Level Five

Lesson 61
small amounts:
a few / a little / few / little

To talk about small amounts, you can use the words “a few” or “a little.” The choice depends on the noun you are describing, whether it’s a count noun or a noncount noun.  

  • I’m having a few problems with this assignment. (The word “problems” is a count noun.) 
  • I’m having a little trouble with this assignment. (The word “trouble” is a noncount noun.)  
  • Sarah needs a few red peppers for this recipe. (The word “peppers” is a count noun.) 
  • Sarah needs a little garlic for this recipe. (The word “garlic” is a noncount noun.) 

It’s also possible to drop the article before either word and use only few or little: She has few choices. / She has little information. These sentences also indicate small amounts, but the meaning changes when compared to a few or a little. We will explore these differences at the end of the lesson. When you are ready to take a quiz, here it is:

Quiz #61 – a few _ few _ a little _ little

Aerial view of a sparse food court in a shopping mall with few people present, showcasing empty tables.

There are very few people at this food court. 

Quite a few tables are empty. 

We have a little time to eat lunch here. 

I usually have little time to go out for lunch. 

61a. a few = three or four

The general meaning for a few is three or four. It’s not a definite amount.  Use “a few” with count nouns. 

  • The student asked the teacher a few questions during class. 
  • We will need a few extra people to carry these boxes. 
  • It took a few hours to do the assignment. 
  • Please pick up a few loaves of bread when you go to the store. 
  • This is going to cost a few hundred dollars to fix. 
  • I have a few concerns about this student. (This sounds like the student is causing problems or is experiencing academic difficulty.) 

By adding the word “quite” to “a few,” the meaning changes to a large amount: 

  • There were quite a few people at the concert. (a large number of people) 
  • Quite a few accidents happened this morning because of ice on the roads. (a large number of accidents) 
Man Cooking Food
  • He has a few things to take care of at work today. (There are three or four things he has to do at work today.)  
From below of diverse young people in casual clothes sitting on grass and talking
  • He has a few friends on campus. (There are three or four people he hangs out with.) 

61b. few = not many

Use “few” with a count noun to indicate a very small amount. The amount is small due to some kind of comparison to whatever is typical or normal. 

  • Few students showed up for school today. (The number was small compared to the 25 or 30 students that normally show up.) 
  • I have very few concerns about this student. (I’m not worried about this person.) 
  • There are very few people qualified to do this kind of work. (The number of qualified people is very small, but it could amount to ten or twenty people our of a large population.) 
  • Few TV shows make me laugh as much as Seinfeld does. (This TV show is very good at making me laugh when compared to other sitcoms or programs on TV.) 
Focused young professional working on a laptop outdoors, sitting on steps.
  • There are few people who can do what he does because he’s a specialist. (There aren’t many people who have his qualifications.) 
Pensive young Muslim female student touching head while using laptop during exam preparation in campus
  • She has few friends on campus because she’s new to the school.  (She doesn’t know many people yet.) 

61c. a few vs. few

Look at the differences in meaning between a few and few: 

  • I have a few questions. (three to four questions) 
  • I have few questions. (I don’t have very many questions to ask.) 
  • There are a few people in the room. (three to four) 
  • There are few people in the room.  (There’s a very small number of people, but it could be much higher than three or four.) 
  • A few suppliers have what we need. (three to four) 
  • Few suppliers have what we need. (There aren’t many suppliers who can help us.)

a few / few

61d. a little = some

You may use “a little” before noncount nouns and adjectives when talking about small amounts or small degrees of quality. 

  • I’ve had a little trouble with my plumbing lately. (The word “trouble” is a noncount noun.) 
  • Use a little oil on the bottom of the pan. (The word “oil” is a noncount noun.) 
  • These chips are a little stale. (The word “stale” is an adjective meaning not crisp.) 
  • I’m going to be a little late this morning. 
  • That’s a little too expensive. 
  • He complains a little too much. 
  • They have just a little bit of money left at the end of the month. (a little bit = a small amount) 
Close-up of a freshly cut loaf of bread on a wooden cutting board with a knife beside it.
  • John ate a little bread before leaving for work this morning. (The word “bread” is a noncount noun.) 
A dramatic stormy sky with dark clouds over an empty road. Nature's power captured at its peak.
  • The skies are getting a little dark. (In this sentence, “a little” modifies an adjective, “dark.”)  

61e. little = not much

Use “little” before a noncount noun to indicate a small amount. Notice in these examples there is no article (a, an). 

  • They have little money. 
  • I have little patience for people who are rude. 
  • You have very little time to finish your assignment. 
  • There’s little milk left in the refrigerator. We need to get more. 
  • The students have shown little interest in this book. 
  • The light in the room is too little to see anything. 
  • In the early morning, there’s little traffic on the streets. 
briefcase, businessman, clock-2931442.jpg
  • He has little time to get work today. He’ll probably be late. 
  • I had very little trouble in getting people to jump onto my bike. 

61f. a little vs. little

Look at the differences in meaning behind “a little” and “little.” 

  • I have a little time to eat breakfast. (I have some time.) 
  • I have little time to eat breakfast. (I don’t really have time to eat breakfast.) 
  • She’s feeling a little pain in her back. (She has some pain.) 
  • She feels little pain in the back. (She doesn’t feel very much pain.)  

little / a little

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