Practice
Few or little: choosing a quantity word
A shop may have few chairs but little space. The two sentences describe a small quantity, yet chairs are countable and space is not. That difference decides the word.
Choose few or little by deciding whether the noun can be counted, then use a few and a little for a small but useful amount.
Read and practice
Read the examples and try the written questions in this guide. Listening recordings are not available for this lesson yet.
Try the written questions
We have a little time before the train leaves. /wi hæv ə ˈlɪtəl taɪm bɪˈfɔr ðə treɪn livz/
The short answer
Use few with plural things you can count: few emails. Use little with things you measure rather than count one by one: little time. Use a few or a little when you mean a small amount that is available.
We have a few seats near the window.
Why it works: Seats can be counted. A few says that some seats are available.
5 more examples
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Few students stayed after the meeting.
Students are separate people that we can count. Few suggests that the number was smaller than expected.
Not this:
Little timeremained after the meeting. What changes: Time is treated as an amount, so little is the natural choice. -
A few messages arrived this morning.
Messages are countable. A few means that some messages arrived.
Not this:
A little rainfell before sunrise. What changes: Rain is an uncountable amount here, so it takes a little. -
There are few clean cups in the kitchen.
Cups are countable. The sentence warns that the number of clean cups is low.
Not this:There is
little coffeein the kitchen. What changes: Coffee is an uncountable noun when it means the drink as an amount. -
She has a little experience with customer calls.
Experience is uncountable in this meaning. A little says that she has some experience.
Not this:She has
a few useful contactsin that field. What changes: Contacts are individual people, so they are countable. -
Few answers were correct on the first try.
Answers are countable items. Few says that the result was disappointing or limited.
Not this:
A little helpmade the task easier. What changes: Help is uncountable here. A little means that some help was enough to make a difference.
Read the full guide
First, look at the noun after the quantity word. Can you count it as one item, two items, and three items? If yes, use few with its plural form. If you normally measure it as an amount, use little.
Count the noun first
The noun tells you whether to use few or little. Countable nouns have separate units, such as tickets or ideas. Uncountable nouns name an amount, such as water or luck.
Few tickets were left for the evening show.
Tickets can be counted one by one, so the plural noun takes few.
Can you count tickets as separate items?
Yes. Tickets are countable, so use few tickets.
Use few with plural countable nouns
Use few before a plural countable noun when the number is small. Few often carries a negative feeling because it suggests that there are not enough items.
Few buses run after midnight.
Buses are separate countable vehicles. The plural noun buses follows few.
Choose the word: There are ___ parking spaces near the building.
Use few: There are few parking spaces near the building.
Use little with uncountable nouns
Use little before an uncountable noun when the amount is small. You can measure water, money, or information, but you do not usually count them as separate units without adding a countable container or unit.
Little information appeared in the announcement.
Information is an uncountable noun, so little information is correct.
Complete the sentence: We have ___ patience for another delay.
Use little: We have little patience for another delay.
Add a for some available quantity
A few and a little still mean a small amount, but they usually point to something that is available. This difference can change the practical message of a sentence.
I have a few minutes before my next call.
The speaker has some minutes available. Without a, few minutes would stress that the available time is almost none.
Which phrase says that some milk is available: little milk or a little milk?
Use a little milk. It means that there is some milk available.
Avoid singular nouns after few
Few needs a plural countable noun. Do not write few suggestion or few chair. Use few suggestions or few chairs. Little does not need a plural ending because its noun is uncountable.
A few suggestions improved the plan.
Suggestions is plural and countable. The sentence cannot use few suggestion.
Correct the phrase: few advice.
Use little advice because advice is uncountable. You can also say a few pieces of advice.
Before you go
Remember this
Use few with plural countable nouns and little with uncountable nouns. Add a when you want to say that some amount is available. Before choosing, ask whether the noun is a group of countable items or an amount.
Practice with the written examples
You can practice with the written questions in the Learn tab. Each answer includes an explanation.
Try the written questionsListening test not available yet
This lesson does not have the recordings needed for a listening test. Use the written questions in the guide to check your understanding.
Try the written questionsQuestions about "Few or little: choosing a quantity word"
What is the difference between few and little?
Use few with plural countable nouns, such as students, cups, and messages. Use little with uncountable nouns, such as time, coffee, and information. Both words describe a small quantity, but the noun type decides which one is correct.
Few students stayed after the meeting.
When should I use a few instead of few?
Use a few when you mean that some countable items are available. A few messages arrived means that some messages arrived. Few messages arrived usually stresses that the number was low or disappointing. The article a changes the usual tone of the sentence.
Little time remained after the meeting.
When should I use a little instead of little?
Use a little when you mean that some uncountable amount is available. A little rain fell before sunrise means that there was some rain. Little rain fell before sunrise stresses that the amount of rain was very small.
A few messages arrived this morning.
Can I use few with a singular noun?
No. Few takes a plural countable noun, so write few chairs or a few suggestions. Do not write few chair or few suggestion. For an uncountable noun, use little, as in little advice, or name a countable unit, as in a few pieces of advice.
A little rain fell before sunrise.
Why is advice used with little and not few?
Advice is uncountable in ordinary English, so use little advice or a little advice. If you need to count separate suggestions, add a countable unit: a few pieces of advice. The unit pieces is countable, while advice by itself is not.
There are few clean cups in the kitchen.