Quantifiers

I can describe quantity; I can talk about problems of quantity.

(Not) much, (not) many, several, lots, a lot of, (a) few, (a) little

are oiÿLy a coupLe of

B.ut Loote! Tfoere
biscuits, a few cris-ps aiÿd a bit of
appLejuice, lhat Isuv't ewugkl

o\\ dear ... too

fríemete, i/vot eiÿouc0h

There's ewugk food for every o vÿt.

we've got Lots of biscuits, Lots of
crisps avÿd Lots of appLejuice.

We often use some and any with countable and To talk about very large quantities we use a lot of/
uncountable nouns, but when we want to give more lots of + noun (countable or uncountable).
information about quantities, we use other quantifiers. There were lots of/a lot of people ot the park.
We've got lots of/a lot of time.
uncountable nouns
We can use a lot on its own.
much a little/a bit of little/not much 350 people? That's a lot!
To talk about quite large numbers - about three or
uncountable nouns and plural countable nouns four - we can use several + countable noun.
lots of/a lot of no Several people want to buy this house.
I've spoken to Jim several times.
plural countable nouns To talk about small quantities we can use a couple
of + countable noun and a bit of + uncountable noun.
many a couple of several
We need a couple of plates. (= two)
few/not many a few
There's a bit of water on the floor. (= a small amount )
We can also use (a) little and (a) few.
In questions about quantity we use much and many.
Were there many people at the park? A few and a little have a positive meaning.
How much time do we have? It's OK. We stillhave a little water.
Are you hungry? Ithink Ihave a few biscuits in my bag.
We also use much and many in negative sentences.
There aren't many cups. Few and little (without a) have a negative meaning.
Idon't needmuch time. I'm afraid I've made little progress this afternoon.
They planted a lot of seeds but few plants grew.

Unit 2 11
 4 What do you need? Discuss the questions
*1 Complete the description with the quantifiers in
ÍÉÉÉr jn pajrS/ usjng quantifiers, the words in

O
the box.
the box and your own ideas.
several a couple of a few
bread butter a cloth eggs flour fruit
ÿ We've got several bottles, a few glasses and gift wrap glue matches paper ribbon
a coupie of spoons. salt scissors soap sticky tape string sugar
several much tennis balls tennis rackets water wood
many
1 We had _
pots of paint but didn't have What do you need ...
_ paintbrushes and we didn't have _
paper. to play tennis?
a little a lot of several a few
... to make a picnic for 20 people?
2 Only _ people came to the meeting, but
we only had _ space because there was
_ furniture and _ large boxes in .. to wash a very dirty car?
...to make a cake?
the room.
a lot of much a couple of a bit of
... to build and light a fire?
...to wrap a present?
3 We've got tomato sauce, green
peppers and _
mushrooms but we haven't
... to make your favourite drink?
got _ cheese.

2 O 2.1 Circle the correct options to complete the to -play tevÿvÿis, you vÿeed a couple of

©
conversation. Then listen and check. teiA.i'u.s rackets avuk lots oftevwús balls.
Ben: How was your concert, Jason?
Did many / much people come?
*
Jason: No. ''Many / Lots of people asked about W Write about three more activities and
tickets, but on the night very 2a few / few ÿ/ / what you need to do them. Use
people came. It was disappointing. quantifiers. Keep your activities secret.
Ben: What a shame. You spent 3much / a lot of
time practising, didn't you?
To catch a fish, you. vÿeed a flshíi-vg ihÿe avul a
Jason: Yes, but we had 4no / a little time to
practise with Leo, our new violinist. On the bit of meat or cheese.
positive side, Leo was fantastic. He hasn't
played in public 5a few / many times, but
he was brilliant! 6A couple of / Few people Work in a group. Read out the things
from the local newspaper wanted to talk to you need for your activities in exercise 5.
Can the others guess the activities?
him afterwards.
Ben: Great! 7 A little / Little publicity would be a For my first activity, you vÿeed a bucket,
good thing, you know. a special lli-ve avuA a bit of meat or cheese.
What's different? Work in pairs. Student is It
A turn to page 180. Student B turn to
flshli-vg?
page 183. Can you find eight more yes, that's right!
differences in three minutes?

ikv my picture there's a lot of shampoo.

Ikv my picture there Isuÿ't much shampoo.

12 Quantifiers
Too much, too many, enough/not enough

We use too much, too many and not enough to talk and ask about problems of quantity.

+++ ® too many + plural countable noun

You ask too many questions!

+++ © too much + uncountable noun

There's too much water in the bath.

enough + plural countable or

There are too many chairs. uncountable noun and questions
I've got enough space.
Have you got enough batteries?
Are there enough books?

not enough + plural countable

noun or uncountable noun
I haven't had enough breakfast.
He hasn't bought enough apples.
There are enough chairs.
We pronounce enough as /i'nAÍ/.
We often use for + noun or pronoun after enough.
There's enough food for them.
We can also add a to-infinitive to enough to add
more information.
Ihaven't got enough money to buy it now.
We can combine enough + noun + for + pronoun +
to + infinitive.
There aren't enough chairs. There won't be enough time for us to have lunch.
There are enough chairs for everyone to sit down.
We can use them without a noun when the meaning
is clear. We can also use too and enough with adjectives.
Ican't eat all this food! Ithink I've taken too much. It's too cold! It's not bigenough!
The food's nearly all gone. We haven't got enough!

