Practice
Numbers and quantities in English
Sign in to saveYou are buying food for a picnic. You need to say how many sandwiches to make, how much juice to bring, and whether there is enough fruit. Small quantity words help people understand exactly what you mean.
Use numbers, quantity words, how much, how many, and simple measure words to describe amounts in everyday English.
Read and practice
Read the examples and try the written questions in this guide. Listening recordings are not available for this lesson yet.
Try the written questions
How many bottles of water do we need? /haʊ ˈmeni ˈbɒtəlz əv ˈwɔːtə duː wiː niːd/
The short answer
Use how many with countable plural nouns and how much with uncountable nouns. Use numbers with countable items, and use measure words such as a bottle of or a cup of when you need to count an uncountable noun.
How many apples do we need? How much juice do we need?
Why it works: Apples are separate items that you can count. Juice is treated as an amount.
6 more examples
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There are three chairs by the window.
Chairs are countable, so the sentence uses a number and a plural noun.
Not this:There is
some furnitureby the window. What changes: Furniture is usually uncountable, so it does not normally follow a number without a measure word. -
We need some rice for dinner.
Rice is an uncountable noun here, so some describes an amount rather than separate items.
Not this:We need
three bowls of ricefor dinner. What changes: Bowls are countable, so the sentence can give an exact number of servings. -
How many tickets are left?
Tickets are separate items that you can count.
Not this:
How much timeis left? What changes: Time is treated as an amount, so the question uses how much. -
There is not much milk in the fridge.
Much is common with uncountable nouns in negative sentences.
Not this:There are
not many eggsin the fridge. What changes: Eggs are countable, so the sentence uses many and a plural noun. -
She bought a bottle of water at the station.
Water is uncountable, but bottle gives it a countable unit.
Not this:She bought
two bottlesof water at the station. What changes: The number changes bottle to the plural form because the containers are countable. -
We have enough plates for everyone.
Enough says that the quantity meets a need.
Not this:We have
too many platesfor this small table. What changes: Too many says that the number is more than the situation needs.
Read the full guide
Look at the noun first. If you can count separate items, use a plural noun after a number and ask how many. If the noun is an amount or material, ask how much. You can make an amount countable by naming its container, piece, or unit.
Count things you can separate
Use a number with a countable noun when you can count separate things. After a number greater than one, use the plural form of the noun.
I sent four emails this morning.
Emails are separate messages, so four gives an exact count and emails is plural.
Describe amounts you do not usually count
Some nouns describe a material, substance, or general amount. Common examples include water, milk, rice, money, and information. Use quantity words with these nouns instead of a number by itself.
There is some information on the noticeboard.
Information is uncountable in this meaning. Do not normally say three informations.
Choose the natural phrase: two waters or two bottles of water?
Use two bottles of water when you mean two separate containers.
Ask how many or how much
Use how many before a plural countable noun. Use how much before an uncountable noun. These questions help you ask for a number or an amount.
How many people are on the bus?
How much coffee is in the pot?
People can be counted one by one, while coffee is treated as an amount.
Use some, any, much, and many
Use some for an unspecified amount in many positive sentences. Use any in many questions and negative sentences. Use many with countable plural nouns and much with uncountable nouns, especially in questions and negative sentences.
Do you have any questions?
Questions are countable, so any is followed by the plural noun questions.
Complete the question: How much or how many homework do you have?
Use how much homework because homework is uncountable.
Make amounts countable with measure words
A measure word names a unit, container, or part of an uncountable noun. Use a piece of advice, a cup of tea, a bag of rice, or a slice of bread when you need to say how many units there are.
Please bring two bags of rice.
Rice stays uncountable, but bags becomes plural because the bags can be counted.
Could I have a piece of advice?
Advice is uncountable, so piece gives one countable unit.
Before you go
Remember this
Count separate items with numbers and plural nouns, and describe materials or amounts with words such as some, much, and enough. Ask how many for countable plural nouns and how much for uncountable nouns. Add a measure word when you want to count an amount such as water, rice, or paper.
Practice with the written examples
You can practice with the written questions in the Learn tab. Each answer includes an explanation.
Try the written questionsListening test not available yet
This lesson does not have the recordings needed for a listening test. Use the written questions in the guide to check your understanding.
Try the written questionsQuestions about "Numbers and quantities in English"
When do I use how many?
Use how many with countable plural nouns. You can ask How many chairs are in the room? because each chair is a separate item that can be counted.
There are three chairs by the window.
When do I use how much?
Use how much with uncountable nouns that describe an amount. For example, ask How much tea would you like? because tea is treated as a substance, not as separate items.
There is some furniture by the window.
Can I use a number with water or rice?
Use a countable unit when you need an exact number. Say two glasses of water or three bags of rice. The number counts the glasses or bags, while water and rice remain uncountable.
We need some rice for dinner.
What is the difference between many and much?
Use many with countable plural nouns and much with uncountable nouns. For example, many visitors refers to people you can count, while much traffic refers to an amount of traffic.
We need three bowls of rice for dinner.
Can I use a lot of with countable and uncountable nouns?
Yes. A lot of works with both types of noun. You can say a lot of messages or a lot of work. It is common in everyday positive sentences when you do not need an exact amount.
How many tickets are left?