6. Quantifiers + Uncountable Nouns

Quantifiers used with uncountable nouns include less , least , and much .

Examples:

  • With less talk, we should be able to complete what we are doing by this evening.
  • Even the least  noise will make the neighbor's dog bark loudly.
  • There wasn’t much food left even when we arrived early.

Much

Quantifier much  is usually used in questions and negative statements.

Examples:

  • How much do you know about what you are doing?
  • I always don’t have much  money to keep in my big wallet. (Negative)

'Little' and 'a little'

Little  and a little  are expressions of quantity used before uncountable nouns. Little  has a negative meaning implying scarcely any is available  or almost none . A little  means a small amount.

Examples:

  • I got very little  sleep last night with those noises upstairs and downstairs.
  • I can’t get married as I have very little  money.
  • There is a little  cheese on your upper lip.
  • Why are you frying the big fish in a little olive oil?
    (Positive - small amount of olive oil but it looks like it's enough for frying.)

Quantity word + of: Uncountable Nouns

The  quantity word + of  include a bit of , a great deal of , and a large amount of .

Examples:

  • I have been watching the UFO until there’s a bit of pain in my eyes.
  • A great deal of  her work is massaging the back of patients.
  • The smuggled drugs were reported to have been sold for a large amount of  hard cash.