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(A) Few vs (A) Little
Former-TeacherDate: Friday, 21.01.2011, 09:40 | Message # 1
Dean
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Dear Netters! No matter how long some of you have been studying English, there is always somebody who misuses these words. I will try to explain and illustrate with examples who we should use these words. First of all, we must understand that in our case they are all adverbs of quantity. 'Little' is also used as an adjective 'маленький/небольшой/невзрослый'.
As adverbs of quantity they are used in the following way:
1) (a) few - with countable nouns
2) (a) little - with uncountable nouns
3) 'a few' means 'достаточное количество', 'несколько', it is good and you can do what you planned, e.g.:
'I have got a few good web sites where we can find the necessary information.'
'У меня несколько (достаточное количество) хороших сайтов,где мы сможет найти необходимую информацию'

4) 'few'means 'недостаочное количество', 'мало', it is bad and you can't do what you planned, e.g.:
'I have got few good web sites, so it is not that easy to find the necessary information.'
'У меня мало (недостаточное количество) хороших веб сайтов, поэтому не так просто найти необходимую информацию.'

5) You can intensify the last example by adding 'very', e.g.:
'I've got very few good web sites....
Remember: DO NOT USE the article 'A' in this case.
6) 'A little'means 'достаточное количество', 'немного'with the uncountable nouns, and it is enough to do what you planned or want, e.g.:
'Let's go to the cinema, I've got a little money.'
'Пошли в кино. У меня есть немного (достаточное количество) денег'.

7) 'Little'means 'недостаточное количество', 'мало', so you can't do what you planned or want, e.g.:
'Don't let's go to the cinema. I've got little money.'
'Давай не пойдем в кино. У меня мало (недостаточное количество) денег.'

8) You can intensify the last example by adding 'very', e.g.:
'.....I've got very little money.'
Remember: NEVER USE THE ARTICLE 'A' in this case.
 
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