Page 341 - Practical English Usage 3ed - Michael Swan, Oxford

Compare:
- Few people can say that they always tell the truth. Few o f us can say that we always tell the truth.
- Could I try a linle wine?
Could I try a linle ofyour wine?
- Only a few children like maths.
Only a few ofthe children in this class like maths.
3 useofa
There is a difference between little and a little, and between few and a few. Without a, linle and few usually have rather negative meanings. They may suggest 'not as much/many as one would like', 'not as much/many as expected', and similar ideas.
The average MP has linle real power.
Few people can speak a foreign language perfectly.
A little and a few are more positive: their meaning is generally closer to some. They may suggest ideas like 'better than nothing' or 'more than expected'.
Would you like a linle soup?
You don't need to go shopping. We've got a few potatoes and some stea1c. Compare:
- Cactuses need linle water. (not much water)
Give the roses a linle water every day. (not a lot, but some)
- His ideas are difficult, and few people understand them. His ideas are difficult, but a few people understand them.
Quite a few (informal) means 'a considerable number'. We've got quite a few friends in the village.
4 formal and informal language
Little and few (with no article) are rather formal. In an informal style (e.g. ordinary conversation), we generally prefer not much/many, or only a liUle/few.
Come on! We haven't got much time!
Only a few people speak a foreign language perfectly.
However, very little and very few are possible in an informal style.
He's got very liUle patience and very few friends.
5 (a) little and (a) few without nouns
We can drop a noun and use (a) little/few alone, if the meaning is clear.
Some more soup? -Just a linle, please.
6 not used after be
(A) little and (a) few are determiners (see 154). They are normally used before nouns, but not after be.
They had linle hope. (BUT NOT Their h6pe WfJ:S little.)
1 (a) little with adjectives and adverbs
(A) little can modify comparatives.
How are you? - A linle better, thanks.
The new model is linle faster than the old one.
(a) little and (a) few 329
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