A LOT

A lot can pretty much be used with any noun (and most verbs, too, for that matter), to express a large quantity:

You have a lot of patience.

We don’t have a lot of apples.

My friend talks a lot.

Note that when followed by a noun, the preposition of is necessary as well.

MANY/MUCH

Many and much, however, although they also express a large quantity, are used with different types of nouns. Many is used for countable nouns and much for uncountable nouns. If you don’t remember the difference between these two noun categories, please check the blog entry for Countable and Uncountable nouns in English.

My grandmother has many chickens.

Maria didn’t put much sugar in the cake.

IMPORTANT NOTE

You can choose between using much/many or a lot as you like, the only difference being that much/many are slightly more formal than a lot.

(A) FEW/(A) LITTLE

(A) few and (A) little are the opposites of many/much expressing a small quantity, and they are also used with different types of nouns. (A) few is used for countable nouns and (A) little for uncountable nouns. If you don’t remember the difference between these two noun categories, please check the blog entry for Countable and Uncountable nouns in English.

The school has (a) few students.

There is (a) little money left.

SO, what is the difference between a few and few, and a little and little?

Basically, when you say “He ate a few cookies”, you are focusing on the positive, meaning He did eat a small number of cookies.

When you say “He ate few cookies”, you are focusing on the negative, meaning He didn’t eat so many cookies at all, not as many as expected, etc.

The same goes for “I have a little respect for him”, which focuses on the positive and means I have some respect for him.

And “I have little respect for him”, which focuses on the negative and means I don’t have much respect for him at all.

QUIZ

Choose between much, many, a lot, few, little, a few, a little:

1. The teacher gives _______ of homework.
2. Your car has __________ miles on it. (large quantity)
3. I can give you _________ apples. (small quantity, positive)
4. My boss doesn’t have _________ time to waste. (large quantity)
5. She has _________ interest in outdoor activities. (small quantity, negative)
6. His mom will borrow __________ flour from us. (small quantity, positive)
7. This widow had ________ friends and many enemies. (small quantity, negative)

ANSWERS

1. a lot
2. many
3. a few
4. much
5. little
6. a little
7. few

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The post Quantifiers in English – a lot, many, much, (a) few, (a) little appeared first on Adi's Language School.

Bring

You ask people to bring things to you and your location. Bring is used in relation to a destination:

“Bring some drinks to the party, please.”

“Bring your toothbrush to me.”

“Could she bring her shoes here?”

Take

You take things to other people and locations. Take is used in relation to a starting point:

“I’m going to take some balloons to John’s house for his birthday party.” (I am thinking about the balloons being at my house – the starting point)

“Take your dog away from me.”

“Please take your bag there.” (the focus is on the implied starting point – here)

In the first and third examples, the starting point is not clearly expressed in the sentence, but understood from context.

IMPORTANT OBSERVATIONS

The similarity between Bring and Take is that they both describe the movement of something from one location to another.

The difference is that Bring describes the movement of something toward a specified location, whereas Take describes the movement of something away from a location. Another way to look at it is, you bring things here and take things there.

Many times both of these verbs can be used correctly in the same sentence, and the only thing that changes is your perspective:

Paul is bringing his cousin to the picnic.

Paul is taking his cousin to the picnic.

Both sentences are correct. In the first one, the focus is on the destination (the picnic), whereas in the second one it is on the implied starting point (Paul’s house or location).

QUIZ

1. He has ___ his car here.

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TAKE generally means to CARRY/ MOVE from one place to another.

• Can you take the kids to school today? 
• Take an umbrella. It’s raining.
• Can you take my shirt to the dry-cleaner?
• Don’t forget to take your driving license with you.

GET usually means to RECEIVE/ OBTAIN.

• I got some flowers. (I received some flowers. Someone gave me some flowers)
• How much do you get for looking after Jane’s children?
• Did you get the tickets?
• I think you should get a new job.

Another difference is that TAKE implies that you may take something from another person who may give the object willingly or not so willingly. GET means that something was voluntarily given to you. For example:

My mom takes my phone when I don’t do my homework. (She takes my phone although I don’t want her to)

I always take some food from my friend’s lunch bag. (I take it because I want to, whether my friend lets me or not)

I get my phone after I do my homework. (My mom willingly gives me my phone after I do my homework)

I always get some food from my friend’s lunch bag. (My friend willingly lets me have some food from his/her lunch bag)

A third difference is that when you TAKE an object from someone, you choose or pick the object.  If you GET something from somebody, the choice is up to the giver. For example:

Do you have more of those scarves?  I will take the pink one.  (I choose the pink one)

I usually get nice presents for Christmas. (Someone else chooses my present, not me)

TAKE and GET also have an active and passive meaning, respectively:

I plan to take my girlfriend to the movie theatre on Friday.

You always get a ride from your mother.

The difference lies in the action taken by the speaker of the sentence and what is done to him/her. In the first sentence, the subject is involved in doing the action of taking someone somewhere. In the second sentence, the subject is not involved in the action as it is the other person, the mother, who is doing the actual action of driving the subject to a place.

