Grammar: A2 - ✨ Grammar Essentials: 🧩 Parts of Speech - Expanding - Lesson 4: Quantifiers with Uncountable Nouns (much, a little, a bit of)

✨ Lesson 4: Quantifiers with Uncountable Nouns (much, a little, a bit of)

In our last lesson, we learned to use quantifiers like 'many' and 'a few' with countable nouns. Today, we will learn the special quantifiers¹ we use for uncountable nouns² like water, rice, time, and money.

Quantifiers for Uncountable Nouns

Let's look at some common quantifiers, from a large amount to a small amount.

much (a large amount)

This is a tricky word! We almost always use much in questions and negative statements.

• Do you have much homework?
• I don't have much time before the bus leaves.
• There isn't much sugar in my coffee.

What about positive statements?
For a large amount in a positive statement³, we use a lot of instead of 'much'.

• Correct: I have a lot of work to do.
• Incorrect: I have much work to do.

a little (a small amount)

• I speak a little French.
• There is a little rain today in Kampot.
• Please add just a little salt.

a bit of (a small amount)

This phrase is very common in spoken English and means the same as 'a little'.

• I need a bit of help.
• There is a bit of traffic this morning.

🧠 Practice Quiz: Choose the Correct Quantifier

Choose the best quantifier to complete the sentences.

1. I am very busy. I have _________ work to do. (much / a lot of)
2. Do you have _________ money with you? (much / a lot of)
3. The soup needs _________ salt. (a few / a little)
4. I don't have _________ information about the new hotel. (much / a lot of)
5. I can't help you now, but I have _________ free time this evening. (a few / a bit of)

📝 Homework: Write About Your Day

Write three sentences using the quantifiers you learned today.

Example: I don't have much free time today. I need to get a little information online. I will drink a lot of water because it is hot.

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1: ___________________________________

2: ___________________________________

3: ___________________________________

Vocabulary Glossary

1. Quantifier: (Noun) - អ្នកកំណត់បរិមាណ (neak kâm'nât bâ'rĭ'maan) - A word that goes before a noun to express its quantity or amount. ↩
2. Uncountable Noun: (Noun) - នាមរាប់មិនបាន (niam roăp' mĭn ban) - A noun for something that cannot be counted with numbers (e.g., water, rice). ↩
3. Positive Statement: (Phrase) - ប្រយោគស្រប (brâyoŭk srŏb) - A sentence that says something is true, not a question or negative. ↩