Ch 7 · Lesson 10English · Chapter 7 · Lesson 10 · Grammar primer
A few or few? No or none?
A few friends is good news, few friends is bad news. A little with things you cannot count. And no before a noun, none on its own.
The short version
A few is good news, few is bad news
.
Why?Hide
A few and a little mean some, a small amount, and they feel good. Take away the a and the meaning becomes almost none. A few goes with nouns you can count, a little with nouns you cannot.
A few or few? A little or little?
A few goes with nouns you can count, a little with nouns you cannot. Both mean some, a small amount, and both feel good:
.(I am not alone.).(I can buy a coffee.)
Take away the a and the meaning changes: almost none, and it feels bad.
- no friendszero
- few friendsalmost none: sad
- a few friendssome: good
- a lot of friends
| Feels good | Almost none: bad |
|---|---|
| |
| |
Few and little alone sound a little formal. In speech, people often
say not many and not much: .
No and none
No means zero, and it goes in front of a noun. None stands alone.
The full bowl: there is a lot of food. The empty bowl: there is no food. How much is left? None.
| Word | Example |
|---|---|
. | |
? . | |
. |
Do not put not and no together: .
or ., never I don't have no money in
standard English.
Going further: Count it or not? and the rest of the guide, when you want them. This lesson does not need them.
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