talk about words like much, many, few, little, a lot of и plenty of.
Using much, many and a lot of
All these words are translated into Russian as «a lot». However, the use of these words depends on the type of sentence (statement, negation or question) and on which noun it refers to — countable or uncountable. The basic rules are presented in the table below:
For example:
He has a lot of books. — He has lot books.
Kate doesn’t have many DVDs. — At Kate Little DVD. (Literally: Keith doesn’t have a lot of DVDs).
Holly spends a lot of time watching TV shows. — Holly conducts lot time watching television shows.
is there much petrol in the tank? — In the tank lot gasoline?
Much and many in statements
As you can see, a lot of is mainly used in affirmative sentences, and much and many — in denials and questions. However, this rule is not strict, it is based on the frequency of use, therefore much and many can be used in assertions as well. For example:
Joe has many friends. — Joe lot friends.
Also the words much and many are used instead of a lot of in a formal business style:
Many different kinds of research require the permission of the supervisor. — Many types of research require the permission of the supervisor.
If we want to say that there is too much of something (that is, build an affirmative sentence), then instead of a lot of we will use words much and many with additional word too («too much»). For example:
There were too many people at the conference. — The conference was too much people.
Oliver ate too much ice-cream. — Oliver ate too much ice cream
Synonyms of a lot of
Synonymous with the word a lot of is lots of. It is believed that lots of more informal and more often used in colloquial speech, and a lot of on the contrary, it is more formal. Lots of can also be used with both countable and uncountable nouns. For example:
Julia eats a lot of vegetables. / Julia eats lots of vegetables. — Julia is lot vegetables.
They have done a lot of work. / they have done lots of work. — They did lot work.
Another word for a large number is the word plenty of… As a rule, it is used to mean a very large amount of something, something in abundance:
we have plenty of tea at home. — At our home lot tea.
James has brought plenty of biscuits to the office. — James brought to the office lot cookies.
As we see plenty of can also be used with both countable and uncountable nouns.
The use of few, a few, little, a little
In order to understand how these words are used, we need to know two parameters: the first — whether this word refers to a countable or uncountable noun and the second: what is the meaning of the sentence — positive or negative. Consider the table below:
examples:
Kelly has a few close friends. — Kelly has slightly close friends. (Positive value).
Kelly has few close friends. — At Kelly’s little close friends. (Negative meaning).
Bobby has a little money. — Bobby has slightly of money. (A positive value is a little, but still there).
Bobby has little money. — Bobby’s little of money. (Negative meaning).
As we can see from the examples, these words have the same translation into Russian for both countable and uncountable nouns, but a different translation depending on the meaning: with a positive meaning, we translate them as «a little», with a negative meaning, as «little.»
Other meanings of much, a lot, a little
Form a lot sometimes it is used not in the meaning of «a lot», but in the meaning of «often» or «very». For example:
Do you enjoy watching films? — Yes, a lot… — Do you like to watch movies? — Yes, very.
Also the words much и a little can be used to form the comparative degree of adjectives. For example:
Source: https://www.start2study.ru/english-grammar/quantifiers/
Greetings, my dears!
There is an opinion that the Russian language is the richest language with an immense number of beautiful words! .. But how can you agree with it when in Russian there is only one word expressing a large number — «many», and in English there are already as many as three! (in fact, there are more of them — these are just the main ones).
Of course, I will not breed debates about the beauty of the language here — and it is so clear that each language is great in its own way! And here is the «Rule many many”And a few other words that we use to express quantity, I’ll expand it today so that you don’t think to get confused and make mistakes anymore! You are ready? I have already
Let’s start with a table that will clearly show you the difference. And let’s finish with the exercises — without them, your fresh knowledge will fly into the water pipe — in about the same way as an earring that accidentally fell there flies away)).
I think everything is clear from the table. Now I will explain verbally and in more detail.
- Much / a little / little
The words Much / a little / little are used only with nouns that cannot be counted, that is, with uncountable nouns. Much means a lot of something — much sugar, much water, much money.
Little — on the contrary — very little of anything — little sugar (very little sugar), little water (little water), little money (little money).
A little means «a little», it is a cross between much and little — a little sugar (a little sugar), a little water (a little water), a little money (a little money).
- Many / a few / few
The words Many / a few / few are used only with nouns that can be counted, that is, with countable nouns. Many means a lot of something — many books, many friends, many thoughts.
