Quantitative Adjectives
Learn quantitative adjectives in English and use them to describe how much and how many with confidence.
Quantitative adjectives show how much or how many of something there is. They come before nouns. They help you talk about exact amounts or not exact amounts.
Some quantity words go with countable nouns. Countable nouns are things you can count as one, two, three, and more. Use these words before plural countable nouns.
| Word or Phrase | Definition |
|---|---|
| many | It shows a large number of countable things 🔢. |
| a few | It shows a small number of countable things 🙂. |
| few | It shows a very small number of countable things ⚠️. |
| several | It shows more than a few countable things 📚. |
Some quantity words go with uncountable nouns. Uncountable nouns are things you do not count as separate items. Use these words before uncountable nouns.
| Word or Phrase | Definition |
|---|---|
| much | It shows a large amount of something uncountable 💧. |
| a little | It shows a small amount of something uncountable 🙂. |
| little | It shows a very small amount of something uncountable ⚠️. |
| less | It shows a smaller amount of something uncountable 📉. |
Some quantity words work with both countable and uncountable nouns. These words help you talk about exact amounts or not exact amounts. They still come before the noun.
| Word or Phrase | Definition |
|---|---|
| some | It shows an amount or number that is not exact ✨. |
| any | It is common in questions and negatives for an amount or number ❓. |
| enough | It shows the amount or number is as much as needed ✅. |
| a lot of | It shows a large amount or number 📦. |
| lots of | It shows a large amount or number 📚. |
English uses different quantitative adjectives for large and small amounts. Choose the word from the noun type first, then choose the size of the amount. For countable nouns, use words like many, a few, and few. For uncountable nouns, use words like much, a little, and little.
| Rule |
|---|
| Use many for a large number of countable nouns 🔢. |
| Use much for a large amount of uncountable nouns 💧. |
| Use a few and a little for small amounts that still exist 🙂. |
| Use few and little for very small amounts ⚠️. |
Some quantitative adjectives are common in questions and negative sentences. Any is often used when you ask about an amount or number and when you say the amount or number is zero. Much and many are also common in questions and negatives.
| Rule |
|---|
| Use any before countable or uncountable nouns in many questions ❓. |
| Use any before countable or uncountable nouns in negative sentences 🚫. |
| Use many in questions and negatives with countable nouns 🔢. |
| Use much in questions and negatives with uncountable nouns 💧. |
Some quantitative adjectives show an exact number or amount. They give clear information before the noun. These words are useful when the quantity is specific.
| Word or Phrase | Definition |
|---|---|
| one | It shows the exact number 1️⃣. |
| two | It shows the exact number 2️⃣. |
| three | It shows the exact number 3️⃣. |
| double | It shows two times the amount or number ✖️. |
Quantitative adjectives usually come before the noun in English. They stay close to the noun they describe. This position shows the amount or number clearly.
| Rule |
|---|
| Place the quantitative adjective before the noun 📝. |
| Keep the quantity word next to the noun it describes 📍. |
| Use the quantity word before plural countable nouns or uncountable nouns, based on the word type 🔎. |
You can now choose quantitative adjectives for countable nouns, uncountable nouns, and both types. You can show large amounts, small amounts, exact amounts, and not exact amounts. You can also place these words before nouns and use them in questions and negatives.