A large amount / number
lot, lots, plenty, agreat deal, a largeamount, a largenumber, the majority
introduction; use of of
These expressions have similarmeanings to the determinersmuch, many and most, but thegrammar is not quite the same. In particular, of is used afterthese expressions even beforenouns with no determiner. Compare:–There’s not a lot of meat left. (NOT There’s not a lot meatleft.)There’s not much meat left. (NOT There’s not much of meatleft.)–Plenty of shops open onSunday mornings. (NOT Plentyshops …)Many shops open on Sundaymornings. (NOT Many of shops…)
For much, many and most with and without of, and otherdetails of their use.
a lot of and lots of
These are rather informal. In amore formal style, we prefer agreat deal of, a large number of, much or many. (Much and manyare used mostly in questionsand negative .)There is not much differencebetween a lot of and lots of: they are both used mainlybefore singular uncountable andplural nouns, and beforepronouns. It is the subject, andnot the form lot/lots, that makesa following verb singular orplural. So when a lot of is usedbefore a plural subject, the verbis plural; when lots of is usedbefore a singular subject, theverb is singular.
A lot of time is needed to learn alanguage.
Lots of patience is needed, too. (NOT Lots of patience areneeded, too.)
A lot of my friends want toemigrate. (NOT A lot of myfriends wants …)
Lots of us think it’s time for anelection.
plenty of
Plenty of is usually ratherinformal. It is used mostly beforesingular uncountables andplurals. It suggests ‘enough andmore’.
Don’t rush. There’s plenty oftime.
Plenty of shops take cheques.
a great deal of, a large amountof and a large number of
These are used in similar waysto a lot of and lots of, but aremore formal. A great deal of anda large amount of are generallyused with uncountable nouns.
Mr Lucas has spent a great dealof time in the Far East.
I’ve thrown out a large amountof old clothing.
A large number of is used beforeplurals, and a following verb isplural.
A large number of problems stillhave to be solved. (More naturalthan A large amount of problems… or A great deal of problems…)
the majority of
The majority of (= ‘most’ or‘most of’) is mostly used withplural nouns and verbs.
The majority of criminals arenon-violent.
measurement nouns
These expressions are notgenerally used before words forunits of measure, like pounds, years or miles. Other wordshave to be used.
It cost several pounds. (NOT Itcost a lot of pounds.)
They lived many miles from thetown. (NOT They lived plenty ofmiles from the town.)
use without following nouns
These expressions can be usedwithout nouns if the meaning isclear. In this case, of is not used.
How much did it cost? ~ A lot. (= A lot of money.)
We should be all right for cheese– I’ve bought plenty.
He does not often speak, butwhen he does he says a greatdeal.
use as adverbs
A lot and a great deal can beused as adverbs.
On holiday we walk and swim alot. (BUT NOT … we walk plentyOR … swim lots.)
The government seems tochange its mind a great deal.
most
most (= ‘the majority of’) without of
Most can mean ‘the majority of’. We do not use the before mostwith this meaning.
Most children like ice cream. (NOT The most children …)
We do not generally use of aftermost when there is no otherdeterminer (e.g. article orpossessive).
Most cheese is made from cow’smilk. (NOT Most of cheese …)
Most Swiss people understandFrench. (NOT Most of Swisspeople …)
However, most of is useddirectly before personal andgeographical names.
I’ve read most of Shakespeare.
The Romans conquered most ofEngland.
most of + determiner/pronoun
Before determiners (e.g. a, the, my, this) and pronouns, we usemost of.
Most of the people here knoweach other.
Most of my friends live abroad. (NOT Most my friends …)
Most of us thought he waswrong.
He’s eaten two pizzas and mostof a cold chicken.
most without a noun
We can drop a noun after most ifthe meaning is clear.
Some people had difficulty withthe lecture, but mostunderstood.
the most (= ‘more than anyother/others’) with nouns
In comparisons (when mostmeans ‘more than anyother/others’) it is normally usedwith the before nouns.
Susan found the mostblackberries.
The is sometimes dropped in aninformal style.
Who earns (the) most money inyour family?
(the) most as an adverb
(The) most can also be used asan adverb. The is often droppedin an informal style.
They all talk a lot, but your littlegirl talks (the) most.
The truth hurts most.
superlative adjectives andadverbs
(The) most is used to make thesuperlative forms of longeradjectives and most adverbs .
I wasn’t as clever as the others, but I was the most beautiful.
I work most efficiently in theearly morning.
most meaning ‘very’
Most can be used beforeadjectives to mean ‘very’ inevaluating expressions, especially in a formal style.
That is most kind of you.
Thank you for a most interestingafternoon.
The experience was mostdistressing.
mostly
Mostly means ‘in most (but notall) cases’. Compare:
Your little girl talks the most. (NOT … talks mostly.)
She mostly talks about herfriends.
much and many
the difference
Much is used with singular(uncountable) nouns; many isused with plurals.
I haven’t got much time.
I don’t know many of yourfriends.
much/many + noun: without of
We do not generally use of aftermuch/many when there is noother determiner (e.g. article orpossessive).
She didn’t eat much breakfast. (NOT … much of breakfast.)
