Местоимения many, few, a few, much, little, a little
Местоимения many – много и few – мало употребляются только как определения к исчисляемым существительным во множественном числе:
They have many friends in London. У них много друзей в Лондоне.
He has few friends. He is very lonely. У него мало друзей . Он очень
одинок.
There are many ways to solve Существует много способов
this problem. решения этой проблемы.
Местоимения much – много и little – мало употребляются с неисчисляемыми существительными (абстрактные понятия, вещества и т.д.):
There is little milk in the cup. В чашке мало молока.
We spend much time on this Мы тратим много времени
experiment. на этот эксперимент.
Do you have much money on you? У тебя с собой много денег?
I have very little time. У меня очень мало времени.
Сочетание a few означает несколько и употребляется только с исчисляемыми существительными, с неисчисляемыми существительными употребляется сочетание a little, которое означает немного:
Will you give me a little water? Не дадите ли вы мне немного воды?
I bought a few apples. Я купил немного (несколько) яблок.
Exercise 21. Составьте предложения, используя ( a ) little или ( a ) few.
Examples: Have you got any money with you? – Yes, I've got a little.
There are only a few people in the cinema. The film is rather boring.
1. I know ___ people in Moscow, but not many. 2. We've got ___ coffee left, but not much. 3. He wants to leave the job because earns ___ money. 4. I've got ___ homework to do tonight. We can go out and have some fun. 5. "Have we got any potatoes left? I'd like to cook a potato soup." – "Yes, we've got ___." 6. She's got ___ friends because she's very selfish. 7. Fortunately I had ___ time to spare. 8. I've got ___ books on gardening. 9. I've read ___ of her books.
Exercise 22. Заполните пропуски much, many, (a)little, (a)few.
1. Will it take … time to answer this letter? 2. We give the customers … catalogues of our products. 3. We had … time, so we couldn’t prepare the goods for shipping. 4. Your order will receive … attention. 5. I like it here. Let’s stay here … longer. 6. She wrote us … letters from abroad. 7. There was … sugar in the bowl, and we had to put … sugar there. 8. I know French … and I can help you with the translation of this text. 9. Thank you very …! 10. I want to say … words about my travelling. 11. Please, don’t ask me … questions. 12. How … money have you got? 13. We usually spend … money on advertising. 14. … in this work was too difficult for me. 15. There were … new orders and we spent … time executing them.
Exercise 23. Используйте much или many со следующими словами во множественном числе:
1. tea 6. information 11. shop
2. country 7. day 12. letter
3. river 8. food 13. person
4. snow 9. money 14. town
5. child 10. advice 15. rain
Exercise 24. Переведите на английский язык следующие пары слов:
Много товаров, немного хлеба, много воды, много дней, немного соли, много газет, много мела, мало снега, много лет, много картин, мало мебели, много сахара, мало денег, много лимонов, несколько игр, много мяса, много комнат, мало покупателей, много работы, много воздуха, мало времени, много машин, мало света, несколько журналов.
Exercise 25. Переведите на английский язык:
1. На счете есть немного денег. 2. В тетради осталось мало чистых страниц. 3. У вас много кофе? – Нет, очень мало. 4. Немногие из англичан говорят по-русски. 5. У них очень мало заказов. 6. У него очень мало времени для чтения корреспонденции. 7. У нас много заказов и мало товаров в запасе (in stock). 8. У меня есть немного времени вечером, чтобы закончить эту работу. 9. У нас много времени, чтобы подготовить товары к отправке. 10. Вашему заказу будет уделяться большое внимание.
В табл. 4 представлены все неопределенные местоимения.
Таблица 4
Таблица неопределенных и некоторых других местоимений
| Pronoun | Meaning | Example |
| singular | ||
| another | an additional or different person or thing | That ice-cream was good. Can I have another? |
| anybody anyone | no matter what person | Can anyone (anybody) answer this question? |
Продолжение табл. 4
| anything | no matter what thing | The doctor needs to know if you have eaten anything in the last two hours. |
| each | every one of two or more people or things, seen separately | Each has his own thoughts. |
| either | one or the other of two people or things | Do you want tea or coffee? / I don’t mind. Either is good for me. |
| enough | as much or as many as needed | Enough is enough. |
| everybody everyone | all people | We can start the meeting because everybody has arrived. |
| everything | all things | They have no house or possessions. They lost everything in the earthquake. |
| less | a smaller amount | "Less is more" (Mies van der Rohe) |
| little | a small amount | Little is known about his early life. |
| much | a large amount | Much has happened since we met. |
| neither | not one and not the other of two people or things | I keep telling Jack and Jill but neither believes me. |
| nobody no one | no person | I phoned many times but nobody answered. |
| nothing | no single thing, not anything | If you don’t know the answer it’s best to say nothing. |
| оne ones | an unidentified person ones (two or more persons / things) | Can one smoke here? Would you like large aplles or small ones? |
| other | a different person or thing from one already mentioned | One was tall and the other was short. |
| somebody someone | an unspecified or unknown person | Clearly somebody murdered him. It was not suicide. |
| something | an unspecified or unknown thing | Listen! I just heard something! What could it be? |
| you | an unidentified person (informal) | And you can see why. |
| plural | ||
| both | two people or things, seen together | John likes coffee but not tea. I think both are good. |
| few | a small number of people or things | Few have ever disobeyed him and lived. |
| fewer | a reduced number of people or things | Fewer are smoking these days. |
| many | a large number of people or things | Many have come already. |
| others | other people; not us | I’m sure that others have tried before us. |
Окончание табл. 4
| several | more than two but not many | They all complained and several left the meeting. |
| they | people in general (informal) | They say that vegetables are good for you. |
| singular or plural | ||
| all whole | the whole quantity of something or of some things or people (used with Sg. and Pl. / whole with Sg.) | All is forgiven. All have arrived. We saw the whole of Rome. |
| any | no matter how much or how many | Is any left? Are any coming? |
| more | a greater quantity of something; a greater number of people or things | There is more over there. More are coming. |
| most | the majority; nearly all | Most is lost. Most have refused. |
| none | not any; no person or persons | I invited five friends but none have come. |
| some | an unspecified quantity of something; an unspecified number of people or things | Here is some. Some have arrived. |
| such | of the type already mentioned | He was a foreigner and he felt that he was treated as such. |