Intermediate determiners. 45 questions on many/much/few/little/several and correct quantifier choice with countable and uncountable nouns.
What this test covers
- Many & Much
- Few & Little
- Several, Each & Every
Answer the 45 questions below. Each answer is checked straight away, with an explanation. Press Submit at the end to get your score and save it to your dashboard. Answers are not kept if you leave before submitting.
All 45 questions with answers
Pick an answer for each question to see if you are right, with the explanation. Submit when you are done; you can submit before answering them all.
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Q1She doesn't have ___ friends in the new city yet.
Answer: D. many
Friends is a plural countable noun. In negative sentences, many is the standard quantifier for countables. Much and little are only used with uncountable nouns.
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Q2There isn't ___ information available about the incident.
Answer: A. much
Information is an uncountable noun. Much is used with uncountable nouns in negative sentences. Many and few require plural countable nouns.
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Q3How ___ students are enrolled in the programme?
Answer: A. many
Students is a plural countable noun. For questions about quantity, use many with countable nouns and much with uncountable nouns.
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Q4How ___ time do we have before the deadline?
Answer: D. much
Time is an uncountable noun. In questions, use much for mass or uncountable quantities. Many is only for plural countable nouns.
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Q5There were ___ complaints about the new system in the first week.
Answer: C. many
Complaints is a plural countable noun. Many is used for countables, whereas much and a great deal of are used for uncountable nouns like effort or time.
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Q6She spent ___ effort trying to resolve the misunderstanding.
Answer: B. a great deal of
Effort is an uncountable noun. A great deal of is a formal quantifier for mass nouns. Many, several, and few are only used with plural countable nouns.
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Q7He has made ___ progress since he started the course.
Answer: B. a lot of
Progress is uncountable. A lot of is a common quantifier used in positive sentences for both countable and uncountable nouns. Several and many are for countables only.
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Q8I have ___ cash on me, so I can pay for lunch.
Answer: D. a lot of
Cash is uncountable. A lot of works well in positive sentences. Few and many are for countable nouns, and little would imply the speaker does not have enough to pay.
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Q9___ people attended the event — far more than expected.
Answer: D. Many
People is a plural countable noun. Many is the correct quantifier here. A great deal of and much are reserved for uncountable nouns.
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Q10He doesn't have ___ experience in project management.
Answer: A. much
Experience is an uncountable noun. Much is used for uncountable nouns in negative sentences. Many, few, and several require plural countable nouns.
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Q11She has ___ friends in the city and often feels lonely.
Answer: C. few
Friends is countable. Few (without 'a') has a negative meaning, implying 'hardly any.' The clue 'feels lonely' confirms that the number of friends is disappointingly small.
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Q12She has ___ friends here — enough to keep her social life active.
Answer: D. a few
A few means 'some' and has a positive implication for countable nouns. The clue 'enough to keep her social life active' shows that the amount is sufficient.
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Q13He has ___ money left — he can just about afford the bus fare.
Answer: B. a little
Money is uncountable. A little means 'some' (a small but sufficient amount). The clue 'can just about afford' indicates he has enough for the fare.
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Q14He has ___ money saved and is struggling to pay his bills.
Answer: A. little
Little (without 'a') has a negative meaning, implying 'hardly any.' The clue 'struggling to pay' shows the amount of money is insufficient. Few is only for countable nouns.
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Q15There were ___ seats left, so we managed to find a place to sit.
Answer: D. a few
Seats is a plural countable noun. A few means 'some,' indicating a sufficient number. The clue 'managed to find a place' confirms the positive meaning.
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Q16Could I borrow ___ minutes of your time to discuss this?
Answer: B. a few
Minutes is a countable noun. A few means 'some' or a small number. Little and a little are used for uncountable nouns like time.
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Q17He paid ___ attention to the instructions and made several mistakes.
Answer: C. little
Attention is uncountable. Little (without 'a') means 'not much' or 'hardly any.' The clue 'made several mistakes' shows the lack of attention was a negative factor.
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Q18I have ___ concerns about the plan, but overall it looks good.
Answer: C. a few
Concerns is a plural countable noun. A few means 'some' (a small number), which fits the positive tone of 'overall it looks good.' Little and a little are for uncountables.
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Q19___ people believed her story — almost no one was convinced.
Answer: C. Few
Few (without 'a') indicates a very small number with a negative implication. The clue 'almost no one was convinced' matches this meaning. People is a countable noun.
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Q20___ people agreed with her, which was enough to pass the vote.
Answer: A. A few
A few is used with countable nouns to mean 'some.' The clue 'enough to pass the vote' suggests a positive, sufficient amount. Much and little are used with uncountable nouns.
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Q21___ of the students in the class was given a different assignment.
Answer: C. Each
Each of is used with a plural noun but requires a singular verb (was). Many, several, and all are followed by plural verbs (were).
