Food and Quantifiers

Third, the position of enough: before a noun (enough plates) and after an adjective (big enough). This small rule is tested again and again.

Basit Örnek ve Günlük Yaşam

Read this short shopping note and notice the quantifiers.

We need a few tomatoes, two eggs and some cheese for the omelette. There isn't much bread left, so please buy a loaf. We have plenty of water, but we haven't got any olive oil. Don't buy too many onions; there are enough in the fridge.

Every quantifier here was chosen by looking at the noun: tomatoes and eggs are countable, so they take a few and a number; bread, water, olive oil are uncountable, so they take much, plenty of, any.

Now write a six-line shopping list for a meal you would like to cook. Use four different quantifiers.

İleri Örnek

Look at how a careful writer chooses quantifiers in a recipe.

Add a little salt and a few slices of lemon. You don't need much oil, because the fish releases its own juices. If there isn't enough sauce, add a small amount of water. Too much salt will ruin the dish, so taste it before you serve it.

The writer uses a little salt (there is some), much oil after a negative, enough sauce and too much salt for excess. Notice also that a small amount of is a safe formal alternative for uncountable nouns when you want to avoid repeating much.

Adım Adım Çözülmüş Örnek

Follow these steps to choose the correct quantifier.

1. Step 1 — Decide whether the noun is countable. Ask: can I say two...? If yes (two apples), it is countable.
2. Step 2 — Choose the positive quantifier. Countable plural: many or a lot of. Uncountable: much in formal writing, or better a lot of.
3. Step 3 — For small amounts choose by type. Countable: a few (some, and enough). Uncountable: a little (some, and enough).
4. Step 4 — In negatives and questions use much / many / any. There isn't much time. / Are there any eggs? / We don't have many plates.
5. Step 5 — For excess use too much or too many. too much sugar, too many biscuits.
6. Step 6 — For sufficiency use enough. Before a noun, after an adjective: enough chairs, warm enough.

Karşılaştırma Tablosu

This table is the fastest way to answer quantifier questions.

Careful: much is unusual in positive sentences in everyday English; prefer a lot of there, and keep much for negatives and questions.

Sık Yapılan Hatalar

Six mistakes are typical of this topic.

• Using much with a countable noun. much apples should be many apples or a lot of apples.
• Using many with an uncountable noun. many water should be much water or, better, a lot of water.
• Adding -s to an uncountable noun. Informations, breads, rices are wrong unless you mean types (two breads is not used; different breads is possible but rare).
• Putting enough in the wrong place. enough big is wrong; write big enough. But before a noun keep the order: enough money.
• Confusing few and a few. Few people came means almost nobody, which is negative; A few people came means some came, which is neutral or positive.
• Using too much before a plural countable noun. too much problems should be too many problems.

Özet

Quantifiers are chosen by looking at the noun, not by feel.

• Countable plural: many, a few, few, too many, plenty of, a lot of.
• Uncountable: much, a little, little, too much, plenty of, a lot of.
• Both: some, any, no, enough, a lot of, plenty of.
• Questions: How many for countable, How much for uncountable and for price.
• Meaning shift: a little / a few mean some; little / few mean almost none.
• Position of enough: before nouns, after adjectives.

Kendini Dene

Answer in full sentences and then check the key.

1. Complete: How ____ (many / much) sugar do you take in your tea?
2. Which sentence is correct? (a) We haven't got much apples. (b) We haven't got many apples. (c) We haven't got much apple.
3. Rewrite correctly: There are too much people in the queue.
4. Fill in: This T-shirt isn't big ____ (enough / too).
5. What is the difference between a little time and little time?
6. Write a short recipe instruction. Use a few, a little, enough and too much once each.

Answer key: 1) much — sugar is uncountable. 2) (b) — apples is a countable plural, so it takes many. 3) There are too many people in the queue. — too many goes with countable plurals. 4) enough — the adjective comes before enough. 5) A little time means there is some time and that is enough for the purpose; little time means there is almost no time. 6) Any correct text, e.g. Add a few slices of lemon and a little pepper. Mix the sauce until it is smooth enough. Do not add too much salt, because the cheese is already salty.