anglais
A/ Few, a few, little, a little
Few / a few, little / a little are quantifiers. Here is how to use them correctly:
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Few, a few |
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A few is more than few. |
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We use a few and few + a plural countable noun. |
few people, few books, few letters |
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A few is a positive idea. |
Fortunately, our financial situation is good: we still have a few good customers. |
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Few is a negative idea. It means 'almost none'. We can also use very few. |
I'm very sad: I have few good friends. |
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A few and few have irregular comparative and superlative forms. |
few ⇒ fewer ⇒ the fewest |
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Little, a little |
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A little is more than little. |
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We use a little and little + an uncountable noun. |
a little time, a little food, a little money, little time, little food, little money |
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A little is a positive idea. It means 'not much, but some'. |
I can help you: I speak a little English. |
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Little is a negative idea. It means 'nearly none, nearly nothing'. We can also use very little. |
I can't help you. I speak little English. |
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A little and little have irregular comparative and superlative forms. |
little ⇒ less ⇒ the least |
EXERCISE A1: A LITTLE OR A FEW?
Can you give me __________________ money?
More sentences on the following link (if you find it too easy, just skip it!)
http://monsieurboursier.fr/langue/nominal/muchmany/exercise02.ht
EXERCISE A2/ Complete the sentences with A LITTLE, LITTLE, FEW, A FEW.
http://www.grammarbank.com/a-little-a-few-exercise.html
1. Let's go to the movies. I have ---------- money. 2. I'm sorry, I can't pay for your lunch. I have ---------- money.
3. Not many children like vegetables. For example, ----------- children eat squash.
4. Joe is always angry. That's why he has --------- friends. 5. Bill didn't drink all the soda. There's ------------ left.
6. The party was fun. There were ----------- people I knew there.
7. Your house is almost empty! You have ------------ furniture.
8. Marty : Do you need same help with your math homework? Harry : Yes, I could sure use ---------------.
9. Henry : How many people were at the game last night? Kenny : Almost none. -------------- people want to watch a team that always loses.
10. Doris : Are Dallas and Ft. Worth very far from each other? David: No, they're quite close. There's --------------- distance between them.
B/ "MUCH", "MANY", "A LOT OF":
"A lot of" s'emploie plutôt dans une phrase affirmative, avec un nom dénombrable ou indénombrable : There is a lot of water and there are a lot of boats here.
"Much" et "many" s'emploient plutôt dans une phrase négative ou interrogative, "much" avec un nom indénombrable singulier (There isn't much water) et "many" avec un nom dénombrable pluriel (There aren't many boats).
EXERCISE B1 : Much ou many ?
I didn't see _____________ people on the beach. I didn't get ____________ support.
More sentences on the following link (if you find it too easy, just skip it!)
http://monsieurboursier.fr/langue/nominal/muchmany/exercise01.htm
EXERCISE B2: Much, many ou a lot of ?
http://monsieurboursier.fr/langue/nominal/muchmany/exercise03.htm
EXERCISE B3: Much, many ou lots of ?
http://monsieurboursier.fr/langue/nominal/muchmany/exercise04.htm
C/ "MOST" / "MOST OF":
On dit :
Most people like cheese (= La plupart des gens en général).
Mais :
Most of the people I met this morning were boring (=> groupe précis).
EXERCISE C1: MOST OR MOST OF
http://www.anglaisfacile.com/exercices/exercice-anglais-2/exercice-anglais-8095.php
D/ TOO MUCH, TOO MANY, TOO:
easy rules and an exercise:
http://www.anglaisfacile.com/exercices/exercice-anglais-2/exercice-anglais-66565.php
E/ COMPARISONS OF QUANTITIES:
EXAMPLES:
She has as little patience with children as I do.
He earns as much money as I do.
She earns less money than her brother
I have too little time to go out with you
We have too many friends, we can't visit them all.
I'm not as popular as you: I have fewer friends than you!
EXERCISE E1: FEWER (+plural) OR LESS (+singular)
http://www.tolearnenglish.com/exercises/exercise-english-2/exercise-english-26434.php
F/ Examples of quantifiers
With Uncountable Nouns
•much •a little/little/very little •a bit (of) •a great deal of •a large amount of •a large quantity of
With Both
•all •enough •more/most •less/least •no/none •not any •some •any •a lot of •lots of •plenty of
With Countable Nouns
•many •a few/few/very few •a number (of) •several •a large number of •a great number of •a majority of
EXERCISE F1
http://www.myenglishpages.com/site_php_files/grammar-exercise-quantifiers.php
Choose the correct quantifier:
1.They have had much any many lots of a lot little a little few most homework in mathematics recently.
2.How much any many lots of a lot little a little few most time do you need to finish the work?
3.There are too much any many lots of a lot little a little few most students in the library.
4.Have you visited much any many lots of a lot little a little few most foreign countries?
5.Although he's very ill, he didn't take much any many lots of a lot little a little few most medicine.
6. Much any Many Lots of A lot Little A little Few Most people know as much about linguistics as John does.
7.They say any many a lot little few most knowledge is a dangerous thing.
8.He's having much any many lots of a lot little a little few most of trouble passing his driving test.
9.I spend any many lots of few most of my time reading novels.
10.He knows much any many lots of a lot little a little few most English. He knows enough English to manage.
G/ SOME, ANY, NO AND COMPOUNDS:
FOR BEGINNERS: rules + exercise
http://www.anglaisfacile.com/exercices/exercice-anglais-2/exercice-anglais-53914.php
INTERMEDIATE LEVEL:
We use some and any with uncountable nouns and plural nouns. The general rule is that you use "some" in positive sentences and "any" in negative sentences and questions.
"I have some ideas."
"I don't have any ideas."
"Do you have any ideas?"
However, we can also use "some" in questions.
"Would you like some tea?" (I expect the answer to be "Yes".)
When we use some in a question, we limit what we are offering the other person.
For example, "Can I get you something to drink? – Coffee, or tea?" means I am offering you a limited choice of things to drink.
When we use "any" in a question, we are not limiting the choice.
For example, "Would you like anything to drink?" includes a whole range of things to drink.
"Do you have any questions?" (You can ask me anything you like!)
We can also use any in positive sentences which have a negative meaning. We often use "any" with "hardly", "without" or "never".
"There's hardly any petrol left in the car – we need to go to a garage."
"He went out without any money on him."
"She never has any problem understanding."
We can also use "some" and "any" at the end of a sentence, as pronouns.
"Do you need any money for the shopping?"
"It's OK, but I've already got some." (some = some money)
"Who ate all the chocolates?"
"Not me. I haven't had any." (any = any chocolates)
EXERCISE G1:
http://www.english-at-home.com/grammar-exercise-some-any-no/
EXERCISE G2:
http://www.usingenglish.com/quizzes/237.html
We can combine some and any with other words:
Something – anything
Somewhere – anywhere
Someone – anyone
Somebody – anybody
The rules for using these are the same as the rules for using some and any.
"I need to find somewhere to live." (positive sentence)
"Is there anywhere you would recommend?" (question)
"I didn't know anyone at the party." (negative sentence)
"Somebody at the party spilt beer on the carpet." (we're not sure who)
EXERCISE G3:
https://elt.oup.com/student/solutions/int/grammar/grammar_08_022e?cc=fr&selLanguage=en
EXERCISE G4:
http://www.englishexercises.org/makeagame/viewgame.asp?id=433#a
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