Few — on the contrary — very little of anything — few books, few friends, few thoughts.
A few means «several», it is a cross between many and few — a few books (a few books), a few friends (a few friends), a few thoughts (a few thoughts).
A lot of can be used with both countable and uncountable nouns, which is very convenient. A lot of often replaces much and many in affirmative sentences, whereas much and many are more appropriate in negatives and questions.
Do you have much time?
— No, I don’t have much time. or — Yes, I have a lot of time.
By the way, there are several «subtle points» where students often make mistakes. We read and remember!
! Many people! (not much)
many clothes! (not much)
Much money! (not many)
Many fruits! or! Much fruit!
And now, as promised by me, tasks with answers at the end
Exercise 1.Insert much or many instead of dots
- Have you found information about this company?
- They spent money in a shop yesterday.
- There are so places in the world that I’d to visit.
- people nowadays use bicycles instead of cars to go to work.
- «You’ve put too salt in the soup, I can’t eat it!»
- “Don’t buy food in the supermarket, we are going out tonight”.
Exercise 2.Translate sentences into English using much, many, a little, a few, little, few, a lot of
- I have few friends in this part of town.
- The teacher said so many words, but I didn’t understand anything.
- He asked the waiter to bring some water.
- In autumn, many birds fly south.
- She doesn’t like it when there is too much sugar in her tea.
- “There is absolutely no room in the closet! You have so many clothes! ”
I hope you had absolutely mistakes few!
Well, if you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask — I will definitely answer them!
Replies
Exercise 1.
Exercise 2.
- I have few friends in this part of the city.
- A teacher said so many words but I understood nothing.
- He asked a waiter to bring a little water.
- In autumn many birds fly to the south.
- She doesn’t it when there is too much sugar in tea.
- “There is no place in a wardrobe! You’ve got so many clothes! ”
To indicate a large number of someone or something (that is, say «a lot»), in English they use quantitative much, many, a lot of and few… All these pronouns have a meaning and a direct translation into Russian “many”. Beginners, and sometimes those who continue to study English, may have difficulties with what the difference between these pronouns is and how to choose the correct one. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the much many a lot of rule.
Rules for using much, many, a lot of (affirmative sentences)
The rules for using much and many (and lot of) are their own. All of them are translated into Russian, not only «a lot», but in English there is a big difference between them. As a rule, the first step is to find out whether a countable or uncountable noun will be paired with much and many or a lot of — this is the main difference in the use of quantitative nouns.
much
The pronoun much should only be used with uncountable nouns — liquids, bulk solids, gases, etc. That is, the sentences will contain the constructions «much milk» (a lot of milk), «much water» (a lot of water), «much oxygen» (a lot of oxygen), but you will not find «many rice» or «many juice ”(a lot of falcon).
You added too much milk — You added too much milk.
I don’t much pepper in my food— I don’t like a lot of pepper in my food.
Negative sentences
According to the rules for using much and many, the pronouns much and many are most often used in negative sentences. Negations with uncountable nouns have the form not much, and negatives with countable nouns with not many.
Not many students — Few students like history lessons.
Not many of us have elephants — Not many of us have elephants. (Few of us have elephants.)He doesn’t eat much rice — He eats some meat.
Not much weight gain during pregnancy — Slight weight gain during pregnancy.
Interrogative sentences
The rules for using many and much state that the pronouns much and many are most often used in interrogative sentences. Questions with uncountable nouns start with how much, and questions with countable nouns start with how many.
How many roses are there in Kate’s hands? — How many roses does Kate have in her hands?
How many crocodiles do you have? — How many crocodiles do you have?
How many states are there in the USA? — How many states are there in the United States?
How much pepper do you take in your fried eggs? — How much pepper do you put in your scrambled eggs?
How much money does she need for her trip around the world? How much sugar do you have? — How much sugar do you have?
How much does it cost? — How much is it?
Features and exceptions
There is one peculiarity in the rules for using many and much that needs to be mentioned. When the pronouns much and many are followed by the particle of, it means «big half». In Russian, such a construction translates as «most of something», «many of».
Many of her clients live in the village “Many of her clients live outside the city.
