Little, Few, Likely, Long | Grammar Exercise

Fill in the blanks with an appropriate determiner or adverb.

1. Are you ………………………….. to be staying in this evening?

likely
probable
Either could be used here

Be likely can be followed by a to-infinitive. Probable is not used in this way.

2. It is likely …………………………….

for the meeting to be postponed

that the meeting will be postponed
Either could be used here

When ‘it’ is the subject, be likely is usually followed by a that-clause.

3. ……………………….. politicians are really honest.

Few
Little
Less

We use few with plural nouns and little with uncountable nouns.

4. Could I try ……………………… soup?

little
a little
few

Little has a rather negative meaning. A little is closer to some.

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 Little, Few, Likely, Long | Grammar Exercise

5. Only …………………………. my students like mathematics.

a few
a few of
a little of

We use few of before a noun with a determiner.

6. …………………….. people can claim that they always tell the truth.

Few
Few of
Little
Little of

Before a noun without a determiner, we use few.

7. …………………………. us can claim that we always tell the truth.

Few
Few of
Little of

Before a pronoun we use few of.

8. Could I have a …………………………. the soup?

little more
few more of
little more of

Before a noun with a determiner, we use little of.

9. You don’t need to go shopping. We have got …………………. bacon.

little
a little

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 Little, Few, Likely, Long | Grammar Exercise

a few

A little is similar to some. Little has a negative meaning. It means almost nothing.

10. The movie was ………………………… interesting

not very
little

We cannot use little to modify other adjectives or adverbs.

11. She seldom stays ………………………

long
for a long time
Either could be used here

In questions and negatives we usually use long.

12. We have been waiting ………………………..

long
for a long time
Either could be used here

In affirmative clauses, we usually prefer for a long time.

PLAY AGAIN !

Answers

1. Are you likely to be staying in this evening?

2. It is likely that the meeting will be postponed.
3. Few politicians are really honest.
4. Could I try a little soup?
5. Only a few of my students like mathematics.
6. Few people can claim that they always tell the truth.

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 Little, Few, Likely, Long | Grammar Exercise

7. Few of us can claim that we always tell the truth.

8. Could I have a little more of the soup.
9. You don’t need to go shopping. We have got a little bacon.
10. The movie was not very interesting
11. She seldom stays long.
12. We have been waiting for a long time.

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