How much? How many? | What is the difference? | Learn English Grammar | ESOL lesson

Summary

This video explains the difference between 'HOW MUCH' and 'HOW MANY.' 'HOW MUCH' is used with uncountable nouns (e.g., time, sugar, money), while 'HOW MANY' is for plural countable nouns (e.g., people, books, countries). It also covers exceptions where 'HOW MUCH' can be used for prices (e.g., 'How much is this book?'). The video demonstrates how the noun is sometimes omitted when it's clear from context (e.g., 'How much would you like?' for cheese). Viewers are encouraged to practice and provide examples in the comments.

Takeaways

• 😀 HOW MUCH is used with uncountable nouns, such as time, sugar, and money.
• 😀 HOW MANY is used with plural countable nouns, like people, cousins, and books.
• 😀 HOW MUCH can be used with countable nouns when asking about prices, e.g., 'How much is this book?'
• 😀 In certain contexts, the noun can be omitted when it is clear what is being referred to, e.g., 'How much would you like?'
• 😀 HOW MANY is used when referring to countable items, like plates or days.
• 😀 HOW MUCH is used for uncountable items like rice or milk.
• 😀 The structure 'How much' is often used to inquire about the quantity or cost of something.
• 😀 'How much work do you have?' and 'How many countries have you visited?' are examples of using HOW MUCH and HOW MANY.
• 😀 The video encourages viewers to practice using 'How much' and 'How many' in different questions.
• 😀 The script mentions a related video about other uses of 'much' and 'many' for further learning.

Q & A

What is the main difference between 'How much' and 'How many'?

'How much' is used with uncountable nouns, whereas 'How many' is used with countable nouns.

Can 'How much' be used with countable nouns?

Yes, 'How much' can be used with countable nouns when asking about their price, such as 'How much is this book?' or 'How much are these shoes?'

What are some examples of uncountable nouns used with 'How much'?

Examples include 'How much time do we have?', 'How much sugar would you like?', and 'How much money did you spend?'

When should 'How many' be used?

'How many' should be used when referring to plural countable nouns, such as 'How many people are invited?' or 'How many books did you buy?'

Why is the noun often dropped in 'How much' questions?

The noun is dropped in 'How much' questions when it is clear from context what is being referred to, making the question more concise, e.g., 'How much would you like?' (implied: cheese).

What kind of noun is used with 'How much' for asking about quantity?

'How much' is used for uncountable nouns when asking about quantity, such as 'How much milk is in the fridge?' or 'How much food did you eat?'

How can 'How much' be used to refer to price?

When asking about the price of something, 'How much' can be used with both singular and plural countable nouns, like 'How much is this book?' or 'How much are these shoes?'

Give an example where 'How many' is used to refer to a countable noun.

An example would be 'How many days were you there?' where 'days' is a countable noun.

What should you do if you want to practice the difference between 'How much' and 'How many'?

You should pause the video and complete the exercise questions, then resume the video to check your answers.

What additional resource is suggested for further learning?

A video about other uses of 'much' and 'many' is recommended for further learning.