Much vs Many at a glance
- much
/mʌtʃ/ · determiner / pronoun
A large amount of something you can't count.
- We don't have much time left.
- How much money do you need?
- many
/ˈmeni/ · determiner / pronoun
A large number of things or people you can count.
- There aren't many shops in my village.
- How many people are coming?
How to remember it
How many? You can count them. How much? You measure it.
Good to know
Much and many are most common in questions and negatives. In positive sentences, "a lot of" sounds more natural: "I have a lot of work" rather than "I have much work". After so, too and as, both are fine in positives: "too much noise", "so many people".
Common mistakes
Wrong: How much brothers do you have?
Right: How many brothers do you have?
Wrong: I don't have many money.
Right: I don't have much money.
Quick quiz
1.How sugar do you take in your tea?
2.There weren't cars on the road this morning.
3.I didn't get sleep last night.
Pick the right word for each gap.