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Unit

84 (a) little (a) few

A (a) little + uncountable noun: (a) few + plural noun:

(a) little water (a) few books
(a) little time (a) few questions
(a) little money (a) few people
(a) little soup (a) few days

a little water a few books

B a little = some but not much a few = some but not many

She didn’t eat anything, but she drank Excuse me, I have to make a few

a little water. phone calls.
I speak a little Spanish. We’re going away for a few days.
(= some Spanish but not much) I speak a few words of Spanish.
A: Can you speak Spanish? A: Are there any shops near here?

B: A little. B: Yes, a few.

C
a little (without a) = nearly no or nearly a few (without a) = nearly no
nothing

There was little food in the fridge. There were few people in the theatre.
It was nearly empty. It was nearly empty.

You can say very little: You can say very few:
Dan is very thin because he eats very Your English is very good. You make
little. (= nearly nothing) very few mistakes.

D Compare little and a little: Compare few and a few:

They have a little money, so they’re I have a few friends, so I’m not lonely.

not poor. (= they have some money) (= I have some friends)

They have little money. They are very I’m sad and I’m lonely. I have few
poor. (= nearly no money) friends. (= nearly no friends)

I have a I have little I have a few I have few
little money. money. friends. friends.

countable/uncountable ➜ Units 67–68