Quantifiers in English
A quantifier is a word that goes before a noun to say how much or how many of something there is: many books, a little time, some people.
This guide is for A2 to B1 learners. The key is knowing whether the noun is countable or uncountable, since that decides which quantifier you can use. Below you get a clear table, examples for each type, the common mistakes, and three exercises to practise.
A quick video summary
What are quantifiers?
Quantifiers tell us about amount. Some work only with countable nouns (things you can count: one book, two books), some only with uncountable nouns (things you cannot count: water, time), and some work with both.
Choosing the right quantifier
This table sorts the most common quantifiers by the nouns they go with:
| Use with | Common quantifiers | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Countable nouns only | a few, several, many, a number of | I bought many books. |
| Uncountable nouns only | a little, much, a great deal of, a bit of | I have much time. |
| Both types | some, any, most, all, a lot of, plenty of, enough | Some people were there. |
Quantifiers for countable nouns
Use these with plural countable nouns:
- Jack mentioned a few things during the discussion.
- Rick asked several questions.
- We visited many places during the holiday.
- A number of people supported the idea.
Quantifiers for uncountable nouns
Use these with uncountable nouns:
- Alice had a little juice and nothing else.
- We have much time to finish the project.
- David has a great deal of experience in sales.
- Wait a bit! I am coming.
Quantifiers are small words with big effects. Book a free trial lesson and practise them with an experienced native teacher, no credit card needed.
Common mistakes with quantifiers
- Using much with countable nouns. Countable nouns take many: “many friends”, not “much friends”.
- Using many with uncountable nouns. Uncountable nouns take much: “much money”, not “many money”.
- Confusing less and fewer. Use fewer with countable nouns (“fewer cars”) and less with uncountable (“less traffic”).
- Mixing a few and few. A few means “some” (positive); few means “almost none” (negative). Same for a little vs little.
Practice exercises
Try these three exercises. They open in a new tab so you can keep this guide handy.
Exercise 1: select the correct quantifier
Exercise 2: complete the sentence
Exercise 3: rewriting and error correction
Quick self-check
Complete or fix each sentence, then reveal the answers.
1. There isn’t ___ (much / many) milk left.
2. She has ___ (few / a few) close friends.
3. We saw ___ (much / many) birds.
Show answers
1. much. 2. a few. 3. many.
How did that go? Choosing the right quantifier in an exercise is a start; using it without thinking as you speak is the goal. In a free trial lesson, an experienced native teacher will help you get there.
Frequently asked questions
What is a quantifier?
What is the difference between much and many?
When do you use some and any?
What is the difference between a few and few?
Can a lot of be used with both countable and uncountable nouns?
Key takeaways
- A quantifier goes before a noun to show how much or how many.
- Countable nouns take many, a few, several.
- Uncountable nouns take much, a little, a great deal of.
- Some, any, most, a lot of and plenty of work with both.
- Watch fewer vs less and a few vs few.
Keep learning
- Much and many
- Comparatives and superlatives
- More free English grammar guides
- Test your English level
- Meet our English teachers
Written and reviewed by the experienced native English teachers at Live English, online since 2007.