There aren’t many large glassesleft. (NOT … many of largeglasses left.)
However, much of is useddirectly before personal andgeographical names.
I’ve seen too much of Howardrecently.
Not much of Denmark is hilly.
much/many of + determiner + noun
Before determiners (e.g. a, the, my, this) and pronouns, we usemuch of and many of.
You can’t see much of a countryin a week.
How much of the house do youwant to paint this year?
I won’t pass the exam: I’vemissed too many of my lessons.
How many of you are there?
much/many without a noun
We can drop a noun after muchor many, if the meaning is clear.
You haven’t eaten much.
Did you find any mushrooms? ~Not many.
Note that much and many areonly used like this when a nounhas been dropped.
There wasn’t much (food). BUTNOT The food wasn’t much.(Because you couldn’t say Thefood wasn’t much food.)
Many is not usually used aloneto mean ‘many people’.
Many people think it’s time for achange. (More natural thanMany think …)
not used in affirmative clauses
In an informal style, we usemuch and many mostly inquestions and negative clauses. In most affirmative clauses theyare unusual (especially much); other words and expressions areused instead.
How much money have you got?~ I’ve got plenty. (NOT I’ve gotmuch.)
He’s got lots of men friends, buthe doesn’t know many women. (More natural than He’s gotmany men friends …)
Did you buy any clothes? ~ Yes, lots. (NOT Yes, many.)
In a formal style, much andmany are more common inaffirmative clauses.
Much has been written aboutunemployment. In the opinion ofmany economists, …
Far and long (= a long time) arealso used mostly in questionsand negative clauses. See 200and 330.
after so, as, and too
So much/many, as much/manyand too much/many are quitenatural in affirmative clauses.
There was so much traffic that ittook me an hour to get home.
I play as much tennis as I can.
You make too many mistakes.
much as adverb
We can use much as an adverbin questions and negativeclauses.
Do you work much at weekends?
I don’t travel much these days.
We can also use much beforecomparative adjectives andadverbs, in affirmative clausesas well as questions andnegatives.
She’s much older than herbrother.
I don’t drive much faster thanyou.
Much can be used before someverbs expressing enjoyment, preference and similar ideas, inaffirmative clauses as well asquestions and negatives, especially in a formal style.
I much appreciate your help.
We much prefer the country tothe town.
I didn’t much enjoy the concert.
Very much can be used inaffirmative clauses as anadverb, but not usually before anoun. Compare:
I very much like your newhairstyle. (adverb)
Thank you very much. (adverb)
There’s a whole lot of watercoming under the door. (beforenoun)
(NOT There’s very much watercoming …)
introduction; use of of
These expressions have similarmeanings to the determinersmuch, many and most, but thegrammar is not quite the same. In particular, of is used afterthese expressions even beforenouns with no determiner. Compare:–There’s not a lot of meat left. (NOT There’s not a lot meatleft.)There’s not much meat left. (NOT There’s not much of meatleft.)–Plenty of shops open onSunday mornings. (NOT Plentyshops …)Many shops open on Sundaymornings. (NOT Many of shops…)
For much, many and most with and without of, and otherdetails of their use.
a lot of and lots of
These are rather informal. In amore formal style, we prefer agreat deal of, a large number of, much or many. (Much and manyare used mostly in questionsand negative .)There is not much differencebetween a lot of and lots of: they are both used mainlybefore singular uncountable andplural nouns, and beforepronouns. It is the subject, andnot the form lot/lots, that makesa following verb singular orplural. So when a lot of is usedbefore a plural subject, the verbis plural; when lots of is usedbefore a singular subject, theverb is singular.
A lot of time is needed to learn alanguage.
Lots of patience is needed, too. (NOT Lots of patience areneeded, too.)
A lot of my friends want toemigrate. (NOT A lot of myfriends wants …)
Lots of us think it’s time for anelection.
plenty of
Plenty of is usually ratherinformal. It is used mostly beforesingular uncountables andplurals. It suggests ‘enough andmore’.
Don’t rush. There’s plenty oftime.
Plenty of shops take cheques.
a great deal of, a large amountof and a large number of
These are used in similar waysto a lot of and lots of, but aremore formal. A great deal of anda large amount of are generallyused with uncountable nouns.
Mr Lucas has spent a great dealof time in the Far East.
I’ve thrown out a large amountof old clothing.
A large number of is used beforeplurals, and a following verb isplural.
A large number of problems stillhave to be solved. (More naturalthan A large amount of problems… or A great deal of problems…)
the majority of
The majority of (= ‘most’ or‘most of’) is mostly used withplural nouns and verbs.
The majority of criminals arenon-violent.
measurement nouns
These expressions are notgenerally used before words forunits of measure, like pounds, years or miles. Other wordshave to be used.
It cost several pounds. (NOT Itcost a lot of pounds.)
They lived many miles from thetown. (NOT They lived plenty ofmiles from the town.)
use without following nouns
These expressions can be usedwithout nouns if the meaning isclear. In this case, of is not used.
How much did it cost? ~ A lot. (= A lot of money.)
We should be all right for cheese– I’ve bought plenty.