Much of the meat is stink
Source: https://www.fanatsporta.ru/kogda-many-a-kogda-much-much-i-many-v-angliiskom-yazyke-kratkaya-instrukciya/
Much and many. Usage rules
Details Karina Galchenko Category: BEGINNER — ELEMENTARY
: 03 June 2019
180735
: 4/5
How not to get confused using much and many? Just pay attention to the rules of use, because it is no coincidence that the English came up with two words with the same meaning. They are not interchangeable: in some cases, you only need much, and in others, you only need many. It all depends on the word itself, which will refer to much or many. Let’s figure out what’s what!
As you know, nouns are divided into countable (you can count) and uncountable (you cannot count), and this is what depends on. rules for using much and many… It is necessary to remember once and for all that many is «friends» only with countable nouns, and much — with uncountable ones.
examples:
many children — many children
much water — a lot of water
But that’s not all about much and many. The rules for using these words suggest that they are best avoided in positive sentences. That is, much and many in English should be used in negations and questions. There are exceptions when these words are part of the subject.
examples:
do you have many friends here? — Do you have many friends here? (many + countable noun).
I don’t much sugar in my tea. — I don’t like a lot of sugar in tea (much + uncountable noun).
Many people speak English. — Many people speak English (many is part of the subject — many people).
Rules for the use of many much a lot of
If your positive proposal cannot do without «a lot», then pay attention to rules for using many much a lot of… It is believed that a lot of is well suited for approval. By the way, you can use it in absolutely any context. Even if you suddenly wondered what would work for a given sentence, a lot of will always help out, since it can be used for both countable and uncountable nouns.
examples:
There are a lot of people in this room. — There are many people in this room (a lot of + countable noun).
I have a lot of work today. — I have a lot of work today (a lot of + uncountable noun).
Do i have a lot of mistakes in the test? — Do I have a lot of mistakes in the test? (interrogative sentence).
They don’t have a lot of information. — They don’t have a lot of information (negative proposal).
Rules for using many much a lot of refer specifically to nouns, you cannot use these words with verbs. But what to do when it is important to «enhance» the meaning of an action? Here a lot will do (without the preposition of).
examples:
We see our parents a lot… — We see our parents a lot (meaning «see each other often»)
Do you practice this language a lot? — Do you practice this language a lot?
Drinking how much how many
Concerning how much how many, then here, too, everything depends on the noun that will follow this or that question phrase. How much should be combined with uncountable nouns, and how many with countable nouns.
examples:
How much milk do you have to buy? — How much milk do you need to buy? (how much + uncountable noun)
How many roses did he present her? — How many roses did he give her? (how many + countable noun)
Finally, I would like to note that with the words years, weeks, days it is better to use many rather than a lot of.
Example:
I have known Mary for many years. — I have known Mary for many years.
Best wishes to you!
Source: http://fluenglish.com/stati/studentam-na-zametku/29-beginner-elementary/367-much-i-many-pravila-upotrebleniya.html
A clear rule of thumb for using much-many in English. Usage examples, exercises with answers
Hello friends! How not to get confused using much and many? Just pay attention to the rules of use, because it is no coincidence that the English came up with two words with the same meaning.
They are not interchangeable: in some cases, you only need much, and in others, you only need many. It all depends on the word itself, which will refer to much or many. Let’s figure out what’s what!
Difference between many and much
Pronoun many used when it refers to objects (animate or inanimate) that can be counted. Words denoting such objects are called countable nouns.
Example:
- many children — many children
- many people — many people
- many tigers — many tigers
use many (since they can be counted)
Pronoun much is used only with nouns that cannot be counted, that is, with uncountable nouns.
Example:
- much sugar
- much water
- much money
use much (since they cannot be counted. Much means a lot of something.)
We look at the table that will clearly show you the difference in the use of Much, Many
Much / Little Many / Few A lot of / Plenty of
Uncountable nouns | Countable nouns | Countable and uncountable nouns |
How much money have you got? — How much money do you have? — There is some ink left in my pen. | I have many friends. He has got few best friends. — He has a few (few) best friends. | There is a lot of sugar there. — There are plenty of plants in the garden. — There are many plants in the garden. |
Many used where items can be counted individually.
If they cannot be counted, feel free to insert the word into the sentence much.
Much / many exercises:
Exercise 1. Use much or many to express How many ?.
- how days?
- how sugar?
- how cigarettes?
- How work?
- How petrol?
- How children?
- How theaters?
- How juice?
Exercise 2. Translate sentences into English using much, many, a little, a few, little, few, a lot of
- I have few friends in this part of town.
