The Usage of the Pronouns

"a lot of – much / many – (a) few / (a) little"

(Употребление местоимений

"a lot of – much / many – (a) few / (a) little")

Слова much, many соответствуют русскому много, а слова few и little – мало. Many и few употребляются с исчисляемыми существительными во мн. числе, например: many students, few books.

Much и little употребляются с неисчисляемыми существительными, например: much time, little money.

Much / many в современном английском языке употребляются преимущественно в вопросительных и отрицательных предложениях. В утвердительных предложениях употребляется выражение a lot of с тем же значением. Например: He’s got a lot of English books. – У него много английских книг.

Наряду со словами few, little существуют выражения a few – немного, несколько и a little – немного (с положительным значением). Сравните:

He has few friends. He has a few friends. We have little free time. We have a little time.

У него мало друзей. У него есть несколько друзей. У нас мало свободного времени. У нас есть немного свободного времени.

тип предло- жения	исчисляемые	неисчисляемые	примеры
(+)	a lot of / many	a lot of / much	There are a lot of books in the library. There is a lot of sugar in this tea.
(?)	many	much	Are there many books on the table? Do you have much time to talk to me?
(–)	many	much	There aren’t many tickets left. I don’t have much money today.
	a few = some (very) few = not many / not enough	a little = some (very) little = not much / not enough	Very few people know several foreign languages. This young man speaks very little Russian.

Ex. 15. Translate into English.

Много книг, несколько книг, много воды, мало воды, много картин, несколько картин, много чая, мало домов, несколько домов, мало бумаги, мало деревьев, много снега, мало снега, немного денег, мало денег, несколько студентов, мало студентов.

Ex. 16. Fill in the blanks with the following pronouns.

a) "a lot of / much / many"

1. I try not to eat … sugar. 2. There is not too … space in my flat. 3. My father smokes … cigarettes a day. 4. There are … teachers at our Academy. 5. My mother earned … money last month. 6. My sister never eats … bread with soup.

b) "little / few"

1. He has got … relatives in Moscow. 2. We can be late. We have very … time. 3. The party was not interesting, so there were very … people there. 4. I drink … coffee every day. 5. There are … old houses left in our street. 6. There is … milk in my glass.

c) "a little / a few"

1. There is … paper on the table. 2. I have bought … detective novels, and they are really good. 3. I’d like to say … words about myself. 4. My friend knows German … and he can help me. 5. If you have … spare time, look through this magazine. 6. My parents have been to London … times.

Ex. 17. Choose the correct variant.

1. We always spend (a lot of / many / few) money on holiday.

2. Unfortunately, (a little / many / few) students have passed the exam.

3. We have had (many / little / very few) snow this winter.

4. If you add (a little / much / many) salt, it will taste better.

5. There are (much / a little / a lot of) interesting characters in this novel.

6. There is (little / few / many) humour in your story.

7. You must pay (many / much / little) attention to understand this rule.

8. Not (few / a lot of / many) children believe in Father Christmas.

9. I haven’t got (much / a few / little) money, so I can’t go shopping.

10. Have you met (many / much / a little) friends there?