Exercise : Quantity Terms with Count and Noncount Nouns
In the following sentences, substitute one of these expressions for the underlined words:
* little
* quite a little or quite a bit of
* few
* quite a few
To clarify, little means "not much," but quite a little (or quite a bit of) means "a rather large amount." Few means "not many," but quite a few means "a rather large number."
1. A rather large number of students have trouble with economics
2. It requires a rather large amount of reading.
3. Not many advisors spend as much time with their students.
4. He hasn't much hope of passing his exams.
5. George's advisor spends a rather large amount of time with him.
6. He doesn't know many people in the class.
7. Bill doesn't spend much money on clothes.
8. She spends a rather large amount of money on CDs.
9. He doesn't have many suits.
10. He doesn't understand much of the reading.
Answer: Quantity Terms with Count and Noncount Nouns
1. Quite a few students have trouble with economics.
2. It requires quite a little or quite a bit of* reading.
3. Few advisors spend as much time with their students.
4. He has little hope of passing his exams.
5. George's advisor spends quite a little or quite a bit of time with him.
6. He knows few people in the class.
7. Bill spends little money on clothes.
8. She spends quite a little or quite a bit of money on CDs.
9. He has few suits.
10. He understands little of the reading.
* Notice that in quite a little the of is deleted, but in quite a bit of the of remains in the phrase.
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