DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FEW and LITTLE

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few little

few(beforepluralcountablenouns) Asmallnumberofthingsorpeople.

Veryfewpeopleturnedupfortheparty

Wegetfewcomplaints

fewer(beforepluralcountablenouns) Asmallernumberofthingsorpeople.

Wereceivedfewercomplaintsthanexpected.

Fewerandfewerpeoplearegoingoutfora walkinthecountryside

thefewest(beforepluralcountablenouns)

Weusefewesttotalkthesmallestnumberofthings orpeople.Thefewestisthesuperlativeformoffew.

Johnmadethefewestmistakes.

Thisisthecitywherethefewestpeoplelive·

afew(beforepluralcountablenouns)

Afewmeans‘asmallnumber,forexampletwoor threepeopleorthings’.

Afewpeoplewerewaiting.

Icalledhimafewdayslater

afewof

Weuse“afewof”beforedeterminers(articles, possessives,etc)orpluralpronounstotalkabouta smallnumberofsomething

Afewofmyfriendscametoo

Ilikehisbooks.I’vereadafewofthem.

"less"fortimeandmoney

Little(beforeuncountablenouns) Onlyasmallamountorhardlyanyofsomething.

There'slittletimeleft–weneedtostartnow

There’slittledoubtinmymindthathe’sguilty

Less(beforeuncountablenouns) asmalleramountornotasmuch.

Doctorsrecommendeatinglesssalt.

Peopletodayseemtohavelesstimeforeachother.

theleast(beforeuncountablenouns)

Weusetheleastwithanountomean‘lessthanallofthe others’.(The)leastisthesuperlativeformoflittle

Sheearnstheleastmoneyofallofus.

Hedidtheleastworkofanyofus

alittle(beforeuncountablenouns)

Alittlemeansasmallamountofsomething.

Withalittletrainingshecoulddoverywell.

Thissauceneedsalittlesalt.

SusanspeaksalittleFrench.

alittleof

Weuse“afewof”beforedeterminers(articles, possessives,etc)orsingularpronounstotalkabouta smallamountofsomething

Heonlykeptalittleofhismoneywithhim Ilovethisglue.Alittleofitgoesalongway.

Timeandmoneycangetabitconfusing.Thatisbecauseeventhoughyouaredescribingtheplural "years/euros",youaretalkingaboutasingularchunkInthiscase,youwoulduse"less"todescribethatchunk oftimeormoney

Shecompletedherinternshipinlessthanthreeyears./Shemadelessthan10euros.

Inlessthanfouryears,she'llbebackhome/Thetipwaslessthan5poundsforthemeal Sincethesearetalkingaboutasingularchunkoftimeormoney,"less"istherightword

"less"withpluralcountablenouns

Youwilloftenhearlessusedwithpluralcountablenounsininformalspokensituations,buttraditionallyitis notconsideredtobecorrect:

✗We’vegotlesspizzasthanweneed.There’stenpeopleandonlyeightpizzas.

✓(traditionallycorrectusage:We’vegotfewerpizzasthanweneed)

fewandlittlewithoutanoun.

FewandLittlearenotverycommonwithoutanoun.Weusetheminformalcontexts:

Littleisknownabouthisupbringingandeducation

Fewwouldbeinfavourofpoliceofficerscarryingweapons.

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