QUIZ

Fill in the blanks with TAKE or GET:

1. They normally ______ good grades in school.
2. You _________ your medicine from the pharmacy close to your house.
3. Don’t just ____________ the candy, you need to ask if you can first.
4. I will ___________ the red car, this is my choice.
5. When she _______ a new job, she will be happier.
6. My sister ________ my clothes whenever she wants without my permission.

ANSWERS

1. get, 2. get, 3. take, 4. take, 5. gets, 6. takes

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Another

Is an adjective describing a singular nonspecific countable noun or pronoun. If you don’t remember what countable and uncountable nouns are, go back to the blog and review that topic first.

Meanings:

• one more, an additional, an extra
• a different one; an alternative one

Examples:

• “Let’s meet another day.” (Let’s meet on a different day)
• “I’d like another piece of cake.” (I’d like one more piece of cake)

The nouns (“day” and “piece”) in both sentences are countable and singular nouns.

The nouns in both sentences are also not specific. This means that the speaker doesn’t care which day or piece of cake he gets; he just wants a different one. He wants another one, but he hasn’t said (or it isn’t clear or important) which one.

Important notes:

1. Another is really “an (the indefinite article) + other.” You can use “another” before a noun whenever you can use the indefinite article “a(n)” before a noun.

2. Another can only be used before a plural noun when that noun is preceded by a number, or words/phrases such as a couple of, few, etc.

• The investigation will take another two weeks/couple of weeks.

3. Another can be used before “one” when the meaning is clear from the preceding text. 

• You’ve already had an ice-cream. You can’t have another one.

Other

Is an adjective describing a plural or uncountable nonspecific noun or pronoun.

Meaning:

• different, alternative

Examples:

• “Other people have problems, too.” [people = plural noun]
• “This book has other information.” [information = uncountable noun]

The nouns in both sentences are not specific, just like with “another”. The speaker doesn’t specify which other people have problems, or what other information the book has.

Important note:

If we use other before a singular countable noun or pronoun, we must use another determiner before it:

I don’t like the red one. I prefer the other colour. (Here the definite article the is the other determiner)

Jeremy is at university; our other son is still at school. (Here our is the other determiner)

He got 100% in the final examination. No other student has ever achieved that. (Here no is the other determiner)

There’s one other thing we need to discuss before we finish. (Here one is the other determiner)

Quiz

Choose between another, other and the other to complete the following text:

Answers

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The following pictures and explanations are meant to define these specific contexts in order to make it easier for the English learner to choose the correct verb in a given situation.

The verbs COME and GO

COME and GO have the same basic meaning, but are used for different DIRECTIONS.

COME is used to show movement toward or in the direction of the speaker or the person being spoken to. It has a similar meaning to the verb “to arrive”.

For example:

My mom is coming to see me next week. (she is coming in my direction)

Can I come to your house? 

Many times COME is used with the preposition from, which shows the starting point of the movement, as in:

He comes from Italy. 

GO is used to show movement away from the speaker or the person being spoken to. It has a similar meaning to the verb “to leave”.

For example:

We are going to see my mom next week. (we are leaving the place where we are now in order to see my mom)

I need to go now. (I need to leave the place where I am currently)

Many times GO is used with the preposition to, which shows the destination of the movement, as in:

Let’s go to work!

The verbs MAKE and DO

MAKE and DO are just slightly different in meaning.

DO refers to the process, the action in itself, or an obligation.

For example:

I do my homework every day. (process, obligation)

Can you do this for me? (action)

MAKE refers to the product, creating something, or actions you choose to do.

For example:

He makes breakfast every day. (the product is breakfast)

How did you make this bridge? (how did you create this bridge)

There are many expressions with DO and MAKE in English. At times it will be difficult to distinguish the two verbs as explained above, but you will learn the correct way to use each expression through practice.

The verbs LEND and BORROW

LEND and BORROW also have the same basic meaning, but are used for different “directions” of the action.

LEND is used when someone gives something that is their own to somebody else for a certain period of time (temporarily), but the item will need to be returned.

For example:

Could you lend me your pen? (you will give me your pen for some time, but I will need to return it)

I am lending you my bike. (I am giving you my bike for some time, but you will need to return it)

LEND appears with the preposition to sometimes, as in:

Come on, lend it to me!

BORROW is used when someone takes something that belongs to somebody else for a certain period of time (temporarily), but they will need to return the item they are taking.

For example:

He’s always borrowing money. (he always takes money from other people for some time, but he needs to return it)

Can I borrow your phone? (I am taking your phone for some time, but will need to return it)

BORROW appears with the preposition from sometimes, as in:

I borrowed it from you.

Quiz

Fill out the sentences with the correct form of the verbs:

COME/GO

1. I _______ to Spain every summer.
2. Where does he ________ from?
3. ___________ here!
4. ___________ over there!

MAKE/DO

5. Please ___________ a cake for me.

6. They never ___________ the dishes.

7. Can you _________ a kyte?

8. When you _________ your work, you are the best.

LEND/BORROW

9. My father _______ me his car sometimes.

10. I would like to ________________ your computer for an hour.

11. He ____________ my clothes whenever he likes.

12.  _______ her your coat, she is cold!

Answers

1. go
2. come
3. come
4. go
5. make
6. do
7. make
8. do
9. lends
10. borrow
11. borrows
12. lend

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