- The teacher said so many words, but I didn’t understand anything.
- He asked the waiter to bring some water.
- In autumn, many birds fly south.
- She doesn’t like it when there is too much sugar in her tea.
- “There is absolutely no room in the closet! You have so many clothes! ”
Exercise 3. Use much or many.
Do you drink ________coffee? I reading. I read _________ books. We have _______ lessons of English this year. I can’t remember _______ from this text. Do you learn _______ new English words every day? We haven’t got ________ bread. I can’t spend ________ money on toys.
Replies
Exercise 1.
- How many days? (How many days?)
- How much sugar? (How much sugar?)
- How many cigarettes? (How many cigarettes?)
- How much work? (How much work?)
- How much petrol? (How much gasoline?)
- How many children? (How many children?)
- How many theaters? (How many theaters?)
- How much juice? (How much juice?)
Exercise 2.
- I have few friends in this part of the city.
- A teacher said so many words but I understood nothing.
- He asked a waiter to bring a little water.
- In autumn many birds fly to the south.
- She doesn’t it when there is too much sugar in tea.
- “There is no place in a wardrobe! You’ve got so many clothes! ”
Exercise 3.
Do you drink much coffee? I reading. I read many books. We have many lessons of English this year. I can’t remember much from this text. Do you learn many new English words every day? We haven’t got much bread. I can’t spend much money on toys.
Friends like us, we tried!
Source: http://englishfox.ru/pravilo-much-many-v-angliiskom.html
The use of much, many, few, little, a lot of, plenty
In order not to miss new useful materials, subscribe to site updates
Have you noticed how often we use the words «a lot», «a little», «a few» in our speech and how we do not like to give exact numbers? Secretive by nature, the English also use these words very often in speech.
When we say «a lot» in English, we use the words many, much, a lot of, plenty of, and when we say «little» — few, a few, little, a little. These words are called determiners, they indicate an indefinite amount of something.
This article will show you when and where to use much, many, few, little, a lot of, plenty of in English.
The noun plays a key role in the choice of the defining word. The determiner depends on which noun is in front of us, countable (countable) or uncountable (uncountable). Once again, we recall that we can count countable nouns and they have a plural form (a boy — boys). And uncountable nouns do not have a plural form (water — some water), and we cannot count them.
We have divided all words into three groups depending on which noun they are used with. We will consider each group separately.
Much / Little Many / Few A lot of / Plenty of
Uncountable nouns | Countable nouns | Countable and uncountable nouns |
How much money have you got? — How much money do you have? — There is little ink left in my pen. | I have many friends. — He has got few friends. — He has few friends. | There is a lot of sugar there. — There are plenty of plants in the garden. — There are many plants in the garden. |
Many, few, a few with countable nouns
The words many (many), few (few), a few (several) are used with countable nouns. Many denotes a large number of something: many apples (many apples), many friends (many friends), many ideas (many ideas).
The opposite of many is few: few apples, few friends, few ideas. Few often have a negative meaning: very little, not enough, so little that practically none.
A few has an intermediate meaning between many and few, translated as «a few»: a few apples (a few apples), a few friends (a few friends), a few ideas (a few ideas).
— Do you have many friends in this part of the city? — At your place lot friends in this part of town?
— No, I don’t. I have few friends in this part of the city. — I do not have little friends in this part of town. (that is, not enough, I would like more)
— I have a few friends in the city center. — I have some friends in the city center.
Much, little, a little with uncountable nouns
The words much, little, and little are used with uncountable nouns. Usually, the uncountable include liquids (water — water, oil — oil), objects that are too small that cannot be counted (sand — sand, flour — flour), or abstract concepts, since they cannot be seen or touched by hands (knowledge — knowledge, work — Work).
Much stands for a large amount of something uncountable: much sugar, much milk, much time.
The opposite of much is little: little sugar, little milk, little time. Little, like few, means that something is not enough, very little.
A little means a small amount of something that cannot be counted: a little sugar, a little milk, a little time.
— Did she put much salt in the soup? — She lot put salt in the soup?
— No, she didn’t. She put little salt in the soup. — No, she put little salt in the soup. (more could have been)
— I added a little salt in her soup. — I added slightly salt in her soup.
A lot of, plenty of — universal words
The words a lot of (many) and plenty of (many) are the most «convenient»: we can use them with both countable nouns and uncountable ones.