He does not often speak, butwhen he does he says a greatdeal.
use as adverbs
A lot and a great deal can beused as adverbs.
On holiday we walk and swim alot. (BUT NOT … we walk plentyOR … swim lots.)
The government seems tochange its mind a great deal.
most
most (= ‘the majority of’) without of
Most can mean ‘the majority of’. We do not use the before mostwith this meaning.
Most children like ice cream. (NOT The most children …)
We do not generally use of aftermost when there is no otherdeterminer (e.g. article orpossessive).
Most cheese is made from cow’smilk. (NOT Most of cheese …)
Most Swiss people understandFrench. (NOT Most of Swisspeople …)
However, most of is useddirectly before personal andgeographical names.
I’ve read most of Shakespeare.
The Romans conquered most ofEngland.
most of + determiner/pronoun
Before determiners (e.g. a, the, my, this) and pronouns, we usemost of.
Most of the people here knoweach other.
Most of my friends live abroad. (NOT Most my friends …)
Most of us thought he waswrong.
He’s eaten two pizzas and mostof a cold chicken.
most without a noun
We can drop a noun after most ifthe meaning is clear.
Some people had difficulty withthe lecture, but mostunderstood.
the most (= ‘more than anyother/others’) with nouns
In comparisons (when mostmeans ‘more than anyother/others’) it is normally usedwith the before nouns.
Susan found the mostblackberries.
The is sometimes dropped in aninformal style.
Who earns (the) most money inyour family?
(the) most as an adverb
(The) most can also be used asan adverb. The is often droppedin an informal style.
They all talk a lot, but your littlegirl talks (the) most.
The truth hurts most.
superlative adjectives andadverbs
(The) most is used to make thesuperlative forms of longeradjectives and most adverbs .
I wasn’t as clever as the others, but I was the most beautiful.
I work most efficiently in theearly morning.
most meaning ‘very’
Most can be used beforeadjectives to mean ‘very’ inevaluating expressions, especially in a formal style.
That is most kind of you.
Thank you for a most interestingafternoon.
The experience was mostdistressing.
mostly
Mostly means ‘in most (but notall) cases’. Compare:
Your little girl talks the most. (NOT … talks mostly.)
She mostly talks about herfriends.
much and many
the difference
Much is used with singular(uncountable) nouns; many isused with plurals.
I haven’t got much time.
I don’t know many of yourfriends.
much/many + noun: without of
We do not generally use of aftermuch/many when there is noother determiner (e.g. article orpossessive).
She didn’t eat much breakfast. (NOT … much of breakfast.)
There aren’t many large glassesleft. (NOT … many of largeglasses left.)
However, much of is useddirectly before personal andgeographical names.
I’ve seen too much of Howardrecently.
Not much of Denmark is hilly.
much/many of + determiner + noun
Before determiners (e.g. a, the, my, this) and pronouns, we usemuch of and many of.
You can’t see much of a countryin a week.
How much of the house do youwant to paint this year?
I won’t pass the exam: I’vemissed too many of my lessons.
How many of you are there?
much/many without a noun
We can drop a noun after muchor many, if the meaning is clear.
You haven’t eaten much.
Did you find any mushrooms? ~Not many.
Note that much and many areonly used like this when a nounhas been dropped.
There wasn’t much (food). BUTNOT The food wasn’t much.(Because you couldn’t say Thefood wasn’t much food.)
Many is not usually used aloneto mean ‘many people’.
Many people think it’s time for achange. (More natural thanMany think …)
not used in affirmative clauses
In an informal style, we usemuch and many mostly inquestions and negative clauses. In most affirmative clauses theyare unusual (especially much); other words and expressions areused instead.
How much money have you got?~ I’ve got plenty. (NOT I’ve gotmuch.)
He’s got lots of men friends, buthe doesn’t know many women. (More natural than He’s gotmany men friends …)
Did you buy any clothes? ~ Yes, lots. (NOT Yes, many.)
In a formal style, much andmany are more common inaffirmative clauses.
Much has been written aboutunemployment. In the opinion ofmany economists, …
Far and long (= a long time) arealso used mostly in questionsand negative clauses. See 200and 330.
after so, as, and too
So much/many, as much/manyand too much/many are quitenatural in affirmative clauses.
There was so much traffic that ittook me an hour to get home.
I play as much tennis as I can.
You make too many mistakes.
much as adverb
We can use much as an adverbin questions and negativeclauses.
Do you work much at weekends?
I don’t travel much these days.
We can also use much beforecomparative adjectives andadverbs, in affirmative clausesas well as questions andnegatives.
She’s much older than herbrother.
I don’t drive much faster thanyou.
Much can be used before someverbs expressing enjoyment, preference and similar ideas, inaffirmative clauses as well asquestions and negatives, especially in a formal style.
I much appreciate your help.
We much prefer the country tothe town.
I didn’t much enjoy the concert.
Very much can be used inaffirmative clauses as anadverb, but not usually before anoun. Compare:
I very much like your newhairstyle. (adverb)
Thank you very much. (adverb)
There’s a whole lot of watercoming under the door. (beforenoun)
(NOT There’s very much watercoming …)
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