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.