Grammar
Few, a few, little, and a little
A few people joined the workshop, so the group could begin. Few people joined the workshop suggests that the group was smaller than expected.
Choose few or a few with plural countable nouns and little or a little with uncountable nouns, then use the article to show whether the amount feels sufficient.
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
a few, few, a little, and little /ə fjuː, fjuː, ə ˈlɪt.əl, ænd ˈlɪt.əl/
The short answer
Choose a few or few with things you can count, and a little or little with an amount you do not count separately. Use a few and a little when some amount is available. Use few and little when the amount seems smaller than needed or expected.
We have a little time before the meeting.
Why it works: Time is uncountable, and a little says that some time is available.
6 more examples
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A few neighbors came to the planning meeting.
Neighbors are countable and plural. A few says that some people came.
Not this:
Few neighborscame to the planning meeting. What changes: Few suggests that the number was lower than the speaker hoped for. -
I saved a few articles for the train journey.
Articles are separate items, so a few is possible before the plural noun.
Not this:I found
few useful articlesfor the report. What changes: Few describes a disappointing number of useful articles. -
There is a little soup left in the pan.
Soup is an uncountable amount in this sentence. A little means some soup remains.
Not this:There is
little soupleft in the pan. What changes: Little soup means that almost none remains, so there may not be enough. -
We need a little more space for the boxes.
Space is uncountable here. A little asks for a small extra amount.
Not this:There was
little spacefor the boxes. What changes: Little space tells the reader that the available room was very limited. -
The guide gave us a few minutes to ask questions.
Minutes are countable units, so a few means some time was set aside.
Not this:The guide gave us
little timeto ask questions. What changes: Time is uncountable as a general amount. Little says that the time was not enough. -
A little information can help you choose a course.
Information is uncountable. A little means that some helpful information is available.
Not this:
Few detailswere included in the course description. What changes: Details are countable and plural. Few says that the description did not include many of them.
Read the full guide
Start with the noun. If it can be counted as separate items, choose few or a few and use a plural noun. If it names an amount, choose little or a little. Then read the situation to decide whether the speaker means some is available or almost none is available.
Choose by noun type first
The noun after the phrase gives you the first answer. Use few or a few with a plural countable noun. Use little or a little with an uncountable noun. Do not choose the article until you know which noun group you need.
A few emails arrived after lunch.
Emails are separate items that can be counted, so use a few rather than a little.
Which pair fits advice: few or a few, or little or a little?
Choose little or a little because advice is uncountable.
Use a few for some countable things
A few means some. It usually tells the listener that a small number exists and may be enough for the present purpose. The noun after it must be plural.
I have a few questions before we begin.
Questions are countable and plural. The speaker has some questions to ask.
Complete the phrase: a few ___. Should you write task or tasks?
Write tasks. A few needs a plural countable noun.
Use few when the number is too small
Few also goes before plural countable nouns, but it often means not many or not enough. It can sound more formal than a few, especially in conversation. The sentence context usually makes the negative feeling clear.
Few applicants met all the requirements.
The speaker expected more qualified applicants. Few shows that the number was low.
Does few questions suggest that the speaker has enough questions?
Usually no. Few questions often means that the number is lower than expected or needed.
Use a little for some amount
A little means some of an uncountable amount. Use it for substances, abstract ideas, and general amounts such as water, money, confidence, or time. It often suggests that the amount can still be useful.
A little patience will make the task easier.
Patience is uncountable. The sentence says that some patience is available or needed.
Which phrase fits milk: a few milk or a little milk?
Use a little milk because milk is an uncountable amount in this meaning.
Use little when almost none is available
Little goes with an uncountable noun and often means hardly any. It can tell the listener that the amount is not useful or does not meet a need. In informal speech, people often use very little to make this meaning stronger.
There was little light in the hallway.
Light is uncountable here. Little light means that the hallway was almost dark.
Which phrase says that almost no money is available: a little money or little money?
Use little money. It suggests that the amount is too small for what is needed.
Count a unit when an amount has a container
An uncountable noun can follow a countable unit. Say a little water when you mean an amount of water, but say a few bottles of water when you count the bottles. The word after few is bottles, which is plural and countable.
We packed a few bottles of water for the hike.
Water remains uncountable, but bottles are countable units. That is why a few is correct.
Which phrase counts portions: a few slices of bread or a little slices of bread?
Use a few slices of bread because slices are plural countable units.
Before you go
Remember this
First, choose by noun type: few or a few for plural countable nouns, and little or a little for uncountable nouns. Then choose the tone. A few and a little mean some is available. Few and little often mean the amount is too small for the situation.
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 "Few, a few, little, and a little"
What is the difference between few and a few?
Both phrases go with plural countable nouns. A few means some and often suggests that the number is useful or enough in context. Few often means not many and can suggest a shortage or disappointment.
A few neighbors came to the planning meeting.
What is the difference between little and a little?
Both phrases go with uncountable nouns. A little means some amount is available, while little often means almost none is available. The sentence context shows whether the amount meets the speaker's need.
Few neighbors came to the planning meeting.
Can I use few with a singular noun?
No. Few and a few need a plural countable noun, such as few messages or a few messages. For one countable item, use a different determiner, such as one message or a message.
I saved a few articles for the train journey.
Can I say a few water?
No. Water is uncountable when you mean the substance, so use a little water or little water. You can use a few with a countable unit, such as a few glasses of water or a few bottles of water.
I found few useful articles for the report.
Do a few and a little always mean enough?
They often suggest that some amount is available, but they do not promise that it is enough. A little time may be enough to send a message but not enough to finish a long task. Read the whole situation.
There is a little soup left in the pan.