Countable vs Uncountable Nouns – Trinity ISE I Grammar (quantifiers)
Knowledge of countable and uncountable nouns is useful in order to use quantifiers (Trinity ISE I Grammar Function). Countable vs Uncountable Nouns – Trinity ISE I Grammar (quantifiers)
Quantifers – ISE I Trinity Grammar Function
1. When do we use much and many?
- much: is used with uncountable nouns (milk, water, money, time etc.)
- many: is used with countable nouns (bottles of milk, litres of water, euros, hours etc.)
Generally, we use much and many more often in negatives and questions. We prefer to use a lot of in the affirmative
A lot of can be used with both countable and uncountable nouns
Quantifiers – ISE I Trinity Grammar Function
Example
- Do you have much money? (question)
- I don’t have much money (negative)
- I have a lot of money (affirmative)
- Do you have many friends? (question)
- I don’t have many friends (negative)
- I have a lot of friends (affirmative)
2. When do we use a little/little and a few/few?
We use little and few (without the article) to indicate a small quantity
- little = not much
- few = not many
- little: is used uncountable nouns (milk, water, money, time etc.)
- few: countable nouns (bottles of milk, litres of water, euros, hours etc.)
We use a little and a few (with the article) to indicate some quantity
- a little = some
- a few = some
Examples:
- He has a little money left.
- He has a few euros left.
2. When do we use some and any?
We use some and any for plural countable nouns & uncountable nouns
Generally,
- some= affirmative
- any = negative
- any = questions
Examples
- Is there any chocolate in the fridge?
- This is some chocolate in the fridge
- There’s isn’t any chocolate in the fridge
NOTE: when can some be used in questions? You sometimes see “some” used in questions if the answer to the question is expected to be affirmative.
Example:
“Can I have some chocolate?” is used because the speaker thinks the answer will be yes
(you can try an ISE I Trinity listening exam about chocolate here)
Quantifiers – ISE I Trinity Grammar Function
– ISE I Trinity Grammar Function
Download file here
Countable vs Uncountable Nouns – Trinity ISE I Grammar (quantifiers) la gramatica del examen de trinity ISE I quantifiers