©2.2 Listen. What are they talking about? fEa 9 O 2.3 Circle the correct option. Then listen and »
Match speakers 1-6 to a-f. ÿ1ÿ check.
a a holiday
b a bag
c a restaurant
d an ice-cream
_
i

_
_
ÿ There are too many / much programs on

this computer.
1 Have you got enough / too much rice, or would
you like some more?
O
e a plane journey _ 2 There isn't sugar enough / enough sugar to
f a film _ make a cake.
3 He's got too much /many spare time!
*8 O 2.2 Listen again. Is each person happy or L 4 Is there enough hot water for / to me for / to
unhappy? Draw ©or®. have a bath?
1 © 2 _ 3 _ 4 _ 5 _ 6 _ 5 We don't need any more paper. We've got
enough /enough paper.
6 Don't eat any more biscuits. You've already had
too many biscuits / too many.

Unit 2 13
*1C Complete the sentences with too much, too many
or enough.
ÿ You've got too mflnu clothes. You never
*1 1 Add for or to to these sentences.
ÿ

1
I hope we've got enough paint for
Is there enough room _
ÿ

my bag?
this wall. O
wear them!
j
2 There are enough chairs _ ten people.
1 There were _ people in the room. 3 There isn't enough ink _ print that.
It felt very crowded. 4 We haven't got enough time _ go to the
2 Are we going to have time? shops and the museum.
It's getting late. 5 I'm sorry, but I haven't got enough _ you.
3 There aren't_ books, I'm afraid. 6 There wasn't enough light _ me _
You'll have to share. see the words on the page.
4 I've eaten _ chocolate! I feel ill!
5 You've put _ .things in this suitcase.
I can't close it.
6 You can make a skirt with this material, but there
isn't _ for a dress.

How should your school spend some I thli/Ue the school should buy some
money? Read the task instructions. i/vew computers with the moiA<ey.
1 Your school has just won £2,000 in prize money.
htow macvy?just a couple or a lot?
They want to know what students think about
how they should use the money. Maybe four.
2 Look at the options in the table. Make your own
decision, then talk in pairs. Work with two other computers ... "Tfoflt's £,±,000 -
T£i/v
too much moiÿey, IthifUe.
pairs and reach a decision as a group.

your pair's your group's

sptten east ysurderéisn ¡ decision decision
Pay for improvements to Yes or no? What things?
the school grounds - more £100-£2000 How much?
benches, trees and flowers f
Yes or no? How many
Buy new computers for the £250 for one
computers?
school computer
f

Buy new sports equipment Yes or no? How much?

£300-£2000
for the school f

Invite a famous person to Yes or no? Who?

£500
come and speak to the school f
Organize a trip for 40 pupils
£1000 £
to a national sporting event
Organize a trip for two pupils
to an international sporting £2000 £
event
Save some money for next Yes or no? How much?
???
year f
Another idea f
Total cost f f f

14 Quantifiers
!íl3 Read the questionnaire and complete it with the words below.
lots of a bit little many any a few couple a lot
too much too many enough how much how many

__
Friends - 5_ do you need?
What's right More than 50. H A few - three or four. [ ]
A 6_ of really good friends.
for you? About fifteen. Í
_
Sleep - 7 do you need a night?

__
We're all different. Some people Nine hours. Eight hours. Q
love being with people and they Seven hours. (7! Six hours. O
need ÿ lots of friends. For them,
ten friends isn't 1
people don't need 2_
Other
good
3 Time alone, but not asleep - is it important to you?
Yes, I need 8_ - about two hours a day. ÿ
-
them, ten friends is 3
__
friends just two or three. For
I need 9_ - about an hour a day. ÿ
No. I need very 10_ - about half an
Tick ÿ the best answers for you hour a day, or less. ÿ
then compare your answers with
4_
different friends. You'll 4 Chocolate how much do you eat a day?
-
_ ! I must try to stop. \~\
be surprised at how different your 11

answers are! A bit, but not much. I don't eat 12 f~]

*14 O 2.4 Read the questionnaire again. Listen to two people talking about their answers.
Write F for Frank and Á for Alison.
ÿ Who needs a lot of friends? f 2 Who needs a lot of time on his/her own every day?
1 Who doesn't need much sleep? _ 3 Who eats some chocolate every day? _

Tick ÿ your own answers to the questionnaire. Then talk about your answers in small groups.

H-ow friends do you vÿeed?

A couple of good fríe*-ds, Is ewugh for m.e. r Self-evaluation Rate your progress. |
a Lot! CJ. ÿ U Cj. u CJ-
Really? I vÿttd vÿore \toa*,so. More thaiÿso\ That's
1
Write about the city, town or village where 2
you live. Do you have enough of these things, 3
too much, or too many? Add your own ideas. 4
5
shops markets pollution buses parks
6
cinemas tourists parking spaces trees flowers
7
8
9
My TOWN
"There are tots of good thuÿs about towcv. 10
we have a Lot of different shops avÿd a couple of 11
excellent m,arteets, too. i can/t say that we have 12
a Lot of greeÿ s-paces because we doÿ't get \M.uch 13
raí*, here, but there are several i<vlce -partes where 14
people cai/v relax. 15
16

Unit 2 15