EXPRESSIONS FOR COUNTABLE AND UNCOUNTABLE NOUNS

LITTLE, A LITTLE, FEW, A FEW

(A) little and (a) few are quantifiers meaning ‘some’. Little and few have negative meanings. We use them to mean ‘not as much as may be expected or wished for’.

Compare

All she wanted was a few moments on her own.  (some, a small number)

She had few moments on her own.  (not many/almost none)

She saves a little money every month.   (some, a small amount)

They had little money to spend.  (not much/almost nothing)

A: Have you got any money?

B: Yes, a little.           (some, a small amount)

A: Have you got any money?

B: No, very little. ( not much/almost nothing)

Las expresiones de cantidad “(a) few” y “(a) little” hacen referencia a poca cantidad. El primer aspecto a resaltar es que “(a) few” se utiliza con sustantivos contables (que tienen plural) y se traduce como “(unos/as) pocos/as”; “(a) little” se utiliza con sustantivos incontables (que no tienen plural) y se traduce como “poco/a”.

La segunda diferencia está relacionada con la presencia o no del artículo indefinido. “A few” tiene un valor positivo y significa poca cantidad pero suficiente; “few” tiene un valor negativo y significa poca cantidad e insuficiente:

I have a few friends (Tengo unos pocos/cuantos amigos)// I have few friends (Tengo pocos amigos)

Lo mismo para “a little” y “little”, pero con sustantivos incontables:

I have a little money (Tengo poco/algo de dinero) I have little money (Tengo poco dinero).

ACTIVITY

Write a few or a little.  a few   a little

1. He has _____ plans.

2. She has got _____ milk.

3. He drank ______ whisky.

4. And has _____  friends.

5. We saw ______ people at the restaurant.

6. I bought _____  newspapers.

7. There is ______ petrol in his car.

8. There are ______ bottles on the table.

9. There are _____  hotels in this town.

10. I want to eat _____  bread.

 Select the best option

1. Very_____________people can fly a Jumbo plane.

A. little

B. few

C. a little

2. I still have____________money in the bank, so I'll wait until January to look for a job.

A. little

B. a little

C. a few

3. Quite____________animals still live in the mountains, so camping is still difficult.

A. very little

B. few

C. a few

4. Do you know anybody who has____________friends than Carla ?

A. less

B. fewer

C. more little

5. Some areas in Mauritania have very___________water, so sometimes water containers are needed.

A. few

B. little

C. a few

6. Just____________friends and some music will do a nice party

A. very little

B. little

C. a few

7. Really, there were such_____________films I liked that I decided to go back home.

A. a little

B. few

C. little

8. I only need _____________milk for my cake, so I thought you could lend me some.

A. very little

B. a little

C. a few

9. Would you like some more coffee ? OK, just _____________.

A. little

B. a little

C. very little

10. Who has got the______________children in Europe ?

A. fewer

B. fewest

C. less