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Edwina
what is the different usage about these words? little, a little.few.a few.
Thank you.
Apr 10, 2011 2:54 PM
Answers · 7
1
a little and little + uncountable nouns
a little is used in a positive way but little is used in a negative way
a little means not much but enough
i have a little tea.
little means almost nothing
a few and few +countable nouns
same like a little and little, ok?
a few means not many but enough
i have a few friends, two or three
i have few friends, only one
April 10, 2011
All the words 'Little', 'A little', 'Few', 'A Few' are called adjectives. Adjectives are the words that are used with a noun to add something for its meaning. The words described above are often confused. In fact there is a difference between them illustrated below:
'Few' is used with nouns that are countable in numbers whereas 'Little' is used with nouns that are not countable in numbers.
Little:
It means hardly any. Therefore it has negative meaning.
For example:
• There is little hope of our team's victory now.
• He showed little concern for his niece.
• He showed little interest in Chemistry.
A little:
It means some enough though not much. Therefore it has positive meaning.
For example:
• A little planning could have saved the situation.
• A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.
• There is a little hope of his recovery from the disease.
April 11, 2011
Few:
It means not many, hardly any. So, therefore it has negative meaning.
For example:
• Few people speak the truth today.
• Few women in our society can keep a secret.
A Few:
It means 'some' as opposed to 'none'. Therefore it has positive meaning.
For Example:
• A few words spoken in polite will convince the lord.
• A few children can speak English correctly in our society
April 11, 2011
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Edwina
Language Skills
Chinese (Mandarin), English
Learning Language
English
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