Hi, in today’s lesson, you will learn how to use much and many in English,
and we'll also look at a lot of and lots of, as you really can’t learn about one without
learning about the other.
So, keep watching until the end as there is a short quiz to see how much you have learned.
OK, so firstly, much and many, are used in front of nouns to talk about quantities, amounts and degree.
They can also be used without a noun as a pronoun.
But we will come onto that later.
So, firstly, the most important thing you need to remember is that we use much with singular uncountable nouns,
that is nouns that you can’t count.
I haven’t got much milk, or
he hasn’t got much patience.
Milk and patience are singular uncountable nouns.
We can’t count them.
So, we use MUCH.
Whereas, we use many with plural countable nouns.
I have many friends.
Friends is a plural countable noun so we use many.
We can count the friends... one two, three.
If you aren’t sure whether a noun is countable or not countable, try attaching a number to it.
So you could say, He had “two patiences”
But that wouldn’t work,
so “patience” is an uncountable noun.
So, we use much with singular uncountable nouns, and many with plural countable nouns.
What else do you notice about these sentences?
I haven’t got much sugar. He hasn’t got much patience.
Much is more common in negative sentences, especially in spoken English.
I haven’t got much sugar. So here we use much as sugar is a singular uncountable noun.
It is a negative sentence.
But if we try and make this sentence into a positive and say, I have got much sugar.
It doesn’t really work.
So we would have to say,
I have got a lot of sugar.
When we use much and many in negative questions, we are usually expecting that a large quantity
of something isn’t there.
Whereas if we use a lot of and lots of in negative questions, we are usually expecting a large
quantity of something.
So, for example, Haven’t they sold many cakes?
No, they haven’t.
The speaker expects that they have sold a small quantity of cakes.
That's why we use many.
But if we say,
Haven’t they sold a lot of cakes?
(or lots of) cakes
Yes, they have.
The speaker expects that they have sold a large quantity of cakes.
Or,
Isn’t there much coffee left?
No, there isn’t.
The speaker expects that there is a small quantity of coffee left.
Because we've used much.
If we said,
Isn’t there a lot of coffee left? (or lots of coffee left)
Yes, there is.
Here, the speaker expects that there is a large quantity of coffee left.
In affirmative sentences we sometimes use much and many in more formal styles:
So you could say,
There is much concern about gun crime in America.
Or,
He had heard many stories about the origins of Stonehenge.
This would be appropriate in your written exams or assignments.
Much and many are also common in questions
Is there much unemployment in Manchester?
Unemployment is an uncountable noun so we use much.
or
Do you think many students will vote?
Students are plural countable nouns so we use many.
So now let’s look at a lot of and lots of with a noun
Basically, a lot of and lots of are used in informal English
and often spoken English.
and lots is even more informal than a lot of.
A lot of and lots of can both be used with plural countable nouns.
We’ve got lots of potatoes.
With singular uncountable nouns,
It took a lot of time.
For affirmatives,
There is a lot of snow.
In negatives,
There isn’t a lot of money.
and in questions.
Are there lots of good players at your cricket club?
In informal styles, we prefer to use lots or a lot of:
For example:
I went shopping and spent a lot of money.
And not: I went shopping and spent much money.
The one exception is, we say, many days, many weeks and many years
and not a lot of.
So for example, you would say,
I’ve lived here for many years,
and not I’ve lived here for a lot of years.
So why don’t we just use a lot of and lots of all the time?
It is much easier, right?
Yes, but in writing, we need to be aware of register.
Whether our writing is informal or formal,
and more often than not we need to be able to write in a neutral or formal register
formal style.
Often for exams, they are looking for you to know the difference between formal and informal English.
and we can show that we know how to use them correctly!
Finally, let’s look at much and many without a noun. as a pronoun.
We usually leave out the noun after much, many and a lot of and lots of when the noun is obvious:
For example:
Would you like some pizza?
Yes please but not too much.
Not too much pizza. It is obvious we are referring to the pizza.
Or,
Can you pass me some pens?
How many?
Again, how many pens?
Again it is obvious we are referring to the pens.
Or,
How many students came?
A lot,
or lots.
again it is obvious we are referring to the students.
So to recap
We use much with uncountable nouns and many with countable nouns:
He didn’t need much luggage.
Not, he didn’t need many luggage.
Luggage is an uncountable noun so we must use much.
We usually use a lot of and lots of rather than much and many in informal affirmative sentences.
She gave me a lot of advice.
Not, she gave me much advice.
We don’t use of after much or many when they come immediately before a noun
without an article, that's a, an and the,
also before a demonstrative: this and that,
a possessive: my or your,
or a pronoun: him and them.
So you would say, They haven’t made many business contacts here.
and not: They haven’t made many of business contacts here.
And finally, we don’t use a lot of without a noun.
So, for example:
Do many people live in Canterbury?
Yes. quite a lot.
Quite a lot of people.
But we wouldn't say, quite a lot of.
So now it’s your turn, which sentence is correct and why.
“She wears so much hats”
or
“She wears so many hats .”
The correct answer is, she wears so many hats.
as hats are a plural countable noun we use many.
“You deserve some much needed rest .”
Or,
“You deserve some many needed rest ”
Here, the answer is much-needed rest
as rest is an uncountable noun so we use much.
“I have got much work.”
or
“I haven’t got much work.”
Here the correct sentence is, I haven’t got much work
as much is often used in negative sentences.
If we wanted to say a positive sentence it would be better to say, I have got a lot of work.
“I have done many research on that subject”
or
“I have done much research on that subject.
Which sentence is correct and why.
Write your answer down below and I promise to give you feedback on your answer.
So that’s it for today.
I hope you feel more confident using much and many in English
and lots and a lot of as well.
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OK, so that's it for today, take care and see you very soon.
Bye, bye.