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GRAMMAR: Quantifiers a lot of, much and many

A lot of, much and many

Consider the following sentences.

How many plastic bags do you use each year? I don’t know, a lot of bags

How many glasses of water do you drink a day? Not many, maximum 4.

How much paper do you throw away each year? Not much, I don’t use much paper

What’s the difference between many and much? Discuss with your partner.

Exercise 1

Study the chart:

Much and many

 

Choose the correct answer to complete the rules:

  • To ask about quantity we use how much…? with nouns and how many…? with nouns.
  • In affirmative sentences we use  with both countable and uncountable nouns to refer to a big quantity
  • In negative sentences we use  with countable nouns and  with uncountable nouns.

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Exercise 2

Complete the gaps with how much or how many:

  1. sweets do you eat a week?
  2. water do you drink?
  3. plastic do you recycle?
  4. trees are there in this park?
  5. bread do you eat a day?
  6. bottles do we need?
  7. books have you read this year?
  8. sugar is left?
  9. bags shall we take?
  10. orange juice do you want? 

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Exercise 3

Complete the gaps with many, much or a lot of.

  1. How water do you drink? I drink water!
  2. Are there trees in the park near your house? Not
  3. Do you use plastic bags? Not , to be honest, just 1 bag a week
  4. Do you like orange juice? Yes, I do but I don’t drink
  5. She’s a bookworm! She reads books every year
  6. My sister does not use salt when she cooks
  7. I ate a hamburger but I didn’t eat chips
  8. Do your children drink milk? Not

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Some and any

Some and any are also used to refer to indefinite quantity. You can use some and any with uncountable nouns and with countable plural nouns. What’s the difference between them? Study the chart.

Some and any

Exercise 4

Complete the gaps with some or any.

  • Would you like milk? No, thank you
  • We don’t have money left
  • Is there person there?
  • Can I have sugar, please?
  • There are eggs in the fridge
  • Would you like grapes? Yes, please
  • I don’t have books here
  • There is water in the kettle

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Bonus Task

Click the links below to do more exercises with quantifiers.