A lot of (lots of) replaces much and many: a lot of people (many people), lots of tea (lots of tea). Plenty of means that there is a lot of something, that is, enough or even more than necessary: plenty of people (a lot of people), plenty of tea (a lot of tea).
We bought lots of souvenirs and plenty of tea when we were on vacation in Sri Lanka. — We bought lot souvenirs and lots of tea when we were on vacation in Sri Lanka.
How to learn to use adjectives with countable and uncountable nouns correctly
The use of adjectives with countable and uncountable nouns in English has its own tricks. What are they?
There are countable and uncountable nouns in English. Most often they are combined with adjectives in the same way. But there are situations when you need to know exactly which adjectives should be used with countable and which with uncountable nouns. Let’s take a look at these rules.
General rules for the use of adjectives with nouns
In English, countable nouns are those that can form a plural form (usually with the ending -s). For example: dog — dogs, pupil — pupils, pocket — pockets.
Uncountable nouns usually do not have plural forms. For example: sky, love, trust, butter, sugar. That is why in English you cannot say: «He saw many beautiful skies.» (He saw many beautiful skies) or: «She bought two milks.» (She bought two milk).
The use of countable and uncountable nouns with adjectives is in most cases identical. For example:
- «The sky was blue.» (The sky was blue) — The noun sky (sky) is uncountable.
- «He bought a blue car.» (He bought a blue car) — Here the adjective blue is used with the countable noun car.
However, it is important to remember that with the following adjectives, the use of countable and uncountable nouns will be different:
- some / any
- much / many
- little / few
- a lot of / lots of
- a little bit of
- plenty of
- enough
- No.
Some / any
The adjectives some and any can be used with both countable and uncountable nouns. Examples:
- «There is some milk in the glass.» (There is milk in a glass).
- «Do you any music?» (Do you like music?)
- «Do you have any pets?» (Do you have pets?)
- “There are some actors on the scene.” (On stage — actors).
Much / many
The adjective much is used only with uncountable nouns. For example:
- “I gained so much weight” (I gained so much weight).
- «She drinks so much coffee.» (She drinks so much coffee.)
The adjective many is used with countable nouns.
- «Many Italians are keen on pizza.» (Many Italians love pizza.)
- “The small boy was happy to see so many animals in the zoo.” (The little boy was happy to see so many animals in the zoo).
Little / few
The adjective little is used only with uncountable nouns. For example:
- “She feels little fear alone at home.” (She’s a little scared to be home alone.)
- «He had little time to prepare for exams.» (He had little time to prepare for the exam.)
The adjective few is used with countable nouns.
- «He has few options in this situation.» (He had few options in this situation.)
- «There are few animals in the desert.» (Few animals live in the desert.)
A lot of / lots of
The expressions a lot of and lots of are analogous to the adjectives much and many, but, unlike them, they can be used with both countable and uncountable nouns.
- «They have lots of (many) fans in Europe.» (They have a lot of fans in Europe).
- «They spent a lot of (much) money in the trip.» (They spent a lot of money on the trip.)
- «The boy saw a lot of (many) animals in the zoo.» (At the zoo, the boy saw many animals).
- «He gets lots of (much) pleasure walking in the park.» (He enjoys walking in the park.)
A little bit of
The adjective a little bit of in English is used quite rarely and always accompanies uncountable nouns. For example:
- «There is a little bit of sugar in the tea.» (There is some sugar in tea.)
- «There is a little bit of butter on the plate.» (There is some butter on the plate.)
Plenty of
The adjective plenty of can be used with both countable and uncountable nouns.
- “There are plenty of tourists in Rome.” (There are many tourists in Rome).
- «She uses plenty of pepper when cooking.» (She uses a lot of peppers when cooking).
Enough
Likewise, enough can be used with all nouns.
- «She has enough money to travel by plane.» (She has enough money to travel by plane.)
- «I have enough ideas to manage the project.» (I have enough ideas to manage the project).
No
The adjective no should be used with both countable and uncountable nouns.
Source: https://skyeng.ru/articles/kak-nauchitsya-upotreblyat-prilagatelnye-s-ischislyaemymi-i-neischislyaemymi-sushchestvitelnymi-pravilno
Quantities and volumes can be confusing in English. Some nouns can be counted as individual items, while others cannot.
There is a large amount of shade during the late evening, and there are several shades of orange and gold in the sky during these times. In this case, the same word is used for two different nouns. One of these nouns is countable, but the other is uncountable.
You can count shades of the color red on a color chart. You could conceivably count shadows on the ground, but you cannot count the shade within those shadows. There are many of one, and there is much of the other.
You can see why this confuses even experienced writers.
What is the Difference Between Much and Many?
In this article, I will compare much vs. many. I will demonstrate the proper use of each word with example sentences and explanation. Plus, at the end, I will reveal a useful trick to help you decide whether to use much or many in your own writing.
When to Use Much
What does much mean? Much is also an adjective. It refers to a large amount of an uncountable noun. Examples of uncountable nouns (also called non-count nouns) include oxygen, sunlight, water, zoology, etc.
The following sentences illustrate the proper use of the word much.
- I eat too much food, but don’t get enough exercise.
- There is too much wind to have a bonfire tonight.
- There was too much oxygen in the chamber, and the fire burned out of control.
- It’s going to be much cooler in the Denver metro area Thursday after a cold front from the north moved into the state early in the morning. –The Denver Post
Some nouns can function as either a countable or mass noun, depending on context. Fish is a good example. See the following sentence.
- We caught too many fish today, and we cooked too much fish for four people.
The first time it is used, fish refers to the number of animals successfully caught. The second time, however, it refers to the amount of a food substance that has been prepared.
In your own writing, you should pay careful attention to context when choosing much or many, since some nouns can be quantifiable in some instances and unquantifiable in others.
When to Use Many
What does many mean? Many is an adjective. It refers to a large number of countable nouns. Nouns that are countable include airplanes, dimensions of reality, fastballs, princesses, victories, etc.
You can see proper ways of using many in the sentences below.
- I eat snacks many times a day, but I never go to the gym.
- There were many King Louis’s, but only one Marie Antoinette.
- There are too many mosquitos to have a bonfire tonight.
- Critics may also ask how many more jobs would have been created in Europe if the money generated in Europe had actually stayed in Europe. –Business Insider
Trick to Remember the Difference
Here is a helpful tip to remember many vs. much in your writing.
You can remember to use much with uncountable nouns since much contains a U, and the word unquantifiable starts with that letter.
For nouns which you can describe using a specific number, choose many.
Summary
Is it many or much? Many and much are adjectives that describe the amount of something.
- Many is used for quantifiable nouns, like suns.
- Much is used for unquantifiable nouns, like sunlight.
Some nouns can be both countable and uncountable, depending on context. Be mindful of how you use these nouns in your writing, because whether you choose many or much depends on how you use the noun in question.
If you can count a specific number of the noun, use many. If you can’t use a number to describe the noun, choose much instead. Since much and unquantifiable both contain the letter U, it’s easy to remember when to use much.
Contents
- 1 What is the Difference Between Much and Many?
- 2 When to Use Much
- 3 When to Use Many
- 4 Trick to Remember the Difference
- 5 Summary
Learning To Use “Many” or “Much”
powered by
LanguageTool
Using “many” and “much” is a problem area for native speakers and English language learners alike. We’ll explain what type of nouns these words are paired with.
Quick Summary on “Many” and “Much”
- The difference between many and much is that many is used for countable and plural nouns, whereas much is used for uncountable and singular nouns.
- ○ There are many solutions to the problem.
- ○ She accidentally added too much milk the recipe.
Many and much can both function as determiners to specify the quantity of a noun. The confusion arises because they quantify different types of nouns. However, like fewer and less, there is a simple rule to follow that can help you use these words correctly: Use many for countable or plural nouns, and use much for uncountable or singular nouns. We’ll elaborate below.
When To Use “Many”
Many can function as a determiner or adjective that refers to “a large number of something”. Regardless of its function, many is used with countable or plural nouns.
I couldn’t believe how many people showed up.
Terry bought many gifts.
How many siblings do you have?
Unfortunately, that’s one of the project’s many flaws.
In the examples above, the nouns (underlined) are all plural nouns and can be counted.
Technically, many can also function as a pronoun and as a noun (although not as common). As a noun, it refers to “the majority of people.”
Don’t leave so many.
(Pronoun)
They decided to do what was in the best interest of the many.
(Noun)
When To Use “Much”
Similarly, much can also function as a determiner, adjective, or pronoun that means “great in quantity or amount.”
I gave the plant too much water, and it died.
How much sunlight are you exposed to in a day?
We ordered far too much food.
My parrot doesn’t eat much.
Here, the nouns are uncountable and singular. Yes, technically you can count money, but the only way to use many with money is if you specify the amount or currency. For example:
How much money did you bring?
I have many coins in my pocket.
Much can also function as an adverb that means “to a great degree or extent.”
Did she cry much?
There’s Not Much More to It
There are nouns that can be both countable and uncountable, depending on the context of the sentence. Consider the following examples:
I don’t eat much dessert.
There were so many desserts to choose from.
That’s why the most important thing to remember is to:
- Use many for plural nouns.
- Use much for singular nouns.
Remember these rules, and you’ll always use many and much correctly. However, if you need a bit of assistance, LanguageTool can help by detecting the incorrect use of many and much. It can also do many more things, like check for spelling and grammar errors and suggest stylistic improvements.
Unleash the Professional Writer in You With LanguageTool
Go well beyond grammar and spell checking. Impress with clear, precise, and stylistically flawless writing instead.
Get started for free
We Value Your Feedback
We’ve made a mistake, forgotten about an important detail, or haven’t managed to get the point across? Let’s help each other to perfect our writing.
Разница между much, many и a lot of не совсем очевидна для тех, кто только начинает изучать английский. Эти слова очень похожи, но употребляются в разных ситуациях.
Much, many, a lot of обозначают большое количество чего-либо. Простыми словами, все они переводятся как «много». Но не всегда эти слова являются взаимозаменяемыми.
Сперва разберемся, чем отличается much от many.
Кстати, вы можете посмотреть небольшое видео с упражнениями на эту тему, если не хотите читать статью.
Разница в употреблении many и much довольно большая. Путать их нельзя, так как каждое из слов употребляется с определенным типом существительных.
Many используется с исчисляемыми существительными — например, window (окно), pencil (карандаш), computer (компьютер). Такие слова можно посчитать: two windows (два окна), three pencils (три карандаша), ten computers (10 компьютеров).
- many children (много детей);
- many houses (много домов);
- many cars (много машин);
- many friends (много друзей) и т. д.
Much употребляется с существительными которые посчитать нельзя: love (любовь), information (информация), milk (молоко), money (деньги). Вы не можете сказать, к примеру, две любви, три информации или четыре деньги. Так не говорят. Посчитать некоторые из таких существительных можно, только если использовать специальные слова (piece — кусок, glass — стакан, bottle — бутылка и т. д.).
- much time (много времени);
- much money (много денег);
- much sugar (много сахара);
- much effort (много усилий) и т. д.
Подробнее читайте в статье «Исчисляемые и неисчисляемые существительные«.
Разница между How much? и How many?
Разница между How much? и How many? такая же, как и между much и many. То есть если задаём вопрос «Сколько?» в отношении чего-то, что можно посчитать, то говорим «How many?». В остальных случаях — «How much?». То же касается отличий между too much и too many и т. п.
How much water should I drink? — Сколько воды я должен пить?
How much time do we have left? — Сколько времени у нас осталось?
How many pineapples did you buy? — Сколько ананасов ты купил?
How many pieces of cacke did you eat? — Сколько кусков торта ты съел?
How many cups of milk does the recipe call for? — Сколько стаканов молока нужно по рецепту?
She wears too much eyeliner. — Она наносит слишком много подводки для глаз
I think you put too much stuff on that shelf. — Я думаю, что ты положила слишком много вещей на эту полку.
He has too many papers to correct. — У него слишком много бумаг, которые нужно исправить.
Проверьте, поняли ли вы, чем отличается how much от how many: посмотрите видео по теме и пройдите небольшой тест в конце.
Употребление a lot of
A lot of (lots of) — синоним much и many. В отличие от них, употребляется с любыми существительными: как исчисляемыми, так и неисчисляемыми.
В разговорной речи в утвердительных предложениях носители почти всегда используют a lot of (lots of). Much или many, как правило, употребляется в формальных ситуациях.
There is much concern about drug addiction in the US. — В США есть много опасений по поводу проблем с наркоманией.
Existing efforts cover many sectors and operate at many levels. — Предпринимаемые в настоящее время усилия охватывают множество секторов и осуществляются на многих уровнях.
I have a lot of issues. — У меня много проблем.
We went shopping and spent lots of money. — Мы ходили за покупками и потратили кучу денег.
Еще несколько примеров для закрепления: