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Daily English A Little / A Few
Pronunciation
Ads by Google Exercises AB Exercises FCE Exercise CD Exercises ESL Exercise
Read On
Countries Exercises on A Little and A Few
Animals / Sports
The expressions a little and a few mean some.
Literature
Newsticker ■ If a noun is in singular, we use a little
Example: a little money
Business ■ If a noun is in plural, we use a few
Communication
Example: a few friends
Grammar
Business-Info Countable / Uncountable Nouns
In connection with a little / a few people often speak of countable nouns and uncountable
Chill Out
nouns.
Games & Riddles
E-Cards Countable nouns have a singular and a plural form. In plural, these nouns can be used
Chat with Egon with a number (that's why they are called 'countable nouns'). Countable nouns take a few.

Example: 4 friends – a few friends

Take On
Newsletter Uncountable nouns can only be used in singular. These nouns cannot be used with a
Calendar 2011 number (that's why they are called 'uncountable nouns'). Uncountable nouns take a little.
Language-Board Example: 3 money – a little money
Suggestions
Note: Of course you can count money – but then you would name the currency and say
Teach In that you have got 3 euro (but not „3 money“).
Cultural Studies
A Little / A few or Little / Few
Lessons
It's a difference if you use a little / a few or little / few. Without the article, the words have a
Teacher’s Board
limiting or negative meaning.

■ a little = some
little = hardly any
Example: I need a little money. - I need some money.
I need little money. - I need hardly any money.
■ a few = some
few = hardly any
Example: A few friends visited me. - Some friends visited me.
Few friends visited me. - Hardly any friends visited me.

Without the article, little / few sound rather formal. That's why we don't use them very often
in everyday English. A negative sentence with much / many is more common here.

Example: I need little money. = I do not need much money.

Few friends visited me. = Not many friends visited me.

Exercises on a little / a few

a little / a few
■ A Little / A Few - Exercise 1
■ A Little / A Few - Exercise 2
■ A Little / A Few - Exercise 3
■ A Little / A Few - Exercise 4

little / few
■ Little / Few - Exercise

Social Networks

Changed: 10th Dec 2010 19:36

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http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/vocabulary/little-few 25/06/2011