much, many – a little, a few

1. When do we use much and when many? much: uncountable nouns (milk, marmalade, money, time etc.) many: countable nouns (bottles of milk, jars of marmalade, dollars, etc.) Examples: How much money have you got? How many dollars have you got? In informal English these questions are often answered with a lot of, lots of. There is no much difference between the two phrases.

2. When do we use a little/little and when a few/few? a little: non countable nouns (milk, marmalade, money, time etc.) a few: countable nouns (bottles of milk, jars of marmalade, dollars, minutes etc.) He has a little money left. He has a few dollars left. We use few and little without the article a to point out a more negative meaning. A few students of our school know this. (There are some student who know it.) Few students know this. (It is almost unknown.)

3. When do we use a lot of and when lots of? These phrases are mainly used in informal English – lots of sounds a bit more informal than a lot of. Both forms are used in singular and in plural sentences. It is not the phrase a lot of or lots of which determines singular or plural, but the noun of the sentence (here: water and computers). 1. Informal English Singular A lot of water is wasted. Lots of water is wasted. Plural A lot of computers are needed at schools. Lots of computers are needed at schools.

2. Formal English

In formal English we use plenty of or many and much instead of a lot of/lots of. Singular Plenty of water is wasted. Much water is wasted. Plural Plenty of computers are needed at schools. Many computers are needed at schools

1. Countable nouns Most of the nouns are countable. You can combine them with numbers, one, two or three. one pencil / two pencils / three pencils

2. Uncountable nouns These nouns cannot be combined with numbers. water / butter / coal / money / salt / iron

If you want to express a quantity, you have to use a special phrase e.g. a glass of water.

Countable nouns Uncountable nouns

2. Note:

Some nouns can be either countable or uncountable.

Here is an example:

hair – hairs

You've got some hairs on your T-shirt.

= (There might be 5 or 6 of them.)

Your hair looks lovely.

=(Here you think of the hairstyle.)

Countable nouns Uncountable nouns

Plural nouns in English In English there are nouns that are used only in the plural. 1. Pair nouns

1. If you want to refer to an exact number, use a/one pair of, like in the following example.

I have bought a pair of jeans. I have bought two pairs of jeans. There are more nouns: binoculars, headphones, pyjamas, scales, shorts, tights, trousers.

Plural nouns in English In English there are nouns that are used only in the plural. 1. Pair nouns

Noun Sentence

jeans Where are my jeans?

glasses She has lost her glasses.

scissors These scissors don't cut well.

If you want to refer to an exact number, use a/one pair of:

I have bought a pair of jeans.

I have bought two pairs of jeans.

There are more nouns:

binoculars, headphones, pyjamas, scales, shorts, tights, trousers.

2. Nouns not used in the singular

Noun Sentence

cattle Male cattle are called bulls.

clothes He bought some new clothes yesterday.

stairs The children ran down the stairs.

wages The wages are paid on the last day of the month.

people * Three people were killed in the car crash last Friday evening.

police Look! The police are coming.

The word people can be used in the singular with another meaning: They are a friendly people. The native peoples of Africa often have black skins.

Nouns used in their singular forms

In English there are nouns that are used only in the singular

1. Collections

Noun Sentence

furniture She bought new furniture last week.

fruit Would you like some fruit?

hair* Your hair looks lovely.

Noun Sentence

news Good evening. Here is the news.

physics Physics is our first lesson on Monday morning.

progress Progress was made in developing new technologies.

The United States The United States is a country with 50 federal states.

2. Some nouns ending in -s

3. Special nouns

Noun Sentence

homework My maths homework was not easy.

information For further information on the hotel, phone us at ....

knowledge His knowledge of English is excellent.

other examples: advice, damage, work

Nouns used in singular and plural

In British English the plural is used more often than in American English.

Sentence Explanation

The family is on holiday. I see the family as a group.

The family are packing their suitcases.

I see the single members of the family packing their suitcases.

There are more words which can be singular or plural nouns:

army band choir class club crew company firm gang government orchestra party staff.

exército banda coro classe clube equipe técnica companhia empresa gangue governo orquestra festa funcionários