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Q22___ student must submit their work by 5 p.m. on Friday.
Answer: C. Every
Student is a singular countable noun. Every is used with singular nouns to refer to all members of a group. Several, many, and all require plural nouns (students).
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Q23There were ___ reasons for the project's failure.
Answer: C. several
Reasons is a plural countable noun. Several means 'more than two but not many.' Every and each must be followed by a singular noun.
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Q24She checked ___ page of the document before signing it.
Answer: D. each
Page is a singular countable noun. Each is used to refer to individual items in a group. All, several, and many require plural nouns.
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Q25___ of the candidates was interviewed individually.
Answer: C. Each
Each of takes a plural noun but a singular verb (was). Every cannot be used directly with of; it would need to be 'every one of.' Several and all require plural verbs.
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Q26She visits her grandmother ___ Sunday without fail.
Answer: B. every
Sunday is a singular countable noun here. Every is used to show how often something happens (regular intervals). Several and many would require the plural Sundays.
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Q27___ of them is responsible for his or her own assigned task.
Answer: D. Each
Each of takes a plural pronoun (them) but a singular verb (is). All, several, and many would require the plural verb 'are.'
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Q28___ attempts failed, but he refused to give up.
Answer: A. Several
Attempts is plural. Several means a few or some. Every and each require singular nouns. Many of would require a determiner like 'the' (many of the attempts).
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Q29The manager spoke to ___ employee individually about their performance.
Answer: C. each
Employee is a singular countable noun. Each emphasizes individual members of a group. Many, all, and several are followed by plural nouns.
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Q30She sends ___ one of her friends a card on their birthday.
Answer: C. each
Each one of is a common set phrase used to emphasize every individual in a group. Several requires a plural, and much is used for uncountables.
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Q31There are ___ students in the class this year than last year.
Answer: A. fewer
Students is a plural countable noun. Fewer is the comparative form for countable nouns. Less is traditionally used for uncountable nouns.
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Q32She has spent ___ time on social media since she started meditating.
Answer: C. less
Time is uncountable. Less is the comparative form for uncountable nouns. Fewer is reserved for plural countable nouns.
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Q33A large ___ of students passed the final examination.
Answer: C. number
Number is used with plural countable nouns like students. Amount and deal are used with uncountable nouns.
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Q34A large ___ of water is needed to produce one kilogram of beef.
Answer: A. amount
Water is uncountable. Amount is the correct noun for uncountable quantities. Number is only used for countable items.
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Q35She earns ___ than her colleague despite having more experience.
Answer: A. less
Less is the comparative for uncountable quantities like money or earnings. Fewer is used for plural countable nouns.
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Q36He made ___ mistakes this time than he did on the first attempt.
Answer: C. fewer
Mistakes is a plural countable noun. Fewer is the grammatically correct comparative for countable items. Less is for uncountables.
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Q37___ of the money was recovered after the fraud was discovered.
Answer: B. Some
Money is uncountable. Some can be used with both countable and uncountable nouns to refer to an unspecified quantity. Several, few, and many only work with plural countable nouns, so they cannot modify 'money.'
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Q38Unfortunately, ___ of the money was recovered after the fraud was discovered.
Answer: A. Little
Money is uncountable. Little (without 'a') means 'hardly any.' The word 'unfortunately' provides the negative context needed to choose little over some. Few is for countables.
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Q39He showed very ___ interest in the proposal.
Answer: C. little
Interest is uncountable. Little means 'hardly any.' Many and few are only for plural countable nouns. While much is possible in negatives, little is more common after very in affirmative sentences.
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Q40She has very ___ problems getting along with people.
Answer: D. few
Problems is a plural countable noun. Few means 'not many.' Much, little, and less are used with uncountable nouns.
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Q41I need ___ more information before I can make a decision.
Answer: D. a little
Information is uncountable. A little more is used for mass nouns. A few and few are only used with plural countable nouns.
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Q42She asked ___ more questions at the end of the lecture.
Answer: D. a few
Questions is a plural countable noun. A few more is the correct phrase for countables. Little and a little are for uncountable nouns.
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Q43There is ___ evidence to support that claim.
Answer: D. little
Evidence is uncountable. 'Little' (without 'a') means 'hardly any,' which fits the skeptical context of the sentence. 'Few,' 'a few,' and 'fewer' are used exclusively with plural countable nouns and are therefore grammatically incorrect with the uncountable noun 'evidence'.
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Q44She found ___ errors in the report — just enough to flag.
Answer: B. a few
Errors is a plural countable noun. A few means 'some' (a positive number). The clue 'enough to flag' suggests a sufficient number of errors was found.
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Q45He took ___ sips of water and then continued speaking.
Answer: A. a few
Sips is a plural countable noun. A few means 'some' (a small number). Little and a little are only used with uncountable